ART + is designed for all visitors to access to a world beyond the museum. We didn’t want to recreate the physical experience, but enhance it and extend what a physical visit gives a museum goer. We held a series of interviews to dig deeper and gather some qualitative data. Our widely answered survey produced valuable quantitative data. We created customer journeys and effect mapping, which helped us tailor our product, define personas and establish our two focus groups- art interested adults and children.

The responses to our interviews and surveys helped us define the problem as our interviewees were experiencing it:

We experimented with our interaction design throughout all phases. It tested us to communicate our ideas clearly, through carefully worded text and little instruction to users. This process was realised through sketching on paper and the white board (which I am now obsessed with and use mirrors and windows as alternatives as often as possible). We were able to create our user tests and A/B tests on paper and eventually mid-fi wireframes then a hi-fi prototype. All the while, tweaking elements and using the responses we received to improve the product and overall experience.

Our branding concept was inspired by the strong and stylish design of museum and cultural institutions- black, white, bold and a little accent. We wanted our visitors to recognise the feel of the experience by embracing these established features. We then wove our own interpretations into the mix with extra colour and a little more cursiveness. As we were creating a platform for both adults and children we worked hard to establish a concept which would work seamlessly for all our users.

In conclusion, ART+ was well received and noted for its stylish interface and mass of content capabilities. This was the culmination of a 10 week project at Berghs School of Communication. It explores the phases of user experience design and demonstrates how user research can inform and enrich design decisions and steer a design strategy.