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ArtVerse
‍
Your Personal VR Museum

Bridging Gaps in Art Education
Timeline
Apr-May. 2024
Role
UI UX Designer / UX Research
Year
2024
Skills
Visual Hierarchy / User Research / Prototype
Team Member
Monan Qian/ Sarath Chand Nekuri/ Mobei Qian/ Milly Wen

Project Overview

ArtVerse revolutionizes art education with immersive VR experiences, offering deeper insights into artworks and artists. Users can virtually explore galleries, view artworks in 360-degree detail, and interact with engaging content. Our innovative approach includes comprehensive information, interactive learning tools, and personalized galleries for a more engaging and accessible art experience.

Challenge

Many young people struggle to understand and connect with the emotions and messages conveyed by art.

Project Goal

At ArtVerse, we aim to address these challenges by revolutionizing how art education is delivered. Our goal is to make learning about art more engaging, inclusive, and accessible through the power of virtual reality (VR) and digital technologies. By providing immersive experiences, we seek to break down traditional barriers and make art appreciation a captivating and enjoyable journey for all.

Before diving into the problem πŸ€”

Think back on the last time you went to a museum...🎨
‍

How did you feel after your visit?
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"feel like you didn't understand most of the work?"
‍
"feel exhausted?"

"want to go through some of the pieces again but..."
‍
"are you able to revisit it anytime you want?"

Context

What is the current landscape in art education? πŸ“š

Art education is essential for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. However, the field faces significant challenges, both in terms of accessibility and engagement.

We initiated our secondary research on art education by delving into various literature, academic sources, and relevant publications. Through this comprehensive analysis, we examined the current state of art education, identifying its challenges and opportunities. Additionally, we explored how emerging technologies are being utilized to enhance art education, aiming to understand their impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.

Art education and museum visits are deeply connected, as museums serve as immersive environments where learners can engage directly with artworks. However, people today often face various challenges and reasons that deter them from visiting art museums:

Primary Research

Research Goal 🎯

To explore and understand current gaps in art education and museum experiences, with a particular focus on art education and the needs of art lovers for comprehensive, engaging, and accessible information about artworks and artists.

User Interviews πŸ–ŒοΈ

We started by delving into comprehensive domain research and collecting user feedback. Our goal was to identify the obstacles that hinder people from accessing and appreciating art and explore how technology can effectively overcome these challenges.

Continuing our journey, To understand people's expectations and perceptions of the current museum experience and to identify areas for improvement, we conducted detailed interviews with art enthusiasts, students, and educators. Here are some of the quotaions from the participants:

To supplement our qualitative insights and gain a broader perspective on individual attitudes toward arts education, we surveyed 40 individuals to collect quantitative data on barriers to arts awareness and participation. This step was critical to validate our initial findings and understand trends in the larger population. Notably, the majority of our respondents (71%) were in Generation Z, which provided valuable insights into the preferences and challenges faced by young arts enthusiasts.

Survey Report πŸ“Š

Interview Insights πŸ“Œ

Define

Thus, we asked

"How might we make art education more accessible, engaging, and inclusive for a diverse audience through digital and immersive technologies?"

Ideation

Brainstorming βš™οΈ

During the Ideation phase, our team set out to create and polish concepts designed to make art education more accessible, engaging, and inclusive. This phase involved brainstorming different strategies and innovative solutions to tackle the challenges we uncovered in our research and Define phase.

We conducted brainstorming sessions to generate a wide range of ideas. Each team member contributed unique perspectives, leading to diverse concepts.Techniques like mind mapping and "How Might We" questions helped us think outside the box.

After that, we began to explore educational technologies. We researched current trends in educational technology, focusing on digital and virtual solutions. One promising idea was using Virtual Reality (VR) to create an immersive learning environment, making art exploration more interactive and engaging.

From our sessions, two standout features emerged:

We sketched Low-fi to outline the basic structure and user flow, and we organized our final decisions into a comprehensive User Flow.

Prototype

Approach πŸ“Œ

In the Prototype phase, we shifted from theoretical concepts to building tangible, interactive models of our solution. This phase was essential for visualizing the practical application of our initial ideas and established the basis for the next stage of user testing.

Portable and Accessible

Our solution utilizes VR headsets, offering portability and accessibility from anywhere.

Immersive Experience

Users can immerse themselves in the museum experience, transcending physical limitations and enhancing engagement.

Our Features πŸ“

Mid-fi Wireframes ✏️

High-Fidelity Design πŸ’»

ArtVerse Home Page
Top Artists
360 Degree View of Artpiece
Artwork description page with Artist Introduction
My Gallery Page
Share Ticket

Convert to VR Version πŸ’‘

Recognizing the importance of a truly immersive experience, we moved from 2D wireframes to 3D modeling and VR prototyping using ShapesXR. This shift was pivotal in capturing the spatial dynamics and interactivity required for a virtual museum setting.

My Gallery
Top Artists

My Takeaways πŸ’Ž

Innovative Problem-Solving:
Throughout our continuous design and brainstorming sessions, coupled with extensive user experience research, I successfully developed numerous innovative ideas. This process significantly enhanced my problem-solving skills and provided me with new perspectives on approaching challenges. By understanding user needs and incorporating their feedback, I was able to devise creative solutions that addressed real-world issues effectively.

Exploration of New Mediums:
This project introduced me to VR and AR solutions, areas I had not previously explored. Initially, I lacked confidence and had concerns about my designs. However, through collaboration and mutual learning with my team members, we achieved excellent design outcomes. This experience broadened my technical skills and deepened my understanding of how emerging technologies can be leveraged to create impactful user experiences.

Importance of Iteration:
In the early stages of design, our product lacked uniqueness and innovation. Presenting our work to classmates and professors yielded constructive feedback, which was invaluable. This feedback, combined with self-reflection and a dedicated search for unique design approaches, led to a product that truly meets user needs. I learned that iteration is crucial for refining ideas and enhancing the overall quality of the design. Each iteration brought new insights and improvements, making the final product more user-friendly and effective.

Collaboration:
Working closely with my team members allowed us to pool our strengths and learn from each other. This collaborative effort was key to overcoming initial uncertainties and achieving a well-rounded, high-quality product. The project underscored the importance of effective communication, shared goals, and mutual support in a team setting.

Adapting to Feedback:
The feedback from professors and peers was instrumental in shaping our final design. I learned to appreciate the value of constructive criticism and how it can be used to enhance a project. This ability to adapt and improve based on feedback is a critical skill that I will carry forward into future projects.

Thanks for being here. See you on other projects! :D
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