ARS
BRINGING AR INTO ART DISCOVERY
ars, artis - character (pl.)
method, way of art, skill, craft
My Role: UX Researcher, UI Designer
Softwares Used: Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud
The Problem
Users are seeking efficient methods to discover artworks that fit their budget while maintaining high quality standards. They often face challenges in organizing their search and visualizing the artwork in their space. They are missing proper recommendations aligned with their preferences.
The Proposal
An app that offers a virtual gallery experience to users and an ability to explore artworks in their home setting. The app will provide suggestions and introduce artists with similar styles to the ones the user likes, at a customized range of price options.
Starting Out
When we decided to focus on art for our new app, we wanted to make something that was specifically focused on art enthusiasts and their need for valuable art within a decent price range.
With that in mind, we created a proto-persona to give us a clear picture of the potential user base.
Proto-Persona
Hypothesis Statement
In a post-pandemic world, an increase of interest has been seen, from people who wish to decorate their homes and work spaces.
There are so many platforms to find and buy art, but the digital art market has become sporadic and messy, or just too expensive.
To combat this, we propose a single platform where art discovery can be accessed in one space. Artists can showcase their work, and can make their own name without selling their work to mass-producers, giving users a better connection to the art they purchase.
Objectives
From our hypothesis, we thought the objectives below encapsulate the main points we needed to brainstorm solutions our app could provide.
Discover the price point for potential users. Is the art they want to purchase typically too expensive? Are they willing to save?
How do people usually discover new art and artists? Is it easy to find new art they love and connect with?
How interested are our users in buying art, digitally?
User Interviews
We interviewed 5 people, ranging from ages 26 to 62, to get a better understanding of how users felt about purchasing art and to hear any ideas that might improve our app.
“I’m willing to pay more if I know the story behind the photo and the artist.”
-C
“Being able to preview the artwork on the wall before buying is very useful. It helps with where to put it on my personal space.”
-F
“I spend money on a lot of other things, but if I see an artist’s work online, I’ll want to see more of their work.”
-M
“I sometimes discover artists on youtube and I watch art content”
-A
Survey Results
Our survey reached 30 potential users between the ages of 23 and 62. In our 14 question survey, we discovered that:
90%
Actively looks for art at least some of the time
70%
Finds art online or through a friend
50%
Are open to purchasing art through an app
Empathy Map
Based on our interview and survey findings, we came up with an empathy map for the ideal user.
Ideation & Storytelling: Pivoting
Our user interviews also helped us see we needed to pivot our attention towards an accessible art marketplace where users can learn about the artists and artworks they purchase, interact with the artwork in their space, and choose from an array of frames, sizes, and price ranges.
New Problem Statement:
Art appreciators on a budget are frustrated that the existing ways available to discover artists are embedded into social media. This makes it difficult keeping track of their findings. How might we consolidate the discovery of artists into one platform so that users’ art preferences aren’t lost among the other content?
Competitive Analysis
We first wanted to understand the pros and cons of apps currently in the market that provide similar services. Here’s what we found:
After doing the competitive analysis, we thought deeper about what our users are looking for in an art app.
We took our best and most attainable answers and decided to focus on three features in developing our app:
I wish I could receive good algorithms showing art pieces that I can purchase
I like it when I can see the relative scale of art pieces before I purchase
I like it when I have something in common with the artist or the subject
Our Proposal
A R S is an app that provides access to discover art either locally or globally, allowing users to obtain art prints that would otherwise not be available in the art market, at the affordable print price.
User Flow
We focused on three main flows: Onboarding Flow, Search Flow, and AR/Purchase Flow.
Onboarding
Search Flow
AR/Purchase Flow
We Created
A R S
An app that specifically deals with helping users find artwork AND artists that they love. We want our users to feel happy and pleased through the useful search process, the use of AR in checking if the art works in their space, and the ability to get the best framing for their art.
Paper Prototyping
Using insights from our interviews and familiar user experiences, we each sketched screens from our user flow, combining features that stood out from each to develop a low-fidelity prototype.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Based on our initial brainstorming we generated the below pages as part of our initial low-fi clickable wireframe.
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Added titles to the Nav bar for clarity
Bolded dividing lines between search results
Changed “Payment Received” to “Order Confirmed”
Added “Location” and “Style” filters to search page
Final Thoughts
The results of our research confirmed what we already had in the back of our minds - social media and online platforms have solidified themselves as a major platform for discovery of arts and culture.
Looking back on our work so far, we saw just how many more opportunities exist for our app moving forward.
Opportunities
Further testing to collect more qualitative and quantitative information about color, layout, etc. from mid-fi prototype
Interview up-and-coming artists to see how their perspective would affect how the app functions
Find out how we can integrate social media into our app in a non-intrusive way
Explore the best way to include framing and mounting services - artists can provide their own services at a lower cost to the buyer.
Thank you for reading through my case study! Feel free to reach out with any questions!
-Cristina