Audium
Museum Audio Guide App  

Timeline

Role

Tool / Platform

September 2023
- January 2024

UI / UX Designer
Solo project
Figma, Figjam
Illustrator

Clickable Prototype


At-a-Glance

In this project, I conducted research to identify user problems and troubleshooting methods for existing audio guides in Canada's museums and art galleries. The ultimate goal is to create a mobile application that effectively addresses these issues and provides an improved experience for museum visitors.

Problem

The absence of a unified audio guide application for museums and art galleries in Canada forces visitors to install multiple apps or visit various websites when exploring different cultural institutions. Moreover, the current audio guide system mainly relies on QR code scanning, which can be cumbersome in crowded environments. Language barriers are also a big problem since audio guides are predominantly offered in English, limiting access for non-English-speaking tourists. Lastly, the requirement for earphones during use introduces usability constraints. These issues collectively impede visitors from experiencing museums and art galleries seamlessly and inclusively.

Solution

Create an integrated audio guide app
Develop a single, unified audio guide application for museums and art galleries.
Audio guides in various languages
Offer audio guides in multiple languages to cater to a diverse range of visitors.
Provide options for finding artworks
Implement features for locating artworks through QR code scanning and number-based searches.
Include an artwork description
Ensure that the app provides comprehensive information, including audio guides and detailed descriptions of the artwork.


Process

Empathize

Desk Research

According to data from Statistics Canada, recent immigrants visit museums more often than the average Canadian.Due to the influence of immigrants, many Canadians communicate in languages other than English and French. In particular, a significant proportion of immigrants who arrived in Canada between 2016 and 2020 were from South Asian countries, with one in five immigrants born in India.

Interview

I conducted interviews with three visitors to Canadian museums and art galleries to gather their feedback on and identify issues with the audio guide

Research questions :

Insights

Visitors frequently encounter challenges when using audio guides due to the need to install multiple apps or visit various websites for different cultural institutions. This inconvenience can clutter their smartphones and disrupt their museum or gallery experience.

Additionally, crowded museum environments make QR code scanning frustrating, and language barriers limit access for non-English speakers. They emphasize the importance of visitor-centric improvements, location-based content delivery, and inclusive features to enhance the overall visitor experience. These insights underscore the need for a user-friendly and inclusive audio guide.

🔎

Define user

Persona

User journey map

⚖️

Competitive Audit


✍️

Prototype

Low-Fi Wireframe

What I learned

I applied the principles of the UX Design Thinking Process to address the problem and was amazed by the significant expansion of my initial idea. It was like experiencing the magic of design unfolding step by step. Throughout this process, I gained a deep appreciation for the importance of UX research. Additionally, conducting competitor research proved to be crucial. This in-depth exploration was highly valuable in developing effective strategies.