Designing a Search Engine and Marketplace
for Art Events
FIND YOUR ART
DURATION
Jun - Aug 2023
ROLE
UX Designer
TOOLS
Figma, Figjam, Canva, Qualtrics
OVERVIEW
Spoiler Alert! Here’s a sneak peek
The non-profit organization CHANGE Arts approached us to design and develop:
Find Your Art
a search engine and marketplace targeting educators, teachers, and facilitators, aiming to connect them with relevant art events and workshops
I worked alongside four other designers, 4 other engineers, product manager and the executive director of CHANGE Arts to make that a reality.
Why are we making this in the first place?
PROBLEM
Artistic Engagement Dwindling in Education
Artistic engagement in educational settings are declining, impacting critical thinking and creativity among students.
Locating art events is a challenging task
There are so many art events near people but they are so hard to find. This is due to a lack of centralized information and limited promotion.
Escalating Costs of Art Events
As a result of reduced attendance following the pandemic, art event costs have risen to stay afloat. However, the escalated prices subsequently deter individuals from attending.
How might we create a platform that connects educators with art events and workshops while also helping revitalize the arts industry?
THIS LED US TO THE QUESTION…
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
What is causing the lack of popularity for the competitor's websites?
Most of the events shown are expensive
Interface is very confusing and the search results are not visually consistent
Does not have that many filters to customize what you are looking for
More focused on blogs and tv shows about art rather than art events
Interface is really hard to navigate
Shows a map of where the event is taking place
Shows related events when you click on an event
Shows accessibility info when you click on an event
Have an option to share an event
Have an option to add the event directly to the user’s calendar
Gives an option to add reviews to events
What are some features that are seen across similar websites?
KEY INSIGHTS
This functionality showcases events gaining popularity or emerging, allowing users to quickly grasp the latest trends and remain connected. Additionally, it aids in uncovering events that might have otherwise gone unnoticed, thanks to increased exposure.
TRENDING EVENTS
SEARCHING, FILTERING & SORTING CONTENT
These features simplify event discovery, allowing users to find, refine, and organize events based on their interests and schedules. This enhances the user experience by making event exploration more efficient and personalized.
To further understand what users really think, we created a detailed Qualtrics survey and shared it with art organizations, teachers, and students who would be indirectly impacted by the platform. We were thrilled to receive more than 50 insightful responses.
What do students, educators and art organizers really think?
SURVEY
The survey did confirm that it’s a hassle to find events since most people look for them on google or directly go through the website of different art organizations.
FAVORED FEATURES FOR PROFILES AND EVENTS:
Further filtering and sorting initial search results
Viewing events by thematic content and arts discipline
Bookmarking events
HOW WOULD THEY LIKE FIND YOUR ART TO HELP THEM?
Would like FYA to provide additional resources to arts events, such as lesson plans or discussion prompts
Organizing possible experiences by curriculum content
Finding local age appropriate experiences
Facilitating art experiences accessible from rural areas
Following that, we delved into sketching out the website's design.
After choosing the best features and layouts, we seamlessly transitioned into crafting low-fidelity wireframes that mirrored the carefully crafted user flow.
WIREFRAMES
ITERATIONS
Because of time constraints, we couldn't test the low-fidelity wireframes with users. Instead, we had our product manager and client review each screen thoroughly and share feedback.
Our client wanted to put equal importance to both finding art events as well as finding resources. They wanted me to incorporate an option to choose teaching artists on the homepage.
So I created multiple iterations of the search engine page...
VERSION 1
The two options blend in with the background so they are hard to notice
The filters are not that evident
VERSION 2
The tabs make it easier to see the two different options
The search bar seems a little too overwhelming with all the filters
VERSION 3
Both the options are not visible unless the dropdown menu is clicked
The filters at the bottom of the search bar are easy to access
This step was vital to ensure that the user interface perfectly encapsulated the whimsical essence of artistic exploration our client aimed for.
Plus, it streamlined our design process and ensured that the designs were consistent since multiple designers were working on the high-fidelity wireframes.
We created the design system from scratch
DESIGN SYSTEMS
HIGH-FIDELITY WIREFRAME ITERATIONS
Evolution of the search engine
These features can help users personalize their searches, keep track of preferred events, and stay informed about trending events greatly enhance the ease of discovering new art events
Art Discovery Made Easy
Bookmark Events
Trending Events
Filters
Enabling Affordable Art Experiences
The ticket subsidization request form empowers educators by enabling them to seek financial assistance, ensuring they can afford to bring their students to art events. This inclusive approach promotes access to enriching cultural experiences for all students, regardless of financial constraints.
Option to subsidize art event tickets
Enriching Arts Education
The availability of diverse teaching artists offering various workshops and resources greatly enriches the arts experience for students. This diversity ensures that students can engage with a wide range of artistic styles and techniques, fostering a more comprehensive and dynamic learning journey.
Ability to filter and explore through teaching artists that offer resources on various topics
OUTCOME
Project’s Potential
The project holds the potential to make art events more accessible, thereby addressing the decline in attendance and fostering a renewed interest in the arts among students and educators.
It aims to empower educators with enriched artistic experiences for their students while promoting inclusivity and diversity within the educational community.
REFLECTION
Looking Back
If I had more time, I would have really liked to carry out more user testing to make sure our design choices were spot on and enhance the overall user experience.
This journey taught me the importance of finding the sweet spot between creativity and practicality, and highlighted how working together can create solutions that cater to a wide range of users.
