01.

Introduction

The Product:

The Art Auction app helps buyers discover and bid on artworks from around the world. Users can join live auctions or submit offers directly on listed artworks and receive updates on their offer status. Clear navigation, detailed artwork information, and visual previews make it easier to explore and bid from anywhere.

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Art buyers need a clearer way to discover artworks, understand bidding information, and track their offers. This project focuses on improving those interactions so buyers can navigate and bid with greater confidence. Pricing, artwork authentication, and delivery verification remain outside the scope of this prototype.

Problem Statement:

Interview

I conducted interviews with people ranging from first-time bidders to experienced art buyers, alongside a competitive audit, to understand the challenges of in-person and online auctions. Exploring different levels of experience helped me identify shared pain points and shape a clearer design direction.

What I Heard in Interviews:

“Auction fees are

expensive.”

High Cost

Investor

“Some auctions

require connections

to participate.”

Market Access

Investor

“The artworks at

auction are

too expensive.”

Artwork Prices

Student

“I often overpay

because bidding is

so competitive.”

Stress

Investor

“I’m not sure

I can trust

online auctions.”

Trust

Investor

“Both online

and in-person auctions

can have

poor presentation.”

Presentation

Art lover

“I sometimes have

to travel to

another city

for an auction.”

Travel

Art lover

High prices can

make artworks

feel out of reach.

Pricing

Student

The interviews revealed four recurring challenges.

User Pain Points

Time and Travel

Buyers spend considerable time traveling to auction houses and galleries.

Insufficient Information

Missing or unclear information makes it difficult for buyers to make informed decisions.

High Competition

Competition from other bidders can make it difficult to stay within a budget.

Authenticity Concerns

When buying from unfamiliar sellers, buyers may question the authenticity and provenance of artworks.

Personas

These personas represent two buyer perspectives: an art lover finding a piece for her home, and an investor balancing price, quality, and time.

Jane Grant

Graphic Designer

Art Lover

I want to buy a painting to decorate my new apartment.

Goal

I recently moved into a new apartment and want to find a painting for my home. As a designer, I draw inspiration from art, so I am exploring online auctions and galleries for a piece I love.

Pain Point

My schedule is busy, so I want to find a suitable artwork quickly and preview how it would look in my apartment.

John Will

Art Investor

Professional Buyer

I want to find valuable artworks at a fair price without overpaying.

Goal

I look for promising artworks from around the world at an appropriate price. I also want a more efficient buying process so I can spend more time with my children.

Pain Point

Online auctions are convenient, but I worry about artwork quality and delivery. Competitive bidding can feel stressful and make it hard to stay within my budget.

Competitive Audit

I compared three platforms across artwork discovery, navigation, and auction features to identify opportunities for this app.

Type

Competitor

Live Auction

Online Auction

Unique value

proposition

Artstorefrontsblog

• AR artwork previews.
• Easy-to-navigate layouts.

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Singulart

Indirect

• Multiple language options.
• Artwork categories.

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​

Heritage Auction

• Expert support for bidders.
• A variety of artworks.
• Free shipping.

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Direct

Direct

Target Audience

Visual creators

Investors

Collectors

Investors

Collectors

SWOT Analysis

User Journey

User Goal: Join an online auction and purchase an artwork.

Solutions

1. Homepage Layout

Clearly labeled navigation helps buyers find key features.

Auction updates on the home screen keep buyers informed.

Artwork categories and

recommendations help buyers find pieces that match their interests.

Live

Online

2. Two Auction Modes

3. Artwork Preview

The app displays artworks in different settings, helping buyers understand their scale and imagine how they would look in a real space.

4. Personal Recommendations

The “You Might Like” concept suggests artworks based on browsing history, while style categories help users find pieces that match their interests.

I kept four priorities in mind when creating the wireframes.

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1. Clear navigation.

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2. Live auctions and online offers.

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3. Useful artwork previews.

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4. Efficient artwork discovery.

Wireframes

Design System

Color

Primary Color

Secondary Color

#BC8BA3

#000000

#393737

#393737 60%

#FFFFFF

#D8C8D0

Icons

Bars & Buttons

Final Mockups

View Prototype

Design Challenges

Top & Bottom Bars

V1

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

G

12:45

In the first version, users were unsure what some buttons meant and often lost their sense of direction while navigating the app.

0

0

V2

The solution was to label the icons clearly and add features based on users’ needs.

I also highlighted the active icon to help users understand where they are and navigate the app more easily.

Users found the bidding information unclear and were unsure about the current status of the auction.

V1

V2

To make the bidding experience clearer, I reviewed other auction platforms and added key information such as the bidding period and current bid status.

05.

Reflection

Usability Testing

Offer

Choose your price

Email

Phone Number

Usually answered within 24 hours

Check your status in Menu → My Offers

We will call only if we cannot reach you by email.

SUBMIT

+1

COMPANY

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

WATER LILIES

100 X 75 in

Claude Monet, France,1899

Choose your price

Email

Phone Number

1

We will call only if we cannot reach you by email.

Submit

Usually answered within 24 hours

Check your status in Menu → My Offers

0

0

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

12:45

Make Offer

Items

Acquire This Artwork

Checkout

Original work with a certificate of authenticity

7-14 day professional worldwide shipping

Free 14 day returns

12,345 USD

12,345 USD

12,345 USD

Artwork Name

Artwork Name

Name, Place, Year

Artwork Name

Name, Place, Year

Name, Place, Year

12,345 USD

Total

0

0

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

12:45

Shopping Bag

Congratulations!

Your offers have been accepted.

Need help?

CHECK OUT

You might also like

COMPANY

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

COMPANY

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

2. Checkout was hard to reach from other pages.

1. Key buttons were hard to find.

Before

After

Before

Before

After

After

First Round Usability Study

Second Round Usability Study

2. Unclear offer tracking

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After submitting an offer, users were unsure where to check its status. I added a dedicated “My Offers” page and linked it in the bottom navigation bar, to make offer updates easier to find.

Track offer status

0

0

Worldwide shipping within 14 days.

G

12:45

Before

After

What I Would Do Differently

Interests

Last Name

First Name