Interior of an art gallery or cultural space named TASWIRA with African masks, paintings, textiles, and woven baskets displayed, and people socializing inside, including a violinist playing in the background.

Taswira African art & design gallery

Engaging art gallery visitors through storytelling

Project overview

TASWIRA is a Seattle-based art gallery, retail store, and event space on a mission to empower the local and international African community through art, culture, and collaboration.

For our Master’s Capstone project in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE), my team partnered with Avery Barnes (Owner/Founder of TASWIRA) to explore how we might encourage deeper visitor engagement and enhance their gallery experience.
After several rounds of research, ideation, and design iteration, we constructed two permanent interactive installations that leverage the power of storytelling to contextualize the visitor experience, introduce them to the artists and makers, and encourage engagement in unique and tactile ways that facilitate learning and discovery.

My Role

I was responsible for establishing the visual aesthetic and tonal direction of our final installations and for ensuring that they met industry standards for accessibility.

Team (4)

Project Type

Interaction Design, Exhibition Design, Visual Communication Design, Digital Fabrication, Physical Prototyping

Timeline

Jan — Jun 2023 (6 months)

My Primary Contributions

UX Design
Visual Design
Prototyping
Design System
Design Requirements
Design Specifications
Content Strategy

AWARD

Out of 51 teams, we received the HCDE Impact Award which recognizes work that "goes above and beyond with respect to equity, justice, the environment, or changing lives". Granted by the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, June 2023.
Jump to Design Solution

// H2 heading

// Introduction

The problem

Early user research revealed that the sharing of TASWIRA’s stories and mission happened exclusively through 1:1 conversations with Avery Barnes (Owner/Founder).

Upon entering the gallery, visitors were met with a vibrant interior exhibiting art from local BIPOC artists alongside an eclectic array of African artifacts and handcrafted goods sourced from artisans in Kenya with whom Avery has personal longstanding connections.

What is TASWIRA?

Early user research revealed that the sharing of TASWIRA’s stories and mission happened exclusively through 1:1 conversations with the gallery’s owner/founder, Avery Barnes.

Upon entering the gallery, visitors were met with a vibrant interior exhibiting art from local BIPOC artists alongside an eclectic array of African artifacts, textiles, and handcrafted goods sourced from women artisans in Kenya with whom Avery has personal longstanding connections.

However, a lack of signage, background info, and descriptions provided for the gallery’s contents prevented visitors who didn't get the opportunity to interact directly with Avery from understanding what TASWIRA is, why it exists, and what it has to offer.

As a result, these visitors tended to move through and exit the gallery quickly, having missed out on the important grounding context necessary to make sense of their experience.
However, a lack of signage, details, and descriptions provided for the gallery’s contents prevented those who didn't get the opportunity to interact with Avery from understanding what TASWIRA is or what it has to offer.

As a result, unguided visitors tended to move through and exit the gallery quickly, having missed out on the important grounding context necessary to make sense of the space.
Interior view of Taswira gallery entrance with large mural of Maasai men in colorful traditional attire behind on one wall and TASWIRA's mission statement written out in large bold letters on the adjacent wall Wide Shot of the TASWIRA gallery interior before our project.Avery Barnes (TASWIRA Owner/Founder) restocking shelves near a clothing rack stocked with dresses and clothing made from African textiles
Interior photos of the TASWIRA African Art & Design Gallery before we started our project

Our solutions

Our six months of research, ideation, and design iteration resulted in two permanent installations that enhance comprehension of TASWIRA's mission and vision by engaging visitors through physical interaction and storytelling.

installation 01

Welcome Cube

Placed at the entrance, the Welcome Cube invites visitors to uncover the answer to the question,"What is TASIWRA?" at the start of their journey. With a baseline understanding of the who, what, why, and how behind TASWIRA, visitors are primed with the important grounding context necessary to:

  • Understand the significance of the items, artwork, and artifacts on display as well as the impact that their sale has on the artists and makers

  • Pick up on the underlying connections and relationships between various items in the gallery

installation 02

Interactive Storyboard

Strategically placed toward the end of the visitor journey, our Interactive Storyboard provides visitors with rich content and context to form deep and meaningful connections with the people, places, cultures, artwork, and artifacts that TASWIRA serves to elevate and highlight after they’ve had a chance to explore the space.

installation 01

Welcome Cube

Placed at the entrance, the Welcome Cube invites visitors to uncover the answer to the question,"What is TASIWRA?" at the start of their journey. With a baseline understanding of the who, what, why, and how behind TASWIRA, visitors are primed with the important grounding context necessary to:

  • Understand the significance of the items, artwork, and artifacts on display as well as the impact that their sale has on the artists and makers

  • Pick up on the underlying connections and relationships between various items in the gallery

Interactive Storyboard

Intentionally placed toward the end of the visitor journey, our Interactive Storyboard provides visitors with rich content and context to form deep and meaningful connections with the people, places, cultures, artwork, and artifacts that TASWIRA serves to elevate and highlight after they’ve had a chance to explore the space.

Installation 02

How we got there...

Hide
SHOW

// H2 heading

// Design thinking framework

Our process

Our team followed a user-centered design methodology — an iterative, data-driven approach that prioritizes user needs through each phase of the design thinking process.

Watch the video for an overview of the research, design, and fabrication processes that went into our final installations.
Skip to design phase

// H2 heading

// uncovering opportunities

Research

We conducted two phases of research. During Phase 1 (Discovery), we identified potential opportunity areas within the gallery as well as constraints that we'd need to consider over the course of the project. Our findings helped us narrow our scope, eventually leading us to focus our efforts on storytelling.
During Phase 2 (Generative), we used novel research methods to uncover key barriers and pain points throughout the visitor experience that, when addressed, would allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in TASWIRA’s rich offerings.
Research // part 01 of 03

Discovery research

Method 01

Stakeholder interviews

Kicking off the research phase with this method gave us insight into Avery's mission, vision, and goals for TASWIRA as well as her primary business needs and pain points
Method 02

Behavioral observation

These contextual observations helped us understand how visitors engage with the space and ultimately revealed how essential Avery is to the gallery experience
Method 03

Behavior mapping

While low foot traffic prevented us from collecting enough data to draw definitive conclusions, this method revealed emergent movement patterns that crystallized upon further research
Method 04
Visitor experience survey
Survey responses gave us insight into visitors' initial perceptions of the space and revealed mismatches between what they expect and what they experience at TASWIRA

Preliminary findings

Finding 01
The sharing of TASWIRA's stories and mission happen exclusively through 1:1 conversation with Avery
Finding 02
TASWIRA's retail and philanthropic functions are unexpected and undiscoverable to most visitors

Challenges & constraints

In addition to the preliminary findings outlined above, our discovery research also illuminated a number of challenges and constraints that ultimately influenced our project direction and scope.
Scribing from scratch
After regular interviews and ethnographic observation revealed an abundance of powerful stories that existed only in Avery's head, we realized that any stories or context we wanted to introduce to the experience would have to be written entirely from scratch by our team
One woman show
Given that TASWIRA was a new and fairly complex business being run single-handedly with minimal external support, we decided that our final deliverable must be constrained to a solution that requires minimal time, effort, and resources for Avery to update/maintain
Forever in flux
The centrality of events and rotating artist exhibitions to TASWIRA’s operations meant that our team would have to constantly adjust our research and design strategy to address a dynamic, multifunctional space whose layout, setup, and contents change on a monthly — sometimes, weekly — basis
Research // part 02 of 03

Generative research

We recruited six participants who had never been to TASWIRA. Each participant completed 60-minute sessions comprised of two research activities (see below):
Jasmine Brown (UX Researcher) moderating a storytelling investigation interview with a participant in the TASWIRA gallery.
My teammate, Jasmine Brown (left) conducting an interview with a participant (right) during a generative research session
Four images of different emojis placed on various items within the gallery by research participants during our Emoji-Item Association: 1) Surprise face emoji placed near jewelry, 2) Thinking face emoji placed near a patterned, TASWIRA-branded bucket hat, 3) Slightly smiling face emoji placed near colorful clothes made of African textiles, and 4) Confused/slightly frowning face emoji placed by a seashell-covered sculpture
Image A: Emojis placed by participants during our emoji-item association exercise
Method 01

Emoji-item association
🙂😯🤔😕

Inspired by IDEO’s Word-Concept Association method, we provided participants with two sets of four emojis (see image A) and asked them to place each emoji on an item or area of the gallery that evoked the corresponding emotion or reaction from them. We then used their placed emojis as jumping off points for discussion about their attitudes and sentiments toward each highlighted element.

This activity provided our team with rich qualitative insights into participants' perceptions of TASWIRA as well as which elements within the space were informing those perceptions and why.
Method 02

Storytelling investigation interviews

During these structured interviews, we presented participants with a series of seven story cards (see Image B) that I wrote following extensive interviews with Avery. After reading each card, we asked participants follow-up questions to understand if and how their perceptions of TASWIRA may have changed after receiving the additional context.
4 of the 7 story cards used for storytelling investigation interviews, titled: TASWIRA Founding Story, Sisal Woven Baskets, Kindi Mask of Warega, and Bucket Hats
Image B: Four of the seven story cards we used for investigation interviews. Click to expand.
Research // part 03 of 03

Key insights

Our generative research revealed four key insights regarding visitors' perceptions of TASWIRA, why they held these attitudes, and what could be done within the gallery to improve their comprehension of TASWIRA’s purpose, mission, and impact.
Affinity mapping diagram with sticky notes on topics like transparency, interaction, pricing, and personal connection.
Snapshot of our Affinity Mapping Miro Board. Click to expand.
TRANSPARENCY

Visitors' ethical concerns distract from their gallery experience

Context

Proper context sets the stage for a successful gallery experience

Connection

Visitors inherently seek out patterns, relationships, & connections

intentionality

Visitors need clear & explicit affordances to guide their interactions 

// H2 heading

// Specifying user needs

Define

To ensure that we addressed the key insights we uncovered from our generative research, we used a data-driven approach to define our target users and design requirements.
Jump To
User mindsets
Design requirements
Design requirements
User mindsets
Jump to
User mindsets
Design requirements
Define // part 01 of 02

User mindsets

Our research revealed that visitors come to TASWIRA with a broad range of goals and expectations, seeking varying levels of depth and engagement in their gallery experience. Drawing from Dr. John H. Falk’s extensive research on museum audience segmentation, we clustered our target users into five archetypal mindsets representing the fundamental motivations visitors seek to satisfy through TASWIRA.

Explorers

Want to discover and learn new information to satisfy their curiosities and expand their knowledge

Experience seekers

Want to see the most renowned pieces and make memories

Facilitators

Want to engage their companions in a meaningful social experience

Enthusiasts

Want to study and admire specific artwork, artifacts, installations, and exhibits

Rechargers

Want to have a relaxing, restorative experience in a peaceful environment
Define // part 02 of 02

Design requirements

Building on the key insights we uncovered from our generative research, I crafted five design requirements to guide our design strategy and execution.
Transparency

Build trust through transparency

Our solution frees visitors to position themselves in a frame of mind for optimal learning, empathy, and engagement by communicating the who, what, why, and how behind TASWIRA’s mission, operations, and philanthropic efforts clearly and authentically
Flexibility

Meet visitors where they are

Our solution is flexible enough to accommodate visitors seeking varying levels of depth and engagement while ensuring that every layer of the experience clues them into the overarching narrative
Intentionality

Execute with intention

From the words, visual representations, and affordances our solution employs to when and where its encountered along the visitor journey, every aspect and dimension of its design is informed by thoughtful and meticulous consideration of visitors' needs, goals, questions, and behaviors
Harmony

Strive for harmony

Our solution extends existing forms, textures, colors, and materiality to create a cohesive visitor experience while blending seamlessly into the background, striving to elevate and enhance the visitor experience without overwhelming, overpowering, or distracting from the artwork and artifacts
Connection

Cultivate connection

By surfacing the stories behind the artists, makers, individuals, and communities respresented within the gallery, our solution gives visitors the opportunity form meaningful connections with and draw connections between the people, places, artwork, and artifacts that TASWIRA serves to elevate and highlight
To see how we addressed each design requirement through our final deliverable, jump ahead to the Final Installations section.
Final Installation

// H2 heading

// Concept generation

Ideate

At this point in the project, we had 10 weeks left to ideate, design, test, and deliver our solution. To keep our team on track, Jasmine (our acting PM) drafted a project roadmap comprised of overlapping design and evaluative research phases that were each broken into a series of week-long sprints.
design sprint schedule
Jump To
Jump to
Brainstorming
Concept sketches
Concept testing
IDEATE // part 01 of 03

Brainstorming

Turning panels installation at the Bill & Melinda Gates Discovery center in Seattle, WA

Gathering inspiration

Each team member visited different local galleries and museums to gather inspiration for our ideation sessions. The pictured installation from my visit to the Bill & Melinda Gates Discovery Center became a primary source of inspiration.
Artifact from our crazy 8's exercise showing 8 different sketches drawn on a single piece of paper

Crazy 8's

For this activity, each team member sketched out eight ideas in eight minutes related a specific design question or challenge. We completed three rounds of eight-minute sprints, resulting in 24 sketches each.
Snapshot from our round robin FigJam workspace

Round Robin

We built upon the 10 most promising concepts generated through Crazy 8's by passing our original sketches to a different team member for feedback. A third team member then built upon the original concept with a new sketch that addressed the feedback.
IDEATE // part 02 of 03

Concept sketches

Following our Round Robin sessions, our team converged on the top three concepts that we believed best addressed visitor needs while adhering to our design requirements. Jessica and I then re-sketched two versions of each idea (see below) to use for concept testing.
Concept 1A sketch: Turning panels system co-located on a single wall in the gallery Concept 1B sketch: Turning panels system scattered across several areas throughout the gallery to give context to specific artifacts and artwork

Concept 1: Interactive Storyboards

Collocated (top), scattered (bottom)

Concept 1: Interactive Storyboards

Collocated (left), scattered (right)
Concept 2A sketch: Map of Kenya with call outs and images connected to various locations, representing TASWIRA's connections throughout KenyaConcept 2B sketch: Map of Seattle with call outs and images connected to various locations, representing TASWIRA's connections to different parts of the city

Concept 2: Mapping Connections

Africa map (top), Seattle map (bottom)

Concept 2: Mapping Connections

Africa map (left), Seattle map (right)
Concept 3A sketch: Videos co-located on different faces of a large structural pillar near the entrance of the galleryConcept 3B sketch: Several videos scattered throughout the gallery to give context to specific artifacts and installations

Concept 3: Video Frames

Collocated (top), scattered (bottom)

Concept 3: Video Frames

Collocated (left), scattered (right)

Concept 1: Interactive Storyboards

Collocated (top), scattered (bottom)

Concept 2: Mapping Connections

Africa map (top), Seattle map (bottom)

Concept 3: Video Frames

Collocated (top), scattered (bottom)
IDEATE // part 03 of 03

Concept testing

Using our refined sketches, we conducted remote concept testing with five participants. These interviews allowed us to:
  • Gather pros and cons for each concept
  • Learn what kind of content and context participants found most valuable
  • Uncover how we might combine elements from different concepts to create an engaging visitor experience
Screenshot of me and my teammate, Jasmine Brown during a remote concept testing session with a participant on zoom
Me (bottom) and Jasmine (middle) moderating a remote concept testing session with a participant (top)

// H2 heading

// bringing our ideas to life

Design & evaluation

With one month to hand-off, we spent the remainder of the project iteratively refining and testing our designs — building from rough concepts to fully-realized physical design solutions that satisfied our users’ needs and client’s goals.

Since Jessica was the only member of our team with digital fabrication experience, I was in charge of laying out the digital design foundation to set her up for success during the physical prototyping phase.
Design & eval // part 01 of 05

Low-fideity prototypes

Concept testing feedback inspired further refinement of two initial design concepts and the creation of a brand new concept, which I visualized through low-fidelity mockups built in Figma:
illustration of the two concepts we combined (Collocated Interactive Storyborads and Mapping Connections to Africa) to arrive at the first iteration of our Interactive Storyboards installation
Combining our strongest concepts

Interactive Storyboard

  • Participants expressed strong preferences for our Collocated Interactive Storyboard and Mapping Connections to Africa concepts because they provided context at the levels they desired without distracting from the art and artifacts in the gallery.
  • To address concerns about our Mapping Connections to Africa concept taking up too much valuable wall space, we merged it with our Interactive Storyboard to create a single unified solution (see below).
Low-fidelity digital mock-up of our Interactive Storyboard installation
Low-fidelity mockup visualizing how we merged "Mapping Connections to Africa" (top left panel) into our "Interactive Storyboard"  concept
creating a new concept

Welcome Cube

Participants appreciated how our original Mapping Connections to Africa concept provided foundational context into TASWIRA's mission and history immediately upon entering the gallery, so we came up with a new interactive solution that would allow us to provide similar context at the first stop along the typical visitor journey without taking up any wall space (see below).
Scaled TASWIRA floor plan illustrating where & when our solutions are encountered along the typical visitor journey.
Scaled TASWIRA floor plan highlighting where our new "Welcome Cube" concept would be encountered along the typical visitor journey
Early scale digital rendering of our new "Welcome Cube" concept, which would be mounted on an existing permanent structure at the first stop along the typical visitor journey
Scaled digital rendering of our new "Welcome Cube" concept, which would be mounted on a fixed structure at the gallery entrance
Design & eval // part 02 of 05

Mid-fidelity prototypes

Equipped with low-fi digital mockups and a much clearer vision for our proposed solutions, we started bringing our ideas to life through mid-fidelity prototypes and set them up in the gallery for evaluative testing.
Mid-fidelity Mission Cube set up in the gallery for evaluative testing. Click to expand.
Mid-fidelity prototype set up in the TASWIRA gallery for evaluative testing

Welcome Cube

Constructed out of an 18x18” cardboard box and printer paper, attached to a Lazy Susan to allow spinning, then mounted on a fixed display table structure near the entrance of the gallery.

Interactive Storyboard

Built using cardboard, printer paper, PVC pipe, masking tape, and 2x4’ wood beams. To enable turning, Jessica 3D-printed custom pieces that the cardboard could attach to while rotating around the PVC pipe.
Two women stand on either side of a wooden stand holding multiple sheets of printed text panels, engaged in discussion or reading indoors by a window with closed blinds.
[Above] Jessica (left) and me (right) after setting up our mid-fi prototype for the first time
Woman in a classroom standing several feet in front of our mid-fidelity interactive storyboards prototype to judge how far away she can stand from the installation while still being able to read the text
[Above] Testing font sizes and panel positioning with our TA, Mania Orand (Principal UX Researcher, Amazon)
Mid-fidelity prototype set up in the gallery for evaluative testing. Click to expand.
[Above] Mid-fidelity prototype set up in the TASWIRA gallery for evaluative testing
Jessica (left) and me (right) after setting up our mid-fi prototype for the first time
Testing font sizes and panel positioning with our TA, Mania Orand (Principal UX Researcher, Amazon)
Mid-fidelity prototype set up in the TASWIRA gallery for evaluative testing
Design & eval // part 03 of 05

Evaluative testing

Using our mid-fidliety prototypes, we conducted 45-minute evaluative testing sessions with six participants — half of whom had never visited TASWIRA — to assess the usability and effectiveness of our proposed solutions for both new and returning visitors.
My teammate, Sierra Jenkins interviewing a participant about the mission cube during an evaluative testing session at the gallery.
My teammate, Sierra Jenkins during an evaluative testing session at the gallery
Design & eval // part 04 of 05

Applying user feedback

Below are animated demonstrations of the key design changes I made to address user feedback from evaluative testing.
While all participants found our prototypes effective, valuable, and engaging, their feedback helped us:
  • Refine content across both installations
  • Improve the consistency and discoverability of affordances
  • Optimize usability and accessibility with regard to viewing height, reachability, and readability

Welcome Cube

Summary of design changes
** WARNING **
This demo is not optimized for small screens. For best experience, please view on desktop.

Interactive Storyboard

Summary of design changes
** WARNING **
This demo is not optimized for small screens. For best experience, please view on desktop.
Design & eval // part 05 of 06

Fabrication & construction

At this point, we had less than three weeks to determine and source design materials, finalize copy and content, fabricate and assemble the components for each installation, and construct them in the gallery.
Our team during our first day of fabrication at The Mill, a student maker space at the University of Washington.
Our team during our first day of fabrication. L to R: Jessica Douma, Jasmine Brown, me, Sierra Jenkins.
Step 01

Laser cutting & engraving

Each panel was cut from tempered hardboard, spray painted with its base color, and covered with masking tape to prevent visible surface burn marks from the laser cutter.
Step 02

Spray painting

Panels then received two to four additional coats of spray paint to fill in any laser-envgraved text and line art.
Step 03

Unmasking

After literally watching paint dry, we started removing the masking tape layer — a painstakingly slow and tedious process that required laser focus, tweezers, and ungodly levels of patience.
Step 04

Paint touch-ups

Unfortunately, some of our panels got rained on before completely drying (thanks Seattle), resulting in cracks and drip marks that required precise and meticulous paint touch-ups to resurrect.
Step 05

Attaching photos

We used Modge Podge to attach images directly onto panel faces, then secured them with a protective, anti-glare vinyl overlay.
Stack of several black shoeboxes, some open with white tissue paper, placed on a patterned rug near potted plants and a window with sunlight shining on the boxes.A large open cardboard box clamped with yellow and black clamps sits on a patterned rug, with a brindle dog lying on the floor nearby inside a room.
Step 06

Box assembly

We aligned front and back faces with corresponding side pieces and fit them together to achieve a tight friction fit. Each joint was reinforced with wood glue for extra security.
Step 07

Storyboard construction

We installed the storyboard support structure, slid our assembled boxes over their respective poles, guided the assembled poles into the support structure, and screwed them into place.
Step 08

Welcome Cube construction

We attached a Lazy Susan to the bottom of the assembled cube then secured the installation to the top of its podium.
Step 01

Laser cutting & engraving

Each storyboard panel and cube face was cut from tempered hardboard, spray painted with its base color, and covered with masking tape to prevent visible surface burn marks from the laser cutter.
Step 02

Spray painting laser-envgraved content

The panels and cube faces then received two to four additional coats of spray paint to fill in any laser-envgraved text and line art.
Step 03

Unmasking

After literally watching paint dry, we started removing the protective masking tape layer — a painstakingly slow and tedious process that required laser focus, tweezers, and ungodly levels of patience.
Step 04

Paint touch-ups

Unfortunately, some of our panels got rained on before completely drying (thanks Seattle), resulting in visible cracks and drip marks that required precise and meticulous paint touch-ups to conceal and polish.
Step 05

Attaching photos

We used Modge Podge to attach images directly onto panel faces, then secured them with a protective, anti-glare vinyl overlay.
Stack of several black shoeboxes, some open with white tissue paper, placed on a patterned rug near potted plants and a window with sunlight shining on the boxes.A large open cardboard box clamped with yellow and black clamps sits on a patterned rug, with a brindle dog lying on the floor nearby inside a room.
Step 06

Box assembly

We assembled each box by aligning front and back faces with corresponding side pieces and fitting them together to achieve a tight friction fit. Each joint was reinforced with wood glue for extra security.
Step 07

Storyboard construction

We installed the storyboard support structure into the floor and ceiling, slid our assembled boxes over their respective poles, guided the assembled poles into the support structure, and screwed them into place.
Step 08

Welcome Cube construction

We attached a Lazy Susan to the bottom of the assembled cube then secured the installation to the top of its podium.
Design & eval // part 06 of 06

Final installations: Mapping key insights to design decisions

Below is an overview of how we addressed the 5 key insights and corresponding design requirements we uncovered through our user research through intentional design decisions.
01

Building trust through transparency

Research insight
Lack of specificity into how TASWIRA fulfills its mission fueled skepticism and ethical concerns among visitors that ultimately clouded their experience.
transparency // 01 of 02

Showing the numbers

Both installations provide visitors with hard numbers and specifics pertaining to TASWIRA’s philanthropic efforts, donation metrics, and business operations.
Close up of a turning panel titled, "Lifetime Donation Total, an example of how we provided visitors with hard numbers and specifics into TASWIRA's philanthropic efforts.Close up of a turning panel titled, "Artifact Sourcing & Acquisition", an example of how we provided visitors with specific details into how TASWIRA acquires its African artifacts.Close up of a storyboard panel titled "Giving Back" describing TASWIRA's onging involvement with the Bamburi Women's Empowerment Center in Kenya.
Examples of Interactive Storyboard panels that provides visitors with hard numbers & specifics
transparency // 02 of 02

Illuminating personal connections

Centering the artists & makers: We took special care to highlight the longstanding history, mutual love, and respect between Avery (Owner/Founder of TASWIRA) and the women artisans in Kenya who handcraft the clothing, baskets, and accessories sold at the gallery.
Close up photo of 3 turning panels with one showing an image of Avery Barners (TASWIRA owner/founder) surrounding by a group of women posing outside Bamburi Women Empowerment Center and another titled "Finding Community" which serves to provide context for the imageA display panel featuring profiles of individuals from the Bamburi Women's Empowerment Center in Mombasa, Kenya, including photos and text about Winfred, a skilled clothing designer and basket weaver; Khadija, a jewelry maker; and Peter, an elementary school teacher and center founder. The panel includes a map of Africa highlighting Kenya and Mombasa, a photo of women sharing their visions in March 2019, and text about empowering women and community involvement.
Examples of how we illuminated longstanding personal connections between Avery and Kenyan artisans by relaying TASWIRA's founding story through text and images
02

Executing with intention

research insight
Intentionality in the placement, presentation, and labeling of artifacts guides and supports visitors' movements and interactions.
Scaled TASWIRA floor plan illustrating where & when our solutions are encountered along the typical visitor journey.
Scaled TASWIRA floor plan illustrating where and when our "Welcome Cube" and "Interactive Storyboard" installations are encountered along the typical visitor journey. Click to expand.
Intentionality // 01 of 02

Strategic locations

  • Providing answers up front: Intentionally placed at the start of the visitor journey, our Welcome Cube sets the stage for a successful gallery experience by priming visitors with a with a TL;DR on TASWIRA's purpose, mission, and vision.
  • Tying up loose ends: Strategically placed toward the end of the visitor journey, our Interactive Storyboard closes the loop on the gallery experience by inviting visitors to uncover more in-depth information about TASWIRA’s history, mission, values, and impact after they’ve had a chance to explore the space.
Top-down view of Welcome Cube podium, highlighting fixed instructions bolted to the top of the podium surface so instructions would be visible at all times regardless of which face visitors approached fromClose up of "Spin the cube" instructions written on the main face of the Welcome Cube A hand is turning an exhibit panel that says 'Turn the panels to learn more' in a gallery setting.
Close-ups of installation instructions
Intentionality // 02 of 02

Intentional affordances

Giving visitors permission to engage: Due to TASWIRA’s status as an art gallery, visitors were hesitant to touch things without explicit permission. Both installations leverage clear affordances and explicit instructions to help visitors feel confident and comfortable in their interactions.
03

Striving for harmony

Research insight
Visitors wanted more consistency across the look, feel, and quality of touchpoints and experiences in the gallery. Elements that felt out of place stirred feelings of confusion and ambivalence that ultimately distracted from their experience.
Harmony // 01 of 02

Yielding the floor to the art

Elevating without overpowering: We chose Black and White in a matte finish as our primary colors to ensure that our installations receded seamlessly into the background without overpowering, overwhelming, or distracting from with the rich and vibrant colors often present in gallery's artwork.
Hand holding three wooden cubes painted red, black, and white with visible wood grain.
Wooden blocks painted in our primary (matte black and white) and accent (red) colors
Harmony // 02 of 02

Reflecting our surroundings

Seamless integration: To extend existing color ways within the gallery, we chose BEHR’s Morocco Red in a chalk finish as our accent color for its resemblance to red ochre — a natural clay earth pigment used to achieve the red hues featured across several of TASWIRA’s African artifacts.
Close up of a red ochre decorative pot in the corner of the gallery holding holding wooden sticks Kindi mask: Authentic African tribal mask with red ochre markings, hollow eyes, white diamond cheek marks, and brown fringe.
Hand carved wooden statue of a woman with painted red and black tribal designs on face and body leaning against a white wall in the TASWIRA galleryClose up of a red ochre clay pot on a glass table in the gallery
Accent
Morocco Red (Chalk Finish)
#96443B
Various artifacts in the gallery featuring the red ochre pigment that inspired our accent color choice
04

Meeting visitors where they are

Research insight
TASWIRA appeals to a broad spectrum of visitors who seek varying levels of depth and engagement in their gallery experience.
Infographic explaining how the "Bite, Snack, and Meal" design framework was used to layer and structure content on the Turning Panels installationInfographic explaining how the "Bite, Snack, and Meal" design framework was used to layer and structure content on the Welcome Cube installation
Visual breakdown of how the “Bite, Snack, Meal” framework was used to organize content on the Interactive Storyboard (top) and Welcome Cube (bottom)
Visual breakdown of how the “Bite, Snack, Meal” framework was used to organize content on the Interactive Storyboard (left) and Welcome Cube (right)
Flexibility // 01 of 03

Layering content & context

Bite, snack, meal: I used the “bite, snack, meal” design framework to layer and structure the content featured across both installations in a way that allowed skimmers, in-depth readers, and everyone in between to walk away from the experience with a solid understanding of TASWIRA’s purpose, mission, and values.
Example of how the content on the front and back of adjacent panels relate to one another.
Example of how the content on the front and back of adjacent panels relate to one another. Click to expand.
Flexibility // 02 of 03

Letting visitors choose their own adventures

Predictable information design system: We took special care to craft a consistent system for what content should be paired on the front/back of individual, adjacent, and grouped storyboard panels to ensure that information is coherent and impactful regardless of the order in which the panels are encountered.
Screenshots of four diagrams from the Smithsonian Accessible Exhibition Design Guidelines showing: 1) Average viewing sightlines for children, adults, and individuals in wheelchairs, 2) Accessible Type size by probable viewing distance, 3) Accessible vs. Non-accessible font weights and proportions, and 4) Maximum forward and side reach limits for individuals in wheelchairs
Source: Smithsonian. Click to expand.
Final design specification for Interactive Storyboard installation showing scale and dimensions
Design specifications illustrating how the Smithsonian guidelines informed the scale, dimensions, and positioning of each panel for optimal viewing, readability, and reachability. Click to expand.
Flexibility // 03 of 03

Prioritizing accessibility

Establishing an inclusive design foundation: To ensure that visitors of all ages, heights, and abilities could easily access and experience our installations, I defined the scale, dimensions, typography, and positioning of each storyboard panel and cube face for optimal viewing, readability, and reachability according to the Smithsonian’s Accessible Exhibition Design Guidelines.
05

Contextualizing the visitor experience

Research insight
Visitors were looking for three different layers of context across their gallery experience:
  • Layer 01  // Gallery-level context (mission, purpose, impact)
  • Layer 02 // Artifact-level context (who, what, where, when)
  • Layer 03 // Significance-related context (why, how)
Context // 01 of 02

Priming visitors for optimal learning & engagement

  • Setting the stage: Our Welcome Cube installation introduces visitors to the gallery with the foundational (Layer 01) context they need to understand TASWIRA's purpose, mission, and vision.
  • Leading with a question: The Welcome Cube's content was intentionally designed to encourage visitors to uncover the answer to the question, "What is TASWIRA?" at the start of their journey.
Black informational sign titled 'Jambo, Na Karibu Taswira!' explaining TASWIRA means vision in Swahili and is a space empowering African community through art, culture, and partnerships, serving as a gallery, boutique, and event venue.
Context // 02 of 02

Facilitating connections

Centering the artists & makers: Our Interactive Storyboard creates an enriching storytelling experience by providing all three layers of context in the form of headlines, text, and photos that allow visitors to form deep and meaningful connections with the people, places, cultures, artwork, and artifacts that comprise TASWIRA.
Close-up shot of a man and woman viewing our interactive turning panels installation with the word "EMPOWER" displayed above them

// H2 heading

// retrosepective

Candid photo of two women standing side by side, viewing colorful paintings and a large ornate sculpture in the TASWIRA African art gallery

Outcome & reflection

Outcome & reflection

After weeks of content writing, prototyping, iteration, and fabrication, we constructed two permanent installations that serve to enhance the TASWIRA gallery experience by engaging visitors through physical interaction and storytelling. To see how we addressed our research insights and design requirements, head back to the Final Installations section.
Final Installation highlights
$970
Total cost of materials
271
number of laser cut components
42hrs
Total Fabrication time
27hrs
Total construction time
100%
Final grade
-12
Collective sleep score
(Jan-Jun 2023)

Impact

Our installations became permanent fixtures at the TASWIRA African Art & Design gallery on May 28, 2023. As of September 2023, our installations have positively impacted our client in the following ways:
  • Increased average amount of time visitors spend in the gallery
  • Promoted retail sales by introducing visitors to the women behind TASWIRA's handcrafted goods and providing transparency into how purchases support their work and livelihoods
  • Alleviated the burden of storytelling on Avery, who has since hired an employee to help her cover shifts at the gallery
This partnership is a perfect example of what TASWIRA is all about. With you helping me, you’re helping yourselves get your Master’s degrees. And by me helping you, I’m also helping myself and my business in ways that I couldn’t do on my own. It’s all about making that full circle.
Avery Barnes
‍Owner & Founder, TASWIRA
Our team during our first visit to TASWIRA. Left to Right: Tabby Safari, Avery Barnes (TASWIRA Owner/Founder), Sierra Jenkins, and Jasmine Brown
Our team's first visit to TASWIRA in January 2023. Left to right: Me, Avery Barnes, Sierra Jenkins, Jasmine Brown
Avery Barnes (TASWIRA Owner/Founder) with our Project Team. Front to Back: Avery Barnes, Jasmine Brown, Jessica Douma, Sierra Jenkins, me.
Avery visiting our booth at the HCDE Capstone Showcase on May 31, 2023. Front to back: Avery Barnes, Jasmine Brown, Jessica Douma, Sierra Jenkins, me

Award

We presented our project to a panel of UX industry experts who served as guest judges at the HCDE Capstone Showcase on May 31, 2023. During the event, judges recognized teams with awards in the categories of Bravery, Innovation, and Impact.

Out of 51 contenders, our project received the Impact Award, which recognizes teams that "go above and beyond with respect to equity, justice, the environment, or changing lives".
Our Project Team at the HCDE Capstone Showcase Event. L to R: Jasmine Brown, Jessica Douma, me, and Sierra Jenkins.
Our team at the HCDE Capstone Showcase. Left to right: Jasmine Brown, Jessica Douma, me, Sierra Jenkins.

Feedback from UX industry experts

We were absolutely over the moon to receive this extremely kind feedback from our Capstone judges.
The team overcame multiple challenges (finding participants, low fidelity testing) to make a high quality solution with real world implications. This was a project about community and building awareness and a pipeline between artists and buyers. They produced a high-context, themed design that solved their problem with minimal cost. Their solution was not digital, but instead a well thought out industrial design.
Daniel Aldridge
Product Designer V, Meta
They identified that educating the audience though the power of stories to bring justice work to life was key, and they did it beautifully. They made creative use of existing techniques on a very limited budget. And they proposed, designed, and built a physical installation which none of them had any prior experience with. Very challenging and brave!
Carol A. Taylor
Former Principle Design Director, Microsoft
The work is thoughtful and beautiful, and your deliverable connects the dots between your goals, the research, and the results. It is well done and speaks of quality. Congratulations on your accomplishment!
Ruth Kikin-Gil
Responsible AI Strategist & Senior UX Designer, Microsoft
Congratulations Team TASWIRA!! So much impact and going outside of your comfort zone. I am so happy for you!
Daniella Kim
Senior UX Researcher, Google

Reflection

Fabrication is time intensive, expensive, & error prone

As a team with no prior physical prototyping experience, fabricating and constructing two large interactive installations was incredibly rewarding, but it was also extremely time consuming, expensive, exhausting, and error prone. Our team quickly realized why many design agencies outsource fabrication.

With physical prototypes, stakeholder buy-in hinges on higher fidelity

Because physical prototypes are much more tangible than software and low-fidelity wireframes, their level of fidelity has a greater impact on stakeholder buy-in. Our team needed to create a single, high fidelity example to generate emotional and financial buy-in from our client.

Designing to supplement rather than replace human interaction is challenging

Because Avery (Owner/Founder of TASWIRA) is such a central component of the gallery experience, it was critical that our solution not replace her role as the keeper and relayer of TASWIRA’s stories, but rather provide her with talking points to facilitate conversations with visitors. It required care and finesse to write content that satisfied visitors’ needs and questions while leaving space for meaningful engagement with Avery.

Designing for the physical world is (mostly) similar to designing for the digital

Our team gained invaluable experience in adapting our digital UX design and research expertise to meet the unique requirements and constraints of a physical space. Although the core of our human-centered design process remained the same, thoughtful adaptations were needed to apply our digital design knowledge to the physical world.
//LET'S
CONNECT
Back to top
Tabby safari // product designer // los angeles, ca
Thank you so much for stopping by to learn more about me and my work! Contact me via email or LinkedIn for full-time jobs, freelance projects, or just to say hi :]
safaritabby@gmail.com
LinkedIn
Resume
© 2026 by Tabby Safari