Art Auction
Mobile App
Role : UX/UI Designer
Duration : 4 Weeks
Platform : Figma
Challenge
ArtHive is an art auction platform that empower art enthusiasts and collectors to effortlessly bid on and acquire exquisite artwork anytime, anywhere.
How might we design an intuitive and engaging art auction app that empowers art enthusiasts and collectors to seamlessly discover, bid on, and acquire artwork, enhancing accessibility and mobility.
Solution
Results from initial user research directed our solution. Our solution involved crafting an intuitive app that enables seamless bidding and swift art acquisition, empowering users to effortlessly engage with and own captivating artworks.
My Role & Responsibility
As a dedicated UX designer, I collaborated on the end-to-end design process of a mobile app for ArtHive. My responsibilities encompassed conducting insightful user interviews, meticulously crafting paper and digital wireframes, developing both low and high-fidelity prototypes, orchestrating impactful usability studies, ensuring accessibility compliance, and continually iterating on designs for optimal user experience.
User Research
We conducted in-depth user interviews and created empathy maps to gain deep insights into the target audience and their needs. Through meticulous research, we identified a key user segment: busy working professionals who face time constraints in their daily lives.
Personas
We crafted comprehensive personas that thoughtfully captured the aspirations and concerns of the user research participants, aligning them with potential app users. These personas serve as invaluable tools, providing a human-centered framework to inform and guide the design process.
User journey map
I crafted a user journey map that prioritized simplicity. By carefully mapping out the user journey, I aimed to create an intuitive and seamless experience for users, enabling them to effortlessly navigate the app and achieve their goals.
![Copy of Google UX Design Certificate - User Journey Map [Example].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0e5edc_66ded88f180d47b2844d00ca0a7ba1c6~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_960,h_540,al_c,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/Copy%20of%20Google%20UX%20Design%20Certificate%20-%20User%20Journey%20Map%20%5BExample%5D.png)
Wireframes
Next, I sketched out some ideas with pen an paper, then converted them into digital wireframes. Taking the time to draft iterations of each screen of the app on paper ensured that the elements that made it to digital wireframes would be well-suited to address user pain points. For the home screen, I prioritized a quick and easy searching process to help users save time.
Paper Wireframe
Digital Wireframe
Low-Fidelity Prototype
After finalizing the wireframes, I advanced to the next stage by developing a low-fidelity prototype in Figma. This enabled me to conduct comprehensive user testing, meticulously evaluating the app's interaction design and refining it iteratively for an optimal user experience.
Usability Study
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Findings from the first study helped guide the designs from wireframes to mockups. The second study used a high-fidelity prototype and revealed what aspects of the mockups needed refining.
Study Type: Unmoderated
Location: North America, Remote
Usability study findings:
Round 1
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Users want to be able to manage art bids on the go
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Users need to be assured the authenticity of art sold on app
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Users want more assistive search like autocomplete
Round 2
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The save button is too small
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The search needs to be very visible
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The color usage made page look too busy
Mockups
Early designs allowed for some customization, but after the usability studies, I replaced the thumbnail with three dots icon. I also added the save, share and watchlist buttons for better navigation.
The second usability study revealed the color makes the page seem too busy and intimidating. I replaced it with simple white space.
High-Fidelity Prototype
The final high-fidelity prototype presented a seamless user flows for bidding for artworks. It also met user needs for ensuring authenticity with the verification check icon. Visit link to ArtHive High-fidelity prototype
Accessibility Considerations
Takeaways
Impact:
The app makes users feel like ArtHive really thinks about how to meet their needs.
One quote from peer feedback:
“The app made it so convenient to search for and place bids on artworks.”
What I learned:
While designing the ArtHive app, I learned that the first ideas for the app are only the beginning of the process. Usability studies and peer feedback influenced each iteration of the app’s designs.
Next Steps
