Montserrat Galleries
Montserrat Galleries are a group of gallery spaces within Montserrat College of Art.
Montserrat is a private residential college specializing in the visual arts and located in
Beverly, Massachusetts.
My role
UX Researcher
Desk research competitive analysis
Define interview questions and script
Survey and interview users
Persona creation
Journey mapping
Usability testing
UX Strategist
Synthesize user research and business data
Shape the product roadmap, designs, and future research activities
Review user stories within design sprints
Ensure objectives, goals, and requirements are clear and led by user research
UX Designer
Visual design
Exhibition design
Public program design
Print and web design
UX Manager
Hired and managed a 12 person team made up of jr. designers, art installers, program coordinators, and gallery managers
The problem(s)
Designing physical and virtual art exhibitions for students that meet learning goals set by the institution
Design physical and virtual art exhibitions that engage potential donors and trustees
Design physical and virtual art exhibitions that bring in the local and broader community, as well as art educators, and potential students that will increase overall enrollment
Timeline
3 years 8 months
January 2017 – October 2020
Research
Exhibitions and Public Programming
Initial desk research is typically conducted online via local and international art galleries, art fairs, and art publications.
Further research is conducted by scheduling studio visits and attending art fairs
Mockups and sketches are produced and evaluated to meet specific user needs
Card sorting exercises are conducted with current and potential users
Surveys and interviews are conducted to evaluate usability standards, accessibility, and overall satisfaction
Evaluation tools, such as door counters and cameras were installed to gather data– specifically tracking how many people visit certain exhibitions and what they are spending time looking at
Survey examples
Over the course of almost 4 years, we conducted many surveys for current and potential users. Several findings are attached below:
“Addressing Presense was easily the most powerful exhibition I’ve seen in the past three years”
Design
Experiences
Exhibitions
Public programs
Online events
Online exhibitions
Conversations
Competitions
Art auctions
& more
Graphic
Promotional materials (web and print)
Exhibition materials (vinyl, signage, labels, etc.)
& more
Online events
Curated online experiences, like artist talks, conversations, and performances were designed for many online platforms such as Vimeo, Instagram, Twitch, Youtube, and Facebook.
Results
Our team executed roughly 50 exhibitions and 50 public programs per year.
Our exhibitions and public programs were featured in many publications which increased enrollment and engagement from students, staff, faculty, trustees, donors, and the public.
Publications
The Boston Globe, The Rainbow Times, Artscope Magazine, Big Red & Shiny, Wonderland, Creative Collective MA, The Boston Voyager, Studio Visit Magazine, Art New England, Wicked Local, The Bay State Banner, Northshore Magazine, and more.
