A platform that connects restaurant owners with local artists to host events, increase exposure and promote community growth.
PROBLEM
A collection of incredible artwork is worth nothing without the means to showcase and sell it.
Many artists find themselves with a living room full of finished works, complemented by a soul-crushing job to pay for it. As an artist with a business mindset, I often combatted this predicament by working with local restaurant owners to host events, gain exposure and sell my work. Between scheduling and convincing restaurant owners of the potential mutual benefits, the communication process was like pulling teeth.
I knew my needs as an artist could align perfectly with the needs of a restaurant owner, yet I always left wondering, why is it so hard to make money off creative work?
“What if we take all of the prep-work and uncomfortable conversations out of the event hosting process?”
SOLUTION
Artists can showcase and sell their creative work from the comfort of their device. Restaurant owners can earn tangible benefits by hosting events. Both user groups are able to maintain complete creative authority over their work, without doing any additional labor.
The impact of this would be hundreds of new job opportunities created and supported by the local community. This platform solves a common problem for two diverse user groups and goes a step further by seeding and sustaining community economic growth on a larger scale.
MY ROLE
I conducted extensive research into the pain points and motivations of both user groups. I synthesized my research and analyzed the patterns to begin ideating the best possible solution. I considered the needs of both artists and restaurant owners, as well as the needs of the business, in order to design an interactive network of members who create equal opportunities and benefits for one another.
VendArt Landing Screen
ARTISTS:
“I wish I had more mentorship and guidance on how to price my work. It’s hard to find a way to sell it.”
RESTAURANT OWNERS:
“I know a lot, so I’m not seeking information. If I looked at something that fascinates me, then that’s what it is.”
DISCOVERY PROCESS
THE CRUCIAL CONFLICT
Through research analysis, I found two critical pain points that have been inhibiting these two user groups from organically supporting one another
1. Both artists and restaurant owners believe it is the others’ responsibility to reach out and communicate, schedule or organize the details of an event.
VendArt takes the prep-work out of hosting an event.
Rent Art Informational Modal
Every detail from scheduling artwork drop-offs to managing expectations is handled through the VendArt platform.
Each interaction is a learning experience.
Smart guides direct the conversation and prompt the user’s next steps.
Service checklists are generated based on the event and the user’s personalized needs. Each service selected becomes a job opportunity for artist members.
Event Services Checkout
2. There is no standard rate of compensation for artists to follow in pricing their work.
VendArt takes the uncomfortable conversations out of selling creative work.
The pricing calculator is a feature that helps artists determine the fiscal value of their creative work.
Pricing Calculator Valuation
The calculator takes into account 3 factors:
– The current minimum wage laws
– The artist’s accredited experience level
– The cost of production for a given piece
Artists will learn how to justify their pricing decisions using concrete evidence. This will settle their fear of being taken advantage of, as many artists tend to question their value when making a sale.
Buyers will be able to quantify the value of their purchase and simultaneously learn about the artist they are supporting.
Pricing Calculator Variables
MOTIVATION TO INTERACT
The motivations for artists to use this platform were unanimously clear from the start and were verified through the first two usability tests. Artists want to gain exposure and get paid for their creative work.
The greatest design challenge I faced was determining how to incentivize restaurant owners to sign up and host an event on the VendArt platform.
I interviewed various restaurant owners in the Albany, New York area and found that, while local restaurants are extremely cost-conscious, they are willing to spend money when they know they are gaining exposure and recognition in the community.
For some, this may be paying for advertisement subscriptions and for others, it is donating time and products to a community event or service.
We needed a system that could show restaurant owners how the added value of showcasing art and hosting events can be translated directly into tangible profits.
We needed that same system to make users feel good by reminding them about the positive impact they are making on their community.
Sketch Solutions
Whether restaurant owners host events occasionally or pay for a full-service subscription they have the ability to receive promotional content, free advertising, and artwork rentals.
The VendArt platform also provides a detailed progress report outlining the financial and social impact of each event.
Restaurant owners may learn that they created over 30 paid job opportunities or sponsored supplies that went directly to an artist member.
Having an intimate impact on members of one’s community creates lasting and supportive customers for life.
Full Service Subscription
ONBOARDING EFFICIENCY
The final iteration of design revolved around the ease and simplicity of signing up to become a member of the VendArt platform.
Keeping in mind that artists and restaurant owners would not be the only two types of people using this platform, I needed to satisfy the general member without asking for details that don’t apply to them.
Furthermore, I needed to separate the unique personalization of artist and restaurant owner profiles, while keeping the process nearly identical.
The 3rd iteration of this screen was designed to allow users to utilize our features first, take their time to understand the content, get excited by the possibilities, and sign up with no hassle.
Profile Selection 1st Wireframe
FINAL DESIGNS
REFLECTIONS AND LESSONS
Through this process, I found that the most valuable information came from speaking with potential users directly. Conducting user interviews and usability tests allowed me to identify flaws that would never occur to me.
These interactions were also most helpful in validating my purpose for creating this platform. Every time I said goodbye, regardless of if participants successfully navigated the platform or not, I received great intrigue into the concept as a whole. Participants would often comment on how they’ve needed something like this or how it could potentially solve a problem they’ve been experiencing. I found this to be inspiring at times when I questioned if this platform was important to anyone but me.
The greatest lessons from this project were understanding which questions to ask and trusting the research to justify my decisions. My grasp on creating a dialogue with intention has been strengthened. In future iterations, I will know how to crop the big picture and build it in small pieces. The research insights I collect along the way are the building blocks of my design. Organized note-taking and reporting are my greatest tools for creating reliable and justified designs.