Audrey Szeto

 CHALLENGE

Art museums can feel exclusive and only catered towards the privileged. Offering an experience that is equitable and intended for anyone who wants to be part of contemporary creative culture should be easy.

solution

The Dean Cook Museum offers free admission and access to events for people of all ages and levels of interest. Offering a responsive website that is compatible with desktop, tablets, and mobile devices allows users to easily book tickets whenever is most convenient for them.

research

We interviewed users of varying backgrounds with different levels of interest in contemporary art. Each individual expressed an interest in being able to see art without having to spend too much money. The notion of being able to regularly visit the museum made users feel like it was more of a communal space rather than an exclusive one.

user pain points

1) Cost : Tickets to art museums can be expensive and prevents regular access to all potential users. By offering access to anyone who wants to attend, users are able to experience art and culture regardless of their financial ability.

2) Diversity: Art museums historically have primarily bought and shown artwork by white men. Prioritizing representation of artists varying in gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic background gives all users an opportunity to experience artwork that they connect with or can provide a unique lens to see the world through.

3) Connection: Lack in diversity of events offered at art museums can make users feel excluded if they only prioritize artist lectures or events that require in depth knowledge of the art scene. Offering events that garner interest among users from different levels of interest and experience with art allows for more participation from a wider pool of people.

4) Leadership: Users expressed mistrust in the art world due to a perception of exclusivity and seemingly out of reach portrayal of the work and artists represented. Additionally, donors and board members often only represent the affluent community. Leadership that prioritizes community would create the structure for an equitable art experience.

problem statement

Farrah is a young professional interested in regularly visiting art museums without spending too much money. She also wants the artwork to represent the diversity of the art community and for the museum to be supported by leaders committed to equitable access to art.

USER JOURNEY MAP

PAPER WIREFRAMES

digital wireframes

information architecture

lofi prototype

mockupS

hifi prototype (DESKTOP)

Hifi PROTOTYPE (Tablet)

Hifi PROTOTYPE (mobile)

usability study

1) Devices: 3 of 4 users used a mobile device to book tickets to the art museum. This indicates that the primary device used for the using the Dean Cool Museum website is a mobile device.

2) Navigation: 4 of 4 users struggled with navigating the “EXHIBITS” and “EVENTS” carousels. This means the design for the “EXHIBITS” and “EVENTS” sections need to be re-iterated so that users can easily find the information they are looking for.

3) Homepage: 4 of 4 users prefer to get the information they are looking for directly off of the homepage. This indicates that the current homepage is not providing enough information for the user to feel their goals can be met.

4) Booking: 3 of 4 users were unable to complete the goal of booking tickets. This means we were unable to successfully provide an easy experience for the user to book tickets to the Dean Cook Museum and will be our top priority in the next iteration.

Next steps

In the next iteration of our responsive website, we will prioritize a design that offers a better experience for smaller mobile screens. This will include making it easier for users to “checkout” and book their tickets. Additionally, we will re-think how we might better provide the information users are looking for on the homepage and revisit how the “EXHIBITS” and “EVENTS” are presented to the user.