Haven

My Role in the Project

In this project, I served as the sole designer responsible for creating the user experience for Haven, a personalized mobile art marketplace.

Project Goal

Haven was born out of a desire to democratize the art market, often preventing individuals from fully participating due to high barriers to entry, inaccessible auction environments, and lack of available discovery. We would like to transform what is traditionally a marketplace of aristocrats into one that contributes to the social good.

In our case study, we explored how to design a user-friendly platform that not only breaks down barriers to entry for artists and buyers alike but also allows users to support social causes by donating a portion of the proceeds from each sale to charitable organizations.

Deep learning (DALL-E) grids were used as 'art' stand-ins in mockups

Target Audience

The target audience for Haven was art enthusiasts looking for a more personalized and convenient way to discover and purchase art. The app was designed to appeal to a wide range of users, from casual art lovers to serious collectors.

Key Challenges And Constraints

One of the key challenges in this project was creating a personalized experience that was also scalable and efficient. Another challenge was designing a system that could accurately recommend art based on user preferences, without relying on explicit feedback.

Research Study Details

To inform the design of Haven, I conducted a variety of research studies, including user interviews, competitive analysis, and usability testing. I also gathered data on user behavior and preferences through the use of analytics tools.

Throughout the design process, I had two high-level research questions:

What are the pain points for finding works of art that resonate with you?
How might the workflow of such an app be designed to compliment highly variable aesthetic properties between different artworks?

Early Design Concepts

Based on my research findings, I developed several initial design concepts for Haven. These concepts focused on creating a personalized experience that was easy to use and offered a wide range of art options. The initial primary color was red, however this was later changed after user feedback and a careful analysis of universal design principles and color theory.

User Testing Results

To validate the effectiveness of the design, I conducted several rounds of user testing with a range of users. The testing revealed several areas for improvement, including the need for clearer navigation and more prominent calls to action.

Mockups and Prototypes

Using the insights gained from user testing, I created a series of high-fidelity prototypes that showcased the final, polished designs for Haven. These prototypes incorporated feedback from users and addressed the key challenges and constraints of the project.

Primary and secondary colors were changed from red to yellow and purple, reflecting an app geared toward freedom, personalization, and creativity. A revamped menu screen was introduced, allowing faster navigation to key areas and calls to action.

Final mock-ups and prototypes differed substantially from early wireframes.

Primary and secondary colors were changed from red to yellow and purple.

Conclusion

Through the design process, I learned the importance of creating a personalized experience that was also scalable and efficient. I also learned the importance of conducting user testing to validate the effectiveness of the design and identify areas for improvement. Moving forward, possible next steps for the project could include further iterations based on user feedback, as well as marketing and promotional efforts to drive user adoption.

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