2024
An art museum website that houses contemporary art and brings attention to local, young, and upcoming artists.
C:ontempo
Role
UX/UI, Web Designer
Project Duration
5 weeks
01. Discover & Define
Initial Thinking
Target Users
01. Artists looking to find inspiration
02. Young artists seeking a community
03. People interested in contemporary art
Research Methods
01. Qualitative research (user testing)
02. Quantitative research (survey)
03. Existing Systems
Competitive Analysis
Both modern and contemporary museum sites from the city were analyzed for comparison.
01.
Institute of Contemporary Art
Strengths
Innovative Exhibitions
Community Engagement
Educational Programs
Weaknesses
Funding Dependent
Limited Collection
Opportunities
Expanded Exhibitions
Increased Collaboration
Informational Tools
Threats
Economic downturns
Competition
02.
Barnes Foundation
Strengths
Unique Display
Educational Mission
Community Events
Weaknesses
Limited Focus
Fund Dependance
Controversies
Opportunities
New Partnerships
Updated Experiences
Threats
Digital Age
Economic Downturns
Requirements
Product
○ This website is the host for a contemporary museum.
○ Users can view the museum’s collection, read visiting information, visit the shop, book tickets for exhibits/events, and submit their own work.
User
○ Primary User: A person interested in art, between the ages of 15-29.
○ Satisfying database browsing, online booking, accessing information, and submitting.
Technical
○ Compatible across multiple screen sizes.
○ Young Artist Submissions can only be submitted on a PC, not on a tablet or mobile.
Business
○ Competitors: ICA, Barnes, AIC
○ To stand out, C:ONTEMPO creates a more community-driven experience
○ The museum and website are advertised through social media and outside posters.
Generative research and surveys indicate that contemporary museum websites often suffer from confusing navigation, poor mobile usability, and limited collection access. Surveyors, specifically those interested in art, wanted to contribute to museum collections. Designing an easily accessible website with an organized collection and features focused on showcasing young artists, creates a unique and community-driven experience.
45%
Exhibitions and Events
When asked “What is your primary reason for visiting a museum’s website?”, 45 percent of survey participants selected “To learn about upcoming exhibitions and events.” 25 percent selected “To explore the museum’s collection” These survey responses led to the app’s main two user personas and journeys.
60%
Frustration with Navigation
When asked “What current challenges or frustrations have you faced when using a museum website?”, 60 percent of survey participants selected “Website is difficult to navigate / Hard to find information.” This information led to prioritizing the website’s information architecture and a user-friendly design process.
User Personas
28 years old | Freelance Illustrator | Detail-oriented, Organized
Persona 1: Gabriel Malabuyo
“I’d like an experience that provides details and well-organized information on exhibitions before I make my purchase.”
Pain Points
Overanalyzes information
Wants to know every detail possible
End Goal
Browse Featured / Current Exhibitions
Purchase an exhibition ticket
19 years old | 2D Animator | Extroverted, Community-Driven
Persona 2: Katie Purcell
As a recent high-school graduate and aspiring animator, I want to find communities where artists can meet and showcase their work.”
Pain Points
Feels lonely post-grad
Struggles to find new opportunities
End Goal
Submit a video for a 2D Animation temporary gallery and film-screening
User Flows
Each user has a unique scenario to map out their user flow.
02. Explore & Ideate
Prototyping and Testing
Beginning with card sorting, paper testing, and low-fidelity screens, I received feedback on the first stages of my website. Three medium-fidelity journeys were designed for user testing. Below are two of the user journeys.
Journey 01. Purchasing a ticket for an exhibition
Journey 02. Submitting work to the Young Artist Gallery
User Testing
User tests were conducted for each prototype. In total, 8 rounds of testing were completed. Two of the most impactful cases are presented below.
Insight
Impact
○ “What’s On” & “Our Collection” need to have clearer distinctions, particularly regarding the difference between student, temporary, and permanent exhibits & collections.
○ Memberships should be marketed more on both exhibition and booking screens.
○ The user hesitates between “What’s On” and “Our Collection” before clicking “What’s On" and finding the exhibitions
○ The user quickly navigates through purchasing process and lands at the end screen, noting some confusion on the option of a membership.
Journey 01. Purchasing a ticket for an exhibition
Journey 02. Submitting work to the Young Artist Gallery
Insight
○ The user quickly selects “Submit Work”, but notes confusion about the wording and button placement.
○ The user selects an open event but asks about where he can locate a description about the event duration and where he can locate past participant’s work.
Impact
○ Remove the “Submit Work” button and replace it with a “Young Artists” tab, similar to "Our Collection" and "What’s On." This will reduce confusion while highlighting both young artists' involvement and the promotion of membership.
○ Memberships should be marketed more on both exhibition and booking screens.
03. Visual Identity
Visual Language
Artwork as a Focal Point
Contempo’s website features a structured grid layout with rectangular image containers, creating a clean and minimalist design that allows the artwork to remain the focal point without competing with a specific color palette or language.
These containers are intentionally structured and laid out in a way that allows users to have a direct and stress-free visual experience.
Mobile Compatibility
The grid system is designed for responsiveness across multiple screen sizes. Whether a user is searching for information on their PC, or navigating the museum on their phone, the experience remains functional and visually cohesive.
04. Final Reflection
Project Takeaways
User-Centered Design
User research and feedback played an important role throughout the entire design process. Considering the diversity of potential museum visitors, three user personas with different ages, art-related goals, and levels of tech-savviness were created. The user testing process involved maintaining communication with testers ranging from 20 to 60 years old, ensuring a design that was intuitive, engaging, and tailored to meet the needs of all users.
Clear Information Architecture
Initial survey respondents expressed frustration with navigating the museum websites they currently use. Feedback revealed that users often struggle to find exhibit details, special opportunities, and specific artwork within collections. With these issues in mind, Contempo prioritizes a clear, well-organized layout, featuring creative, but straightforward categorization, ensuring users can easily access the information they search for most frequently.
Community Engagement
Contempo aims to deliver an experience unique from other local art museums. By including a “Young Artist” feature, the website not only gives users a chance to view artwork, but to include their own as well. This interactive element encourages community engagement and invites a wider audience of users.
Final Notes
This project focused on creating a design that provides a more flexible user environment while exploring a wider target audience. Working within a classroom setting allowed me to implement more effective in-person testing and card sorting techniques. This design process showcased my ability to maintain consistent and productive communication with users, further developing my skills in user experience design.
