Artish is a subscription-based website that provides self-paced art classes. The websites focuses on usability and accommodations for neurodivergent individuals.
Lead UX Designer and Researcher
Adobe XD | Pencil & Paper | Photoshop | Illustrator
February - March, 2023
Available websites that offer self-paced art classes are complicated, difficult to navigate and make it hard to choose classes best suited to a user’s abilities and needs.
Design a website for art classes that is simple, easy to navigate and provides detailed information about the class offerings.
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group identified through research was neurodivergent young and middle-aged adults who are interested in taking art classes but who require accommodations in order to choose and enjoy the classes. My research revealed that this user group would benefit from more information about the class requirements and additional content and accommodations that pertain to their needs and abilities.
Age: 17
Education: High Schooler
Hometown: Roseburg, IA
Family: Parents
Occupation: Student
Issa is a neurodivergent high schooler who needs a website that is easy to navigate and has accessibility features that accommodate symptoms of ADHD and PTSD because she wants to take online art classes.
Issa is Junior attending an online high school that has no art classes. She has always wanted to learn art and be creative but she has struggled to find a way, since her ADHD and PTSD symptoms can make it more difficult for her. Issa thinks taking art classes after school would be a good creative outlet but she has struggled to find the right website and class that she feels confident taking. Since her high school provides accommodations for her, she knows there are ways she can succeed with art too if she can find a website that offers these same tools.
Mapping Issa’s user journey revealed that just the process of choosing a website and class left her feeling exhausted and defeated and making that process easier could help her succeed.
Navigating complicated websites was a primary pain point for users so I wanted to make the information architecture as simple and intuitive as possible.
Drafting multiple iterations of each screen allowed each element to be carefully considered for how it addressed user pain points and whether or not it would be included on the home screen.
I knew users may be accessing the art tutorial website on a variety of devices so I considered responsive design right from the start.
Throughout digital wireframe iterations, I focused on user feedback and research to create features that addressed user concerns and pain points. I knew we need information hierarchy to be intuitive and information needed to be limited and easy to read.
To create a low-fidelity prototype, I connected all of the screens involved in the primary user flow of browsing classes and purchasing a membership. I used peer feedback to implement changes for each iteration.
I conducted a unmoderated usability study with 5 users in the United States. The study length was 20-30 minutes. These were the main findings that were uncovered:
Based on the insights from the usability study, I eliminated the section with categories that included thumbnails and add a side menu with that information.
Based on the feedback that there were too many buttons, I created one button that linked to a more detailed information page.
My high-fidelity prototype incorporated feedback from the usability study as well as members of my team.
View the Prototype.svg)
The target users shared that the simple design was easy to navigate and the information was organized and a clear and intuitive hierarchy.
I learned that for some users, processing information can deplete their energy, especially when it is not displayed thoughtfully. Simplifying designs and organizing content can make a huge difference for them.
