Portfolio Project 1: ArtMart Mobile App
Project Overview
Key Challenges
& Restraints
Artists feel limited because not all of them are ready for or qualify to be represented by a gallery in order to show and sell their work.
Target Audience
Two-dimensional artists aged 12-100 from all over the world, at all levels of experience, that are interested in selling their artwork.
Project Goal
Create a mobile-first approach that enables artists of all levels to diversify their income.
The Product
The ArtMart app provides two-dimensional artists from all over the world a platform to sell original artwork and prints in a mobile-friendly format.
My Role
UX designer leading the ArtMart mobile app design
Responsibilities
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, iterating on designs and mobile design
Project Duration
January-April 2022
Understanding the User
I conducted user interviews and moderated studies with artists who produce 2D artwork, some have been represented by galleries, and users who were not artists but might use the app to purchase art or explore using the app at a future date.
Some assumptions included that artists would find a type of app that evens the playing field useful and enjoyable. After the research, we found that these assumptions were confirmed although the usability needed refinement to deliver an optimal user experience.
User Pain Points
Not able to sell through art galleries
Gallery representation is very limited, which leaves artists frustrated because gallery representation is a key way to establish a career.
Art e-commerce sites require curation
Art e-commerce sites require curation by an art professional in order to be included, limiting opportunities for artists.
Art e-commerce sites target a high-end market
Artists outside of the high-end fine-art market struggle to find a reputable e-commerce site through which they can sell their art.
Selling art is often limited to canvas/original materials
Current technology offers ways for artists to be entrepreneurs - to sell their artwork in multiple formats (NFTs, prints, textiles, clothing, etc.)
Persona & Problem Statement
Rosee is a soon-to-be graduate BFA illustrator who needs an e-commerce solution to sell artwork because she wants to sell original art pieces and sell printed T-shirts at the same time.
User Journey Map
I created an empathy map to identify Rosee's pain points and possible improvement opportunities. Rosee represents a type of artist who may not be served by the current art e-commerce outlets such as fine art galleries that are online. Rosee’s goal is to sell original artwork and potentially profit from it.
Paper Wireframes
I sketched out paper wireframes for each screen in my app, keeping the user pain points in mind.
ArtMart aims to deliver a selling experience for all types of artists by removing the barriers to listing artwork for sale.
In order to sell effectively, ArtMart enables shopping functionality as well. Sellers access the selling function from the home screen.
Low Fidelity Prototype
Digital wireframes allowed me to strategize how to create a user experience centered around the selling function. In this user flow, the user opens a seller account and lists their first artwork for sale.
Usability Study: Findings
Round 1’s study findings revealed roadblocks in the user flow that slowed users down in uploading artwork for sale.
Round 2 findings revealed the user flow was much more straightforward and clear.
Round 1 Findings
- Users want a more defined way of uploading artwork for sale
- Users want more features specific to their user role (buyer vs. seller)
- Users want a less detailed seller account setup process
Round 2 Findings
- Users felt it was easy and straightforward for to list art for sale.
- Users felt the image uploading options were clear
- Users expected the account setup steps to be as moderately detailed as this prototype
Refining the Design
The usability study findings revealed roadblocks in the user flow for listing artwork for sale. Here, image uploading functionality was updated to indicate what step in the uploading process the user is in, and a guide with examples of the types of images that are required to include with a listing.
Accessibility Considerations
1
This design uses high contrast text for low vision and a consistent accent color across the site for CTAs
2
The design includes content adapted to screen readers.
3
Each image featured in this design has been designed to meet the requirements of the Website Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA so that adequate descriptions are contained in each image in appropriate HTML tags.
High Fidelity Prototype
Going Forward: Takeaways
Impact
Ultimately, artists that tested the design felt that the app would be fun to use and useful for them to generate income.
What I've Learned
I learned that by breaking out the user flow into smaller steps with more context can make a huge impact on the user experience.
Next Steps
Ideation & Usability Testing
- Flesh out the selling and shopping functionality in greater detail.
- Enable artists to sell more than one type of media for each artwork (print, canvas, textile, etc.).
- Enable cryptocurrency and Web3 functionality and selling opportunities (payment option, mint NFTs, etc.).