ABOUT THE PROJECT
Enhancing the Bonavista Biennale Experience Through Design
The Bonavista Biennale project seamlessly blends art, technology, and user experience to elevate visitor interactions with Newfoundland's contemporary art scene. Tasked with making art more accessible to a varied audience, our team conducted extensive user research, which informed the design of a custom mobile app. This app offered intuitive navigation and bespoke features, providing rich insights into the art and artists featured in the biennale. Contributing as a UX/UI designer, I was involved in every step, from initial research to the iterative design of prototypes, enhancing visitor engagement with the art. Our collaborative effort led to a digital tool that not only improved visitor experiences but also brought art closer to the audience.
Role
User Research
User Experience
Wireframing
Prototyping
User Testing
Collaboration Mode
Teamwork
01 PROJECT SUMMARY
What was delivered and how
Process Overview
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Competitive Analysis
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Primary Research
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Persona & Journey Mapping
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Ideation
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Current & Future Release Plan
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Sketching & Wireframing
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Prototyping
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Usability Testing
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Refinement
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Delivery
Deliverables
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User Research Report
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Persona Graphics
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Experience Maps
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Release Plan & Requirements
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Mid-fidelity Prototype
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High-fidelity Prototype
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User Testing Report
Outcome
Under a strict deadline, we developed a compelling prototype for the Bonavista Biennale project, which played a crucial role in showcasing the potential of a comprehensive mobile app to the Board of Directors. This prototype, developed through detailed user research and iterative design, effectively showcased its potential to elevate visitor engagement and streamline navigation, setting a clear path for its anticipated development and successful implementation.
02 RESEARCH
Discovering the problems, the needs, and insights
User interviews to uncover visitor's needs
I conducted three interviews out of six, engaging with both local and out-of-province visitors to uncover the nuances of their Bonavista Biennale experiences. This research highlighted the distinct needs stemming from their different perspectives on local conditions. Leveraging these insights, we crafted two personas, precisely targeting the unique requirements of each visitor group, ensuring a customized and enriched experience for all.
Distinct needs between visitor groups
Our interviews revealed a clear dichotomy in the requirements of local versus out-of-province visitors. Locals, already acquainted with the environment, sought specifics about the Biennale's offerings to enhance their selective exploration. In contrast, visitors from outside the province needed robust planning resources and insights into local logistics to fully engage with the Biennale, underscoring the necessity for a tailored approach in our app design to cater to these diverse expectations.
Importance of Accessibility and Navigation
A common thread among our findings was the critical need for seamless accessibility and easy navigation to art installations. Especially for out-of-province visitors unfamiliar with the Bonavista Peninsula's limited cell service and transportation options. The biennale's art sites, dispersed across 120km, vary in accessibility, with some not suitable for wheelchairs or young children. This underscores the importance of integrating offline maps and detailed site accessibility information into our app.
Desire for In-Depth Artwork Information
Participants expressed a keen interest in accessing detailed information about the artworks and their creators. This highlighted an opportunity to enrich the visitor experience by integrating comprehensive art descriptions, artist backgrounds, and multimedia content into the app, fostering a deeper connection between the audience and the art.
Preference for Personalized Experience
The research underscored a desire among visitors for a more personalized engagement with the Biennale. Features enabling users to bookmark their favorite artworks, create customized visit itineraries, and receive recommendations based on their interests were identified as key components in making the Biennale experience more individualized and memorable.
03 IDEATION
Crafting the Bonavista Experience
The needs
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Offline navigation
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Accessibility details
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Artwork and artist information
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Personalized experience
The users
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Local visitors - Persona Amanda
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Out-of-province visitors - Persona Eric
User Personas
The problem
"How might we help the visitors plan and enjoy their visit to the Bonavista Biennale?"
The journey
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Current state: As-is experience map
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Future state: To-be experience map
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Given that the needs of out-of-province visitors encompass those of local attendees, our experience maps were specifically tailored to address the broader requirements of the former group.
Experience Maps
The ideas
For the Bonavista Biennale app's first release, we honed in on four main features, informed by our feature prioritization matrix and user research findings. The Offline Map ensures navigation continuity in areas without cell reception, while the Explore Arts feature allows visitors to discover and learn about installations. Events provide real-time updates on happenings, and the User-Made Collection offers a personalized curation of favourite artworks. Each feature is crafted to significantly enrich the visitor experience, from planning to discovery.
Feature Prioritization
04 SOLUTION
Designing the Bonavista Biennale's digital companion
"Explore" - Adaptive exploration of art sites with planning tips
In the Explore feature of the Bonavista Biennale app, we've tailored the user journey to adapt to their location and interaction with the event. Before arriving at the Bonavista Peninsula, users can view all featured works and receive planning tips, even if location access is not granted. Upon arrival at the peninsula, the app shifts to display recommendations in the vicinity of the user. Finally, when a user arrives at an artwork, a pop-up emerges to provide direct links to audio guides or detailed information, enhancing the onsite experience and deepening the connection with the art pieces. This adaptive, context-sensitive approach ensures that the app remains a valuable companion at every stage of the visitor's journey.
Explore & Filters
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When the user is outside Bonavista / the user’s location is unknown: “Explore” shows all featured works & planning tips. The location access request is shown when not granted.
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When the app detects the user is inside Bonavista: “Explore” shows recommendations around the user’s location.
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When the app detects the user arrives at an artwork: When the user arrives at an artwork, a pop-up will show that can lead the user to its audio/detail page.
"Offline Navigation" - Enjoy the artworks without limits
The Offline Map feature empowers visitors to traverse the Bonavista Peninsula without the need for a continuous internet connection. With pre-downloaded maps within the app, users can search for specific art pieces and receive estimated travel times, ensuring an uninterrupted art discovery experience. This functionality guarantees that even in the most remote locations, visitors have the essential information to explore with confidence and ease.
Offline Map
"Event Discovery" - Stay updated with Bonavista Biennale events
The Event feature in the app keeps visitors connected to the vibrant happenings around the Bonavista Biennale. It allows visitors to browse and filter through various events, from art classes to workshops, ensuring they can engage with the community and enrich their cultural experience.
Event Discovery
"Collection" - Craft personalized Biennale itinerary
The Collection feature acts as a personal planner where visitors can save and organize their favorite artworks and events, creating a customized itinerary for their Biennale visit. This convenient tool helps ensure that visitors can easily access and manage their must-see lists, optimizing their cultural experience at the event.
Collection
05 REFLECTION
What did I learn?
There are always surprises in interviews
My significant involvement in conducting in-depth interviews has honed my ability to extract actionable insights from qualitative data. This project reinforced my confidence in creating personas and experience maps that accurately reflect diverse user needs, enabling me to drive empathetic and user-centered design solutions.
Don't forget MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
Through the iterative design process, from low to high-fidelity prototypes, I have gained mastery in crafting intuitive interfaces that address complex user journeys. This project has solidified my skills in using design tools and translating user feedback into tangible design enhancements.
Strategic problem-solving is the key
Tackling the unique challenges of the Bonavista Biennale, such as limited internet connectivity and diverse visitor profiles, I have emerged as a strategic problem-solver. I am now confident in my ability to devise innovative solutions that navigate real-world constraints and improve user experiences.
Communication can be a big help
Successfully collaborating with a cross-functional team has bolstered my competence in communication and project management. This experience has left me confident in my capacity to lead and coordinate within team environments to bring a cohesive product vision to life.
More than just design
Developing an app with offline capabilities and dynamic content has expanded my technical skill set. I am now confident in my ability to engage with complex technical requirements and work closely with development teams to implement functional and user-friendly digital solutions.