GALLERY PAL
This case study focuses on the design sprint project for GalleryPal, an art gallery scanning app. The project aims to enhance the experience of viewing art in a museum or gallery by addressing the challenges and limitations associated with the traditional museum experience. The app seeks to provide users with a more immersive, informative, and engaging experience by offering a variety of features and functionalities.
JULY 2023: This is a Google Ventures-style design sprint that will give you experience working on a complete design project in a short (1 week!) timeframe.
ROLE: Designer & Researcher
INDEX
THE CHALLENGE
DAY 1- MAP
DAY 2- SKETCH
DAY 3- DECIDE
DAY 4- PROTOTYPE
DAY 4- TEST
OVERVIEW
THE CHALLENGE
GalleryPal addresses the challenges art enthusiasts face when visiting museums and galleries. These challenges may include limited information about the artwork, difficulty navigating the space, and the need for more engagement. The traditional art museum experience may seem intimidating or unapproachable to individuals with little exposure to art. The goal is to create an easy-to-use app that guides users at any level of art appreciation.
DAY 1- MAP
I developed a comprehensive user flow diagram outlining a possible end-to-end experience with Gallery Pal of scanning artwork. The aim of this app is to provide users with a centralized hub of information and activities. For this user flow I wanted to focus on the crucial part of the app and that is the scanning of artwork. There are users with different levels on knowledge about art and I want to create an experience that is exciting and informative for everyone. For those who do not have experience they are provided info about the piece and the artist and can view the ongoing discussion about the piece in the chat until they feel comfortable joining. In the meantime they can also participate in a guided journey that helps them process their thoughts on the piece.
DAY 2- SKETCH
CRAZY 8
Lighting Demo:
During the second day of the project, I conducted an independent lightning demo to gather inspiration for Gallery Pal. My task was to identify three real-life examples of products or services that could catalyze innovative solutions within the app.
Google Arts & Culture:
This remarkable application offers an extensive compilation of high-resolution images and virtual tours showcasing renowned artworks and museums worldwide.
It gives users in-depth information about work, artists, and historical context.
Notably, an intriguing feature of this app is its interactive prompt, "What do you want to find," which could prove valuable in guiding users through their exploration.
Pinterest:
Pinterest empowers users to discover, save, and organize ideas or inspirations across diverse topics. Functioning as a virtual pinboard, it allows individuals to collect and share images, videos, and articles, referred to as "pins," on personalized boards. However, not primarily an art app, Pinterest's ability to curate interests presents an intriguing possibility for Gallery Pal. Incorporating features such as a personalized news feed labeled "for you" or a continually updated board of liked and saved artworks could personalize the user experience while effectively introducing them to new artwork aligned with their preferences.
I engaged in a creative exercise known as "crazy 8's" to push the boundaries of my ideation process. In just eight minutes, I challenged myself to sketch eight distinct ideas. I wanted to focus on the critical screen which is the scanning feature, I intentionally included it within the navigation bar to ensure its visibility and easy accessibility. A key aspect of my design was providing users with constant updates and feedback throughout the scanning procedure, including progress indicators. Users choose to grant camera access. Afterward, the camera interface opens, providing clear instructions such as "move closer," "step back," and "keep still" to assist users in capturing optimal scans. Once the camera successfully detects the art piece, the screen transitions to a loading state, indicating that the upload is in progress. Upon completing the loading process, users are directed to the main art information page, where a comprehensive range of information is presented. A professional photograph of the scanned original art piece remains prominently displayed for continuous reference. As users engage in scrolling, they are exposed to multiple critical facts related to the artwork, accompanied by the option to participate in discussions, fostering an interactive and immersive experience.
DAY 2- DECIDE
In a standard design sprint, I would spend Day 3 sharing my ideas with my team and selecting the idea the team wanted to focus on. Because I was working on a solo design sprint, I decided to go with creating a 5 to 15-panel storyboard that included my solution sketch (the 3-panel board I made on Day 2 of the sprint) This storyboard serves as a lightweight, sketched wireframe that I used to build my prototype on Day 4 of this sprint.
The story starts with a user looking at a piece they are intrigued by but feeling frustrated because they need help knowing where to start or searching for what they are looking for. They begin the search by attempting to look at Google, but then they need to figure out what they are even asking for. The user goes through finding Gallery Pal and using the scan feature. The feature gives them instructions on how to scan and updates on the progress through loading and notifying them when the scan has been successful. Artists, history, and additional info break down the art piece. The user can read ongoing discussions between other users about the work to get an idea of how people discuss art. They can always engage, ask another user questions, or even give their thoughts. If they want to remember this piece, they can then favorite the art piece to add it to their favorites gallery. I want to encourage users to be more objective with their experience and know that art is personal.
DAY 4- PROTOTYPE
DAY 5- TEST
Participants found the navigation in the main menu to be straightforward and intuitive. Participants could successfully use the app to learn more about paintings by scanning them. Participants generally found the information provided after scanning artwork clear and informative. The app displayed relevant details such as the artist's name, title, medium, and a brief description. The participants had positive overall impressions of the app, considering it a valuable tool for enhancing their art gallery experience.
Improvements: Participants suggested several improvements and additional features to enhance the user experience. These suggestions included improving the scanning accuracy, expanding the database to include more artists and artworks, providing audio or video content related to the artworks, and incorporating social sharing functionalities.