The woodshop gallery

1.Understanding the problem

After discussing with the owners their goals for the brand positioning of the gallery, I drew the following conclusions:

Increase word of mouth- word of mouth is still the most popular marketing strategy for trusted relationships. The gallery relies on quality service and products and friend referrals which establishes trust and personal connection. 

Understand the audience- as the consumer landscape changes, the gallery needs to attract its core audience as well as new collectors and uninformed demographics. The gallery needs to identify who they will engage with and attract online and in person to determine the best ways to communicate effectively.

Understand competitive landscape- Chicago is a popular arts community and has a variety of art gallery and framing services to choose from. Understanding competitors gives insight to the current brand positioning of galleries in Chicago to identify opportunities.

Graphics and social media opportunities- Defining the brands visual identity and developing a visual strategy allows for more engagement and interactions online.

2.Understanding competitors

The foundation of my domain research was validating initial assumptions and to use those insights to analyze possible top solution to test. I wanted to understand the current competitive landscape, local competing businesses and services, and opportunities that seem best for the Woodshop Gallery.

Initial assumptions:

1. Focus on custom framing as a product differentiator 

2. Need CRM to be part of user experience for user personalization

3. Clarify products and service (gallery vs frame shop)

4. Focus on community involvement and historic status for brand identity

   • Profile gallery owners to add human element

   • Volunteers profile

   • Artist profiles

   • Events

   • Press releases and professional relationships

5. Display exhibits as marketing promotions (front room display window and backroom gallery)

6. Define brand identity as voice of gallery (logos, blogs, newsletters, email lists, social media, promotion materials, kiosks/iPads, business cards, merchandise, community involvement, press releases, professional relationships, user reviews, artist profile highlights, )

3.Competitive analysis

I mapped out trends from domain research and that would be the most important to guiding the scope of the project.

Competitive analysis  key takeaways:

1. Need a simple website for google search that includes contact and info

2. Short-term, mid-term, and long-term opportunities

3. Short term include a website with key pages, social media accounts, 

   • Main navigation: home, artist, gallery, frames, about, contact

   • Secondary navigation: 

   • Footer: address, phone, email, hours

4. Mid-term include email lists, product display, artist profiles

5. Long term includes an online store, custom framing questionnaire, owner profiles, community profiles, partnership profiles, CRM software integration, space redesign, events, exhibits, merchandise, artist representation, space rental

4.Information Architecture

Now that I had key insights to guide the design of the website, I needed to organize the information architecture of the user flows. I am currently experimenting with different ways to display IA outlines to clients so that they can both visualize my recommendations and not feel confused or intimidated by the design language and process. For this project I wanted to create both a written and visual outline to specify the task flows clearly and effectively. I feel that using both helps keep both myself as a designer and the client on the same page.

5.Comparative analysis

After defining the UX of the website, I looked at current design trends for art gallery websites. I looked at different gallery themes, offers, and audience groups to determine the style, mood, and brand identity options. The goal is to create a modern take on a traditional neighborhood business that highlights the historic nostalgia of the Black Chicago art scene and the unique quality of woodworking craftsmanship.

Digital comparison examples:

I looked at current and top visited art gallery websites and arts and culture websites. I also looked at the trends used by design agencies that produce digital products for museums to determine opportunities for The Woodshop Gallery to try in the future. The websites above include Google arts & culture and the Mariane Ibrahim gallery website designed by Artlogic.

I chose these sites because they felt modern, trendy, and engaging without being overwhelming. I recommend further testing of different layouts and microinteractions to determine the best output for users.

6. User interface

After analyzing competitive UI for art galleries, I developed a style guides to direct the visuals going forward for prototyping.

Layout style guide & low fidelity wireframes

For more information or to view more deliverables from this project, please email dwdeswill@gmail.com.