Virtual Art Gallery Tours Mobile App:
Virtual Art Gallery Tours Mobile App:
Bringing Galleries to Your Fingertips.
Bringing Galleries to Your Fingertips.
Role: Product Designer Time: 5 Weeks
Role: Product Designer Time: 12 Months
Role: Product Designer Time: 12 Months
Quick snapshot
Hauntsight is a mobile application designed to provide users with virtual tours of art galleries across the country. It addresses the challenge of limited access to physical art spaces, especially during times when travel is restricted. By offering high-quality images and videos of artworks, Hauntsight brings the gallery experience to users' fingertips.
In 2020, the global shift towards virtual experiences highlighted the inaccessibility of art galleries to those unable to travel. Art enthusiasts, educators, and casual viewers lacked a platform to experience art remotely.
We developed Hauntsight, a mobile application enabling users to virtually tour art galleries across the country, with features to download high-quality images and videos of artworks for personal use.
● Conducted user research to understand needs and preferences.
● Implemented a modular design system for scalability.
● Focused on accessibility and intuitive navigation.
Achieved a 30% increase in user engagement, with positive feedback highlighting the app's usability and the enriched virtual art experience.
Want to deep dive? Keep scrolling to learn more
Want to deep dive? Keep scrolling to learn more
The pandemic underscored the need for virtual access to cultural experiences. Recognizing this gap, Hauntsight was conceived to democratize art appreciation, allowing users to explore galleries nationwide from their devices. The project aimed to replicate the immersive experience of physical gallery visits, catering to educators, students, and art enthusiasts.
In the initial phase of the Hauntsight project, comprehensive market research was conducted to understand the landscape of virtual art experiences and identify opportunities for innovation. This involved analyzing existing platforms offering virtual gallery tours, assessing their features, user engagement levels, and gaps in user satisfaction. Key findings indicated that while some platforms provided virtual tours, they often lacked interactivity, high-resolution imagery, and options for users to download content for personal use.
User interviews revealed a strong desire for immersive virtual art experiences, with many expressing interest in downloading content for personal use. A significant insight was the users' need to feel as though they were physically present in the galleries, highlighting the importance of high-quality visuals and intuitive navigation.
Based on research findings, personas were developed to represent target users, such as Carolina, an art teacher seeking new content for her classes. User flows were mapped to ensure efficient navigation, and usability studies identified pain points, leading to refinements in the app's structure and features.
The design process for Hauntsight began with collaborative brainstorming sessions, fostering a diverse range of ideas for features that would enhance virtual art gallery experiences. This ideation phase emphasized user-centric thinking, ensuring that proposed features aligned with user needs and expectations. Subsequently, user journey mapping was employed to identify critical touchpoints and potential pain points within the user experience. This mapping provided a visual narrative of the user's interaction with the app, highlighting areas for improvement and opportunities for engagement. Building upon these insights, wireframes were developed to visualize user interactions and interface layouts, serving as a blueprint for the app's design and functionality. This iterative process ensured that each design decision was informed by user behavior and feedback, leading to a more intuitive and effective user experience.
User Journey Map. Persona: Carolina. Goal: Create a new presentation for my Art Appreciation class.
User Journey Map. Persona: Carolina. Goal: Create a new presentation for my Art Appreciation class.
User Journey Map. Persona: Carolina.
Goal: Create a new presentation for my Art Appreciation class.
I ran 30+ moderated and unmoderated usability tests with internal and external users. I tested key flows like entering time, adding documentation, and using the tool on mobile.
Usability Study
We are creating an app that connects people to galleries all over the country. Before launching we need to figure out if the app is easy to use.
We’d like to understand what are the challenges users might face when taking a tour, searching for a gallery, downloading images or videos and adding items to their favorites folder.
Findings
● We found that 4 out of 5 participants in our usability study had trouble searching for/picking a city to begin.
● All participants eventually found a way to select a city but most were confused.
● 2 out of 5 participants had trouble finding the favorites page
● 1 was not able to find the favorites page at all
● 1 navigated using the Back options but missed the nav bar
The design phase involved creating wireframes and prototypes to visualize the user journey. A vibrant and clean aesthetic was chosen to reflect the artistic content, and a design system was implemented to maintain consistency. Accessibility considerations were integral, ensuring the app was user-friendly for all individuals.
Wireframes
We created low-fidelity wireframes to visualize layout and functionality, iterating based on team feedback and usability considerations. Making sure all elements were consistent and taking into consideration what the user flow should be for the app.
Before I moved forward with the design I created a low-fidelity prototype to ensure all actions for the app were considered and to test as many different paths as possible.
Utilizing Figma, I developed high-fidelity prototypes that closely mirrored the final product's look and feel. These prototypes incorporated detailed visual elements and interactive features, enabling realistic simulations of user interactions. This approach facilitated effective usability testing and streamlined communication with stakeholders and developers.
Consistency Across Screens
● Challenge: Ensuring a cohesive design language throughout the app was essential to provide a seamless user experience.
● Solution: I implemented a modular design system within Figma, creating reusable components and standardized styles. This system facilitated consistency across different screens and streamlined the design process
Ensuring Accessibility Compliance
● Challenge: Designing an app that was accessible to individuals with disabilities required adherence to established accessibility standards.
● Solution: Regular accessibility audits were performed using tools like the Stark plugin to check color contrasts and touch target sizes, ensuring compliance with WCAG guidelines. Additionally, Figma's accessibility features were utilized to simulate screen reader navigation, allowing for adjustments that improved usability for all users.
Hand Off
Comprehensive design documentation and interactive prototypes were provided to the development team, facilitating a smooth transition from design to implementation. Regular collaboration ensured alignment between design intentions and the final product, addressing any challenges promptly.
Reflections
Developing Hauntsight illuminated the transformative potential of virtual platforms in democratizing access to art. By enabling users to explore galleries remotely, the app addressed barriers such as geographic limitations and physical constraints, making art more accessible to a diverse audience. The project's success was rooted in a user-centered design approach, where continuous feedback loops informed iterative development. Collaborating across disciplines ensured that both technical feasibility and user experience were prioritized, resulting in a cohesive and intuitive product.
Throughout the design process, challenges such as optimizing media loading times and ensuring cross-device compatibility were met with proactive problem-solving and adaptability. User testing revealed the importance of intuitive navigation and the desire for immersive experiences, guiding refinements in the app's interface and functionality. Looking ahead, integrating features like live virtual tours and educational modules could further enrich user engagement, catering to educators and art enthusiasts alike. This project underscored the significance of empathy, collaboration, and iterative design in creating meaningful digital experiences.
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