Art Marketplace
Art Marketplace
IOS APP: Primary Yellow
IOS APP: Primary Yellow
Primary Yellow is a digital platform that connects artists, galleries, and collectors through an integrated network for exhibitions, sales, and community engagement.
Primary Yellow is a digital platform that connects artists, galleries, and collectors through an integrated network for exhibitions, sales, and community engagement.
Led the end-to-end design of an iOS platform from scratch, creating role-based profiles and unified flows for artists, galleries, and collectors to sell, explore, connect, and purchase art seamlessly.
Led the end-to-end design of an iOS platform from scratch, creating role-based profiles and unified flows for artists, galleries, and collectors to sell, explore, connect, and purchase art seamlessly.
Product Design Lead
Product Design Lead
Role
Role
3 product designers, 1 project manager, 1 engineer
3 product designers, 1 pm, 1 engineer
3 product designers, 1 project manager, 1 engineer
The Team
The Team
Aug - Sep 2024
Aug - Sep 2024
Timeframe
Timeframe
Figma
Figma
Tools
Tools
August - September 2024
Timeframe
Figma
Tools
Product Design Lead
Role
3 product designers, 1 pm ,1 engineer
The Team
Developed scalable iOS design system and full-screen prototypes from low to high fidelity.
How
Delivered an app that streamlined complex web features into lightweight flows optimized for iOS.
Impact
Designed Primary Yellow’s first iOS app to extend the platform beyond web.
What
Gallery: Promote & sell
Artist: Promote & sell
Collector: Buy
Who
01. Context
01. Context
Why we need Primary Yellow?
Why we need Primary Yellow?
Through research into existing art-selling platforms, we identified key gaps that prevent artists, galleries, and collectors from connecting effectively in one ecosystem.
Through research into existing art-selling platforms, we identified key gaps that prevent artists, galleries, and collectors from connecting effectively in one ecosystem.
Through research into existing art-selling platforms, we identified key gaps that prevent artists, galleries, and collectors from connecting effectively in one ecosystem.
Current Market
Current Market
Artists
Artists
Struggle to gain sustained visibility and build a professional presence across fragmented platforms.
Struggle to gain sustained visibility and build a professional presence across fragmented platforms.
Struggle to gain sustained visibility and build a professional presence across fragmented platforms.
Galleries
Galleries
Lack integrated tools to curate, showcase, and engage audiences beyond physical spaces.
Lack integrated tools to curate, showcase, and engage audiences beyond physical spaces.
Lack integrated tools to curate, showcase, and engage audiences beyond physical spaces.
Collectors
Collectors
Can't purchase instantly on social platforms and feel distant from artists on existing art platforms.
Can't purchase instantly on social platforms and feel distant from artists on existing art platforms.
Can't purchase instantly on social platforms and feel distant from artists on existing art platforms.
Limited social features for community engagement
Limited social features for community engagement
Limited e-commerce capabilities for direct art transactions
Limited e-commerce capabilities for direct art transactions
Pricing information is private, making it less transparent
Pricing information is private, making it less transparent
The gaps in our research revealed the need to address fragmentation in the art world by creating an integrated platform for artists, galleries, and collectors that provides better tools for showcasing, curating, and collecting art online.
The gaps in our research revealed the need to address fragmentation in the art world by creating an integrated platform for artists, galleries, and collectors that provides better tools for showcasing, curating, and collecting art online.
The gaps in our research revealed the need to address fragmentation in the art world by creating an integrated platform for artists, galleries, and collectors that provides better tools for showcasing, curating, and collecting art online.
02. Design Challenges
02. Design Challenges
How to balance personalization and scalability to ensure each user group feels supported and valued within the app without confusion?
How to balance personalization and scalability to ensure each user group feels supported and valued within the app without confusion?
How to balance personalization and scalability to ensure each user group feels supported and valued within the app without confusion?
How to balance personalization and scalability to ensure each user group feels supported and valued within the app without confusion?
Key problems to address in designing the platform to achieve greater clarity, scalability, and role-specific functionality.
Key problems to address in designing the platform to achieve greater clarity, scalability, and role-specific functionality.
Key problems to address in designing the platform to achieve greater clarity, scalability, and role-specific functionality.
Complex workflows for the app
Complex workflows for the app
With multiple content types and user actions, the app risked information overload.
With multiple content types and user actions, the app risked information overload.
Fragmented user experience across roles
Fragmented user experience across roles
Artists, galleries, and collectors have distinct goals, requiring experiences that support each seamlessly.
03. Concept Exploration - Usability Test
03. Concept Exploration - Usability Test
Conducted Zoom interviews with two artists, two collectors, and one gallery owner using mid-fidelity prototypes to refine the system.
Objectives:
Learn how different audiences perceive the platform’s core value.
Spot moments of unnecessary complexity, and unclear interactions.
Objectives:
Learn how different audiences perceive the platform’s core value.
Spot moments of unnecessary complexity, and unclear interactions.
Positive Insights
Positive Insights
Positive Insights
The platform offered equally valuable benefits to each user group.
The clean, minimal design enhanced trust and professional credibility.
The platform offered equally valuable benefits to each user group.
The clean, minimal design enhanced trust and professional credibility.
Mid Fidelity Prototypes (Pre-Testing)
Mid Fidelity Prototypes (Pre-Testing)
Mid Fidelity Prototypes (Pre-Testing)
04. Iteration - Refining Through Feedback
04. Iteration - Refining Through Feedback
After receiving valuable feedback, I took the time to once again brainstorm and thoroughly consider the user's perspective, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences.
After receiving valuable feedback, I took the time to once again brainstorm and thoroughly consider the user's perspective, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences.
After receiving valuable feedback, I took the time to once again brainstorm and thoroughly consider the user's perspective, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences.
Reduce Feature Overload
We applied the Must-Have / Should-Have / Could-Have framework to prioritize essentials and defer advanced features like commissions and live streaming.
We applied the Must-Have / Should-Have / Could-Have framework to prioritize essentials and defer advanced features like commissions and live streaming.
Early prototypes have commissions and live streaming
Early prototypes have commissions and live streaming
Clearer Section Differentiation
Auctions and Exhibitions initially shared one UI. We refined their layouts to give each section a distinct identity while establishing a clear, consistent visual structure for smoother browsing.
Auctions and Exhibitions initially shared one UI. We refined their layouts to give each section a distinct identity while establishing a clear, consistent visual structure for smoother browsing.
Based on user research, we created distinct layouts for Auctions (left) and Exhibitions (right).
Based on user research, we created distinct layouts for Auctions (left) and Exhibitions (right).
05. Solution - Role-Based Profile System
05. Solution - Role-Based Profile System
Tailored Profile Page
With multiple user groups, we added role-based onboarding. The Profile page adapts to the account type, showing tailored functions.
Tailored Profile Page
With multiple user groups, we added role-based onboarding. The Profile page adapts to the account type, showing tailored functions.
With multiple user groups, we added role-based onboarding. The Profile page adapts to the account type, showing tailored functions.
Role-Based Profile Flow Chart
05. Solution - Tailored Features
05. Solution - Tailored Features
By replacing today’s scattered tools, the platform gives each artist, gallery, and collector purpose-built features that support how they showcase, curate, and connect.
By replacing today’s scattered tools, the platform gives each artist, gallery, and collector purpose-built features that support how they showcase, curate, and connect.
By replacing today’s scattered tools, the platform gives each artist, gallery, and collector purpose-built features that support how they showcase, curate, and connect.
Artist
Collectors
Galleries
Fragmented exposure → a centralized identity with continuous exposure
Artworks - Browse artworks, use filters, and zoom in to explore details.
Artworks – Overview
Artworks – Filter
Artworks – Zoomed View
Artist
Collectors
Galleries
Fragmented exposure → a centralized identity with continuous exposure
Artworks - Browse artworks, use filter options, and zoom in to explore artwork details.
Artworks – Overview
Artworks – Filter
Artworks – Zoomed View
Artist
Collectors
Galleries
Fragmented exposure → a centralized identity with continuous exposure
Artworks - Browse artworks, use filters, and zoom in to explore details.
Artworks – Overview
Artworks – Filter
Artworks – Zoomed View
Artist
Collectors
Galleries
Fragmented exposure → a centralized identity with continuous exposure
Artworks - Browse artworks, use filters, and zoom in to explore details.
Artworks – Overview
Artworks – Filter
Artworks – Zoomed View
06. Reflection
📱Consistency Builds Trust, but Context Shapes Experience
Designing for small screens requires trade-offs. Translating a feature-rich web platform into a mobile experience meant carefully prioritizing what to surface.
🛠 Execution Over Perfection
Tight one month timeline forced me to prioritize momentum over polish in early stages. Rapid prototyping and quick feedback loops allowed us to catch issues early while still meeting the deadline.
📁 Frameworks Speed Up Alignment
Using the " must - have, should - have, could - have " framework early on helped us make decisions faster. This structured prioritization avoided debates in later stages and kept everyone focused.
💬 Communication Shapes Outcomes
Clear communication and evidence-based reasoning across teams was as important as the designs themselves. Framing design choices with user feedback and clear metrics helped align everyone quickly.
📱Consistency Builds Trust, but Context Shapes Experience
Designing for small screens requires trade-offs. Translating a feature-rich web platform into a mobile experience meant carefully prioritizing what to surface.
🛠 Execution Over Perfection
Tight one month timeline forced me to prioritize momentum over polish in early stages. Rapid prototyping and quick feedback loops allowed us to catch issues early while still meeting the deadline.
📁 Frameworks Speed Up Alignment
Using the " must - have, should - have, could - have " framework early on helped us make decisions faster. This structured prioritization avoided debates in later stages and kept everyone focused.
💬 Communication Shapes Outcomes
Clear communication and evidence-based reasoning across teams was as important as the designs themselves. Framing design choices with user feedback and clear metrics helped align everyone quickly.