GalleryPal

GalleryPal: A Better Way to Experience Art
Transform your museum visits with personalized tours, in-depth art information, and AR navigation - all at your fingertips.
Revolutionizing Museum Experiences
Personalized Tours
Experience art tailored to your preferences without the expense of traditional guided tours.
Modern Technology
Replace outdated audio guides with intuitive AR overlays that enhance rather than distract from the art.
Accessible Learning
Gain insights about artwork and artists that were previously only available through expensive guided tours.
GalleryPal bridges the gap between casual museum visits and premium guided experiences, making art appreciation accessible to everyone through innovative technology.
Project Overview
Concept Development
Addressing the need for accessible, engaging museum experiences
Google Ventures Design Sprint
Week-long intensive process from ideation to testing
User-Centered Design
Focus on museum visitors seeking enhanced art experiences
Prototype Delivery
Functional prototype developed March 10-17, 2023
This project combined my passion for art with UX expertise to create an innovative solution for museum experiences. My responsibilities included user flows, wireframing, visual design, and prototype development.
Art Preference Personalization
Select Preferences
Choose your favorite art styles, periods, and artists
Smart Matching
Algorithm identifies relevant exhibits based on your interests
Custom Tour Creation
Personalized route through museum highlights what you'll love
Continuous Learning
App refines recommendations based on your interactions
GalleryPal puts you in control of your museum experience by understanding your unique art preferences and adapting to your interests over time.
In-Depth Art Information
Artist Background
Learn about the creator's life, influences, and significance
Artistic Context
Understand the style, period, and cultural significance
Fun Facts
Discover memorable details that make each piece unique
Technical Details
Explore medium, techniques, and physical characteristics
GalleryPal transforms how you interact with art by providing rich context in an intuitive format. Each information category enhances your understanding and appreciation of the artwork.
Personalized Recommendations
Initial Preference Selection
Choose your favorite art styles and periods during setup
Behavioral Analysis
App learns from which pieces you spend time viewing
Feedback Integration
Your ratings and favorites refine future suggestions
Personalized Discoveries
Discover new artists and styles aligned with your taste
The more you use GalleryPal, the smarter it becomes at suggesting pieces you'll appreciate, helping you discover hidden gems you might otherwise miss.
AR-Guided Museum Tours
Museum Selection
Choose from nearby or searched locations
Route Generation
Optimal path based on your preferences
AR Navigation
Real-time visual guidance through exhibits
Interactive Exploration
Access details about each artwork
GalleryPal's guided tour feature combines preference-based recommendations with AR navigation to create a seamless, engaging museum experience that flows naturally from one captivating artwork to the next.
The Design Sprint Process
Day 1: Map
Identified the problem: Museum visitors lack access to rich art context without expensive guided tours. Defined target users as general museum-goers seeking enhanced experiences with flexibility.
Day 2: Sketch
Researched competitive apps, conducted lightning demos, and sketched potential solutions through exercises like Crazy 8's to generate rapid design ideas.
Day 3: Decide
Created storyboards and initial wireframes, pivoting to incorporate more AR features and streamline user flows based on emerging insights.
Day 4: Prototype
Developed high-fidelity screens and interactive prototypes focusing on key user flows.
Day 5: Test
Conducted usability testing with 5 participants, gathering insights and identifying improvement opportunities.
Understanding the Problem
The Challenge
Millions of museum visitors worldwide miss out on the rich context and stories behind artwork. Traditional guided tours are expensive and time-restricted, while audio guides feel outdated and cumbersome.
This creates a significant gap in the museum experience, where visitors may appreciate the visual aspects of art but miss the deeper historical, cultural, and technical significance.
Our Solution
GalleryPal democratizes access to art expertise through technology, offering:
Personalized guidance based on preferences
Rich contextual information on demand
Freedom to explore at your own pace
Modern interface that enhances rather than distracts
Research-Backed Features
Fun Facts
Research showed that memorable anecdotes help visitors retain information about artworks and create emotional connections.
Artist Backgrounds
Understanding the creator's life journey provides crucial context that transforms how visitors perceive the artwork.
Historical Context
Learning about the time period, cultural movements, and historical events surrounding a piece significantly enhances appreciation.
Visual Analysis
Guidance on technique, medium, and artistic choices helps visitors notice details they might otherwise miss.
Our feature set was directly informed by research findings, ensuring that GalleryPal delivers the most valuable information types identified by art education experts.
Design Inspiration
GalleryPal's design was informed by competitive analysis of existing museum apps, AR navigation systems like Google Maps, and consumer-friendly interfaces like Airbnb. This research helped create an experience that feels familiar yet innovative.
Evolution of Key Screens
Initial Storyboard
The first iteration focused on a sequential flow but required too many user interactions to access information.
Refined Wireframes
The design evolved to incorporate more AR elements and streamline the information access flow.
Final Prototype
The high-fidelity screens feature intuitive navigation and contextual information delivery through AR.
Key Features in Action
4
Key Features
Core functionalities that transform the museum experience
2
Setup Steps
Simple onboarding to personalize your experience
100+
Info Points
Rich contextual information available for each artwork
3D
Navigation
Intuitive AR guidance throughout the museum
GalleryPal's primary features work seamlessly together: personalized setup collects art preferences, museum selection offers nearby options, AR navigation guides users between exhibits, and information overlays provide rich context for each artwork. This creates a cohesive experience that enhances art appreciation while maintaining the freedom to explore at your own pace.
User Testing Insights
Five users tested GalleryPal by completing tasks like finding The Louvre and exploring information about The Mona Lisa. Key feedback included desires for a wishlist feature to save museums and artworks for future visits, like/dislike options to refine recommendations, and the ability to review tours to help improve the experience. These insights provide clear direction for future development iterations.
Lessons & Future Directions
Key Learnings from the Design Sprint
The rapid iteration process highlighted the importance of starting with bold ideas rather than conservative approaches. Initial concepts were too conventional, but pivoting to embrace AR technology and more innovative features yielded stronger results. The sprint format proved extremely effective for quickly testing and validating concepts.
Planned Feature Enhancements
Based on user testing, future iterations will incorporate a wishlist function for museums and artworks, like/dislike interactions to refine recommendations, and tour review capabilities. We're also exploring social sharing features to allow users to recommend experiences to friends.
Technology Roadmap
Future development will focus on improving AR recognition accuracy for diverse lighting conditions, adding support for multiple languages, and potentially integrating with museum databases for even richer information access. We're also exploring partnerships with major museums for enhanced functionality.
GalleryPal demonstrates how innovative technology can democratize access to enriching cultural experiences. The project reinforces the value of thinking boldly, moving quickly, and testing early when developing new digital products.