Curio

Before diving into design, we conducted foundational UX research to better understand user behavior, expectations, and pain points related to visiting and booking museum exhibitions. Through surveys, interviews, and usability testing, we gathered insights from a diverse group of users, including students, families, and first-time museum visitors. The goal was to uncover user needs, identify friction points in the booking process, and gather feedback on how users explore exhibitions digitally; ultimately informing a more user-centered design. 

Affinity Diagram Process

After completing the usability study, I organized all observations, quotes, and patterns into an affinity diagram to make sense of the data. I wrote each individual insight on a virtual sticky note and grouped them based on shared behaviors, challenges, and user sentiments. This method helped surface key themes; like navigation confusion, lack of clarity during booking, and interest in visual content; that guided the refinement of the app. It was a crucial step in turning raw research into actionable design improvements. 

Competitive Analysis

Our competitive audit revealed that Google Arts & Culture offers an excellent digital experience with immersive content but lacks clear booking functionality. The MET Museum App provides strong educational resources, yet its design feels outdated, and the navigation is cluttered. The Louvre Museum Website impresses with its visual appeal and cultural prestige, though it can be overwhelming for new users due to dense content. Eventbrite stands out for its smooth booking process and intuitive user flow, but it lacks the storytelling and emotional connection that cultural platforms should offer. These insights helped shape Curio into a user-friendly, engaging platform that balances seamless booking with meaningful museum exploration. 

After sketching out some wireframes and thinking through the preliminary flow. I reviewed what was necessary, unnecessary, and what areas needed improvement with the main function of the product. I poured a lot of time into this step to make sure we had the finishing touches on the underlying UX before moving onto the visuals.

To improve our design, we conducted a moderated usability study with five participants, guiding each through tasks like exploring an exhibition, making a booking, and navigating to the profile and booking history. During the sessions, we recorded their behaviors, feedback, and common challenges. From this, we identified four key findings: 

Style Guide for Curio

Your design style is clean, modern, and user-focused. You used Inria Sans throughout the app for its soft, approachable look and easy readability. The consistent use of #52DCA0 green adds a fresh, energetic contrast to the neutral backgrounds, while also clearly emphasizing interactive elements like buttons and calls to action. This balance between clarity and visual appeal helps create a smooth and engaging user experience.

Through the Curio project, we learned the importance of simplicity and clarity in user flows, users responded well to a streamlined booking experience and clear confirmation messages. Our usability study emphasized how small design details, like icon clarity and visual hierarchy using Inria Sans and the contrasting green (#52DCA0), can significantly improve usability. We also realized the value of testing and iteration, as it uncovered hidden issues and allowed us to make informed improvements. Lastly, we gained a deeper appreciation for accessibility and inclusive design, ensuring that Curio meets the needs of a diverse audience.