Saatchi Art
Rethinking how Saatchi Art’s features can appeal to first time art buyers
UX Design
Roles
Figma
Tools
Photoshop
Scope
Art page redesign
Timeline
3 Weeks
Context
Young, wealthy entrepreneurs want to invest more in artwork— more than 80% of young people with a net worth of over $3 million, or a yearly income of over $100,000, are looking to buy art (Carlie Porterfield, TAN). Saatchi art provides a fine art gallery experience online for those interested in international art and want a wide selection of to buy from.
With new art buyers in the market, there’s an opportunity to provide them with guidance and transparency to feel confident in their art investments and encourage an ongoing partnership with them.
The Problem
Saatchi Art is regarded as too specialized for the general public and only for seasoned art buyers.
01.
Research
I interviewed 5 people looking to add artwork to their homes and observed their first experience with Saatchi Art to understand the learning curve of people using the site for the first time. Combined with an analysis of other popular art buying sites to detail common, I highlighted the most common user needs.
Concerns Users Conveyed
Overwhelmed
at the amount of information they found, and how to find the info they needed to make a decision about a major purchase.
Frustrated
by the complicated instructions of the AR feature that was supposed to help them get a feel for how the art would look in their homes, and by the volume of information.
Industry Insights
To gain a better understanding of the online art market, I analyzed the task flow of 3 other online art selling platforms. I especially looked at how they displayed purchasing information such as art maintenance and financing options.
User Journey
02.
After analyzing the interviews, I found that the current customer journey begins with enthusiasm from deciding to invest in art, and ends with feeling overwhelmed and frustrated from trying to find all the information they need to feel comfortable making a major purchase.
How might we lower the informational barrier to entry for new art buyers, while expediting the art-buying process for frequent buyers?
Ideate
03.
Using my competitive analysis and other background research, I decided to keep the basic flow of the site the same. I focused on the area I noticed the most user frustration, on the product pages. I decided to incorporate features that addressed:
Art selection
Financial information
First Run
04.
Initial Hi Fi Wireframes
I kept the feature add on simple, since one of the main pain points was that users struggled with the complexity of the site’s filters and tags. Additionally, I focused on how to convey more information to users quickly, since they felt some things were difficult to find.
Note 01
I left the AR feature out of the flow, since it was the feature that users liked the least.
I kept my focus on making the technical content accessible for a wider audience
Note 02
Part of the assignment requirements were to leave the branding and basic site the same.
Refining the Results
05.
After I came up with the initial hi-fi wireframes, I worked with users to gain insight into how to improve their experiences further.
Goal 01 . Make Information Easy to Find
Easy to Access FAQ
Users can find answers to their questions about art finance, how to maintain their art, and how the process behind Saatchi works. They can confidently move forward with purchasing art.
Goal 02 . Lower Tech Barrier to Entry
AR Alternative
Users had trouble following the AR feature’s instructions. Now, they can get a feel for art in their space, without going through any extra steps or opening new windows.
A Final Look
I included an art guide, similar to what someone might see in a museum catalogue. It gives people some insight into the meaning behind the art their purchasing, and highlights specific points in the piece that could interest a viewer.
What am I looking at?
Key Features
AR alternative
I designed an alternative to the AR function, which simply displays the artwork in a home with other measured items to help people understand how large the piece is. The AR function is still available, but featured less prominently, near the “Add to Cart” button.
Important information, in one place
Investing in art requires some background information that beginning collectors might not know. Including an FAQ helps address any lingering questions near the purchase point.
06.
Reflection
This project was particularly interesting, because I think my biggest takeaway was that the best design solution isn’t necessarily the one that uses the newest technology. Given the specialized nature of the content, I enjoyed making design decisions that could make it accessible to a wider public.
Since the project required me to add a feature instead of redesigning the site, in the future valuable insight could be gained from redesigning the filters and condensing the pages, which are very long, especially on mobile.