Kooness
kooness provides virtual access to galleries around the world by connecting curators, artists and art lovers
CLIENT
Kooness
July 2020 - November 2020
MY ROLE
analyze and redesign the site and develop the app version
RESPONSABILITIES
research, prototyping, interaction, usability tests, visual design
TOOLS
Figma
Illustrator
The project
Kooness is among the top marketplaces for the art world that provides virtual access to galleries around the world. It provides a new way to discover and collect art, buying directly from galleries.
Problem statement
Trust in the operator and in the platform are key tools for securing the purchase of works online. This requires creating a strong and recognised brand, guaranteeing the reliability of the seller and overcoming the natural distrust of collectors towards online purchases.
Responsabilities
My role in the project was conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
How might we overcome the mistrust of online art collectors by ensuring a safe, reliable and transparent buying experience?
Design constraints
In this project, I was given the design constraint that the web design has to be consistent with the other brand assets of the company.
Process overview
The research process started with an analysis of the current state of the platform followed by a benchmarking to identify the characteristics of the main competitors in terms of brand design, usability, functionality, etc.
1. Contextual research
structural analysis
Kooness positioning
2. Qualitative research
10 participants
user persona
user flow
3. Synthesizing data
8 themes
2 problematizations
4 insights
4. Opportunities map
4 HMW’s
5 ideas
5. Concept ideation
userflows
storyboards
crazy 8’s
6. Design building
information architecture
Lo-Fi wireframes
Hi-Fi wireframes
7. Design iterations
usability testing
user feedback
8. Product designing
Wireframing & Prototyping
Interaction design
Design system
Solution
Competitive audit
By understanding these facets of competitors’ products, my goal was to strategically design my solution with the goal of making a superior product and/or experience.
Research study
I conducted qualitative interviews with the aim of gaining an in-depth understanding of users' needs, behaviors and expectations.
Research goal
Obtain exploratory data to inform the next design activity.
Primary target
10 participants including art lovers, gallerists, and collectors.
Methods & techniques
Unmoderated interviews and user generated contents.
Main Platforms
Google Meet, Zoom, Google sheets, Google Drive, Notion.
Research partecipants
The 10 participants selected for the interview were all professionals belonging to the art community in Milan, home of Kooness.
Rossella R.
Cultural promoter
Agnese B.
Gallery owner
Lorenzo M.
Contemporary artist
Giancarlo F.
Exhibitions organizer
Nicole A.
Art collector
Fabrizio F.
Art fairs organizer
Davide B.
Art curator
Zarina A.
Art teacher & educator
Aron B.
Art enthusiast
Andrew T.
Art critic & expert
Archtypes
Based on the information gathered, I organized three types of archetypes as a summary tool to better understand target users profiles.
User journey
I analyzed the logical sequence of interaction between user and service, using a synthetic representation of all the phases of the experience.
Research insights
“As an art lover, I am always looking for in-depth content to expand my knowledge about the art world and give vent to my curiosity. Also, I look for a service that suit my tastes and needs.”
- User 1
“As a collector, I find it difficult to find authentic, quality artwork at an affordable price. I am also looking for a reliable website that offer me an easy, safe, and reliable buying experience.”
- User 2
“As a gallery owner, I expect a reliable and secure payment and shipping management system. Furthermore, I am looking for a platform that helps me increasing the visibility of my gallery.”
- User 3
Project opportunities
In-depth contents
Implement the section on in-depth articles and art fairs, improve its clarity and filters.
Increased transparency
Product descriptions should be accurate and detailed, providing different type of info.
Secure Payment
Each transaction can be made securely by credit or debit card with verified circuits.
Galleries visibility
Provide more info about the galleries and give tools for sharing their artworks.
Information architecture
My goal here was to make strategic information architecture decisions that would improve overall website navigation.
Paper wireframe
Before jumping into Figma, I spent a couple of hours drafting iterations for each screen of the app on paper to ensure that each elements would be well-suited to address user pain points.
Digital wireframe
Moving from paper to digital wireframes made it easy to understand how the redesign could help address user pain points and improve the UX.
Usability study
To start testing the designs, I created a low-fidelity prototype to use in an unmoderated usability study with 10 participants. Here are the main findings uncovered by the usability study.
Design iterations
Price explicited
Users reported a preference for indicating the price of the artwork when
it is not subject to auction.
Currency exchange
It was found that providing immediate feedback on multiple-choice answers could decrease the ambiguity perceived.
Advisor contact
The possibility of contacting an advisor has emerged above all from collectors, who often use experts before buying.
Immediate purchase
Some users stated that they would prefer to be able to buy the work immediately if it is not subject to auction
Share the work
Collectors, as well as gallery owners, say they benefit from the possibility of sharing the work within their network.
View in a room
I added the possibility of seeing the artwork placed within a real space, together with a greater amount of info.
To this
From this
Refining the design
After integrating some elements, based on user feedback, I also developed the rest of the platform.
Mobile app
I made some specific designs when adapting to the App version, because of the limited screen size.
Brand identity
Primary colors
Brand typography
Brand icons
Final feedback
“Kooness offers an easy and safe buying experience, with authentic artwork and the possibility to discover new artists, Also, I found a reliable and secure payment and shipping management system”.
— Camilla, Art collector
Takeaways
Sales leads generation
Offering advanced search tools and personalized recommendations can increase user interest in the platform and its ability to generate new sales leads.
Information transparency
It is crucial to provide detailed info about the artwork and the artists, along with high-quality images that showcase the artwork accurately and realistically.
Ensure a safe and reliable system
It is important to ensure an easy and secure shopping experience and payment management system, to increase user confidence in the platform.