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Overview
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A mobile app for an Art Gallery that helps you understand artworks.

Timeline

4 Months (April 2022)

Tools

Figma, Adobe Ai, Adobe Ps, Procreate

Roles

Research & Design

Hypothetical Client

National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai

Process

Design Thinking Process (Non-Linear)

Research Methods Used

Field Studying, User Interviews, Competitive Analysis, Card Sorting, Usability Testing

Problem:

How might we redesign the current NGMA app to help visitors of the art gallery to engage with abstract versions of modern and contemporary art.

Goals:

  1. Provide an engaging guide for each artwork, with tips & knowledge.

  2. Help users plan visits to the gallery & book tickets online.

  3. Provide a reward system.

  4. Allow users to favourite & save gallery experiences.

Success Metrics / Key Performance Indicators:

  1. App downloads

  2. Online Bookings

  3. Time Spent in Gallery by App Users vs Non-App Users

SOLUTION

1. Plan Schedule & Book

2. Provide an engaging guide for each artwork, with tips & knowledge

3. Reward System

4. Favourite & Save Gallery Experience

Solution

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Secondary research involved the study of the following:

  1. ​Existing NGMA Apps & Website using Heuristic Evaluation & Reading Reviews.

  2. Competitive Analysis of Art Gallery & Museum Apps in India & Outside India.

  3. Publications and Reports on Indian Art Industry were referred to.

Key Insights from Secondary Research:

  1. ​The current app & website is gallery-centric instead of being user-centric - The gallery history is given prominence over schedule & booking. 

  2. The NGMA Brand is not established clearly through the User Interface.

  3. Missing features such as language change, font size adjustment, labelling of all images, low colour contrasts make the app & website less accessible.

  4. The experience of the current app & website appeals to connoisseur alone.

  5. There is an increase in the number of young art enthusiasts in their late 20s to early 40.

  6. For abstracts art works - helping the user discover their own beliefs is the way forward.

Secondary Research

PRIMARY RESEARCH

The Primary Research included the following steps:

  1. ​Field Study of 2 Galleries

  2. User Interviews with 6 Individuals

  3. Forming User Personas based on themes

  4. Creating User Journeys for the Personas

  5. Insights

NGMA App Gallery Visits

Key Insights from Primary Research:

The user needs to have the following needs met:-

  1. Understand the artist's motivation behind the art piece

  2. Make an emotional-connect with the artwork

  3. Share their experience with fellow visitors

  4. Feel like the gallery is meant for all (not just connoisseurs)

Primary Research
Business Mode Canvas

BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

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IDEATION

The ideation process was carried out by listing down as many ideas possible, in the time period of 2 days. These features are a mix of features that would be of use ‘before, during and after the gallery visit’. They were shortlisted and sorted keeping business goals in mind.

Ideation

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

The following steps were followed to create the information architecture for the app:-

  1. Observing UX Patterns in similar apps

  2. Sketching Screens, Card Sorting and Connecting on a soft board

  3. Verifying and iterating using the principles of IA

NGMA App Card Sort
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Information Architcture

USER FLOWS

The following user flows were created

  1. Using a guide to understand an artwork.

  2. Viewing Schedule & Booking ticket.

  3. Favourite & Save gallery experiences.

User Flows
Wireframes

USABILITY STUDIES

Part 1: Moderated Testing using Low-Fid Prototype (3 Participants)​

Part 2: Un-moderated Hi-Fid Testing using Prototype (4 Participants)​

Usability Studies

VISUAL DESIGN SYSTEM

The Visual Design Included the following aspects

  1. Finding an appropriate theme

  2. Colour

  3. Type

  4. Icons

  5. Components

  6. Illustrations

  7. Backgrounds

Visual Design System
Prototype
Conclusion

CONCLUSION

Future Evolution:

  1. Customized tips for each artwork

  2. E-commerce shop of souvenirs

  3. Hindi Language

  4. Apply to exhibit in NGMA

  5. Booking an Artist’s Interaction

  6. Exclusive Audio Tours in the Artist's Voice

  7. Archive of Past Exhibitions with few artwork samples each

  8. Map and VR to directly start tour from a certain location in the gallery

  9. Moderated Discussion Forums

Learnings & Reflection:

  1. Research: Availability bias led to me carrying some usability tests online.

  2. UX: Don't serve with the aim of being delightful over useful.

  3. UI: Spend more time in bringing consistency for illustrations & icons - subjects, abstract/real, backgrounds, accents etc

  4. Stake holder review and another round of usability testing would have been great.

Acknowledgements:

Acknowledging in gratitude, all the people for their participation in interviews, studies and project reviews. 

 

Amit Ruparel, Arka Roy, Ashlesha Gharat, Bhakti Mehta, Bhumika Bhurani, Devanjan Roy, Gaganpreet Singh, Ganesh Singh Thakur, Gangadharan Menon Sir, Pranav Menon, Rasagy Sharma, Raviraj Shinde, Ritesh Rajan, Sasikumar Menon, Seema Shinde, Shweta Humnabadkar, Umang Dedhia, Varun Muralidharan.

FINAL PROTOTYPE

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Hi-Fid New Prototype.JPG
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