Eco-Art-Land

Connect, create, and conserve. A marketplace for artists to buy, sell, and showcase while promoting sustainability.

Designed with:

Role:

UI/UX Designer

Date:

Oct 2023 - Feb 2024

Highlights:

Artist community
Secondhand art supplies

Environmentally focused events

Bridging the gap between artists and sustainability

What is Eco-Art-Land?

Main Challenges:

Sustainable Choices: Make finding & filtering secondhand supplies a breeze with clear labels, filters, and search. Highlight cost savings & environmental impact to nudge users towards eco-friendly options. Offer educational content on sustainable alternatives.
Thriving Community: Design engaging features like forums, workshops, and collaborative projects to encourage interaction beyond transactions. Foster a sense of belonging through user onboarding and respectful communication moderation.
Sustainable Monetization: Balance affordability with platform revenue. Explore creative models like subscriptions for selling secondhand supplies or discounted workshops and exhibitions. Communicate clearly how pricing supports the platform and its community initiatives.

Process:

Inspired by our commitment to the environment and a thriving artist community, we embarked on a journey to create this unique platform. Here's how we brought the vision to life:

Deep Dive & Design: We started by understanding artist needs through interviews (empathy map) and user journey mapping. This led to an intuitive marketplace for buying/selling secondhand art supplies.
Building Community & Sustainability: Recognizing the value of connection, we integrated communication features. We also prioritized features that make finding eco-friendly supplies easy, promoting sustainable practices.
Thriving Community: We understand the importance of a vibrant artist community. Ongoing efforts focus on keeping artists engaged through events and initiatives that champion both creativity and sustainability.

This data-driven approach, informed by user needs and eco-friendliness, has built a unique platform that empowers artists and fosters a sustainable creative ecosystem.

Competitor Analysis:

My design process began with a comprehensive competitor analysis. This initial phase involved evaluating established companies in the space, focusing on those with similar target audiences and functionalities.

Key insight? No direct competitor focuses on sustainable art, recycled materials, and the artist community. Existing platforms offer elements (Etsy: sustainability, Vinted/DeviantArt: community) but lack a dedicated niche.

User Interview:

Then I conducted user interviews with artists were conducted in-depth. A series of open-ended questions were asked regarding their needs, habits, frustrations with existing solutions, and the ideal platform for sustainable art supplies.

Persona and Empathy Map:

After the interviews, we began by stepping into the shoes of artists. We captured their thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. This user research was then translated into the persona and empathy map, a visual representation that helped us pinpoint their pain points and desires.
A key takeaway? Artists craved a space that transcended just selling art, connection, collaboration, and sustainable resource sharing.

Sarah

An Eco-conscious Artist

Age: 25-35

Storyboard:

Following the user story and problem statement that we made for the persona, we developed a storyboard that highlighted their starting point, key challenges, actions taken on the platform, and the positive outcomes achieved.

Eco-System Map:

Then, we made an eco-system map that represents the key players and interactions.
By mapping these elements, the platform creators can gain a better understanding of the entire ecosystem and identify areas for optimization and growth.

User Journey Map:

Next, we mapped the user journey. This visualization charted the artist's experience from searching to showcasing their artwork and engaging with fellow artists. Understanding these touchpoints helped us design an intuitive and user-friendly platform.

Business Model Canvas:

Then, we explored the business model canvas that helped us define our value proposition, target audience, revenue streams, and key partnerships. We prioritized affordability for artists while ensuring the platform's long-term sustainability.

Service Blueprint:

To ensure a seamless user experience, we created a service blueprint that outlined both the front-stage interactions artists experience and the back-stage processes that power the platform. The service blueprint ensured a smooth flow for both artists and the platform itself.

Low-Fidelity Prototype:

This initial prototyping stage would focus on quickly creating a basic version of the platform to test core functionalities and user flows. It wouldn't be visually polished, but it would allow for early feedback on the platform's layout, navigation, and key features.

Visual Design Identity:

Strong visuals are a website's secret language. Chosen colors, layouts, and imagery can instantly communicate a brand's personality and message. A website with a cohesive visual identity, where all elements work together seamlessly, creates a sense of familiarity and trust for visitors. This consistency makes the website more memorable, leaving a lasting impression that strengthens brand recognition.

High-Fidelity Prototype:

Link of the prototype

Usability Test:

The usability test results indicate a positive user experience for the artist sign-up and profile-making process. However, there are areas for improvement to enhance the clarity and discoverability of features. Additionally, incorporating post-signup tutorials and features highlighting the use of second-hand materials could further engage artists and showcase the platform's unique value proposition.