problem & solution
Art museums shouldn't just be for the elite
Art museums have long been a primary resource for learning about and experiencing art.
Unfortunately, art can often feel intimidatingly inaccessible for the general public.
For regular people, who aren’t academics or involved in the “art world,” art can feel elusive, out-of-touch, or even perhaps just confusing. Without a formal introduction to art, which is generally only available to the privileged, it becomes difficult to glean much insight from abstract and unfamiliar artworks. This problem stems from both the little information museums provide about artworks as well as the lack of resources available for engaging in conversations about art.
Art for All intends to overcome these hurdles by providing a simple and easy-to-use framework for finding background information about artworks and artists, and allowing users to engage in informal discussions about specific artworks online. Users from a diverse set of backgrounds can thus come together to discuss their varied interpretations of art to get a better understanding of how art can impact their lives. This allows art museums to become an educational experience for everyone, regardless of prior educational level.
How it works
Explore background information about artworks you find in museums
Navigate to an artwork profile to learn more about it
Choose the subsections that interest you, and dive deep
Interested in super in-depth information? Learn more.
Engage with others in discussions about art to learn about different perspectives
Add your own insight to any artwork
Read about other perspectives and start threads with new people
Follow up on your threads to keep up the conversation
Check out the Video Prototype
Interact with the Prototype
Explore the QR code search to see Andy Warhol's "Yellow Cow", or explore the text search to see Barbara Takenaga's "Nebraska."
The Design Process
Insights into our methods & research
We started with just the simple idea that art museums could be doing a lot more to make their spaces more inviting and educational. But that wasn't enough; we couldn't just start designing for people when we didn't know exactly who those people were or what they wanted. As all good designers know, "you are not the user."
That was the first step--understanding our users. We went out into the field (art museums) and did our research. We spent time interviewing and listening to people of varied demographics to understand what their needs were and what they might want to see in an app that supports art education. When we felt like we had a good understanding of our users, we then drilled down the scope of the app's functionality we wanted to support and created initial designs.
The design stages began with quick sketches and paper prototypes, and then we iterated on those designs repeatedly. Research in the design stage involved getting critiques from peers, and watching new users test the usability of the prototypes. After making several iterations of the design based on this feedback, only then was it time to create the digital prototype you see here. Want to learn more about our design process? Check out our blog.
