The Detroit Institute of Arts
🔍 The Problem
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) needed a refreshed digital presence that honored its legacy while creating a more intuitive and visually engaging experience for modern users. Visitors, both first-time and returning struggled with navigation, accessibility, and visual hierarchy across the site and digital interfaces.
The challenge was clear: create a design system that bridges cultural storytelling with clean, user-friendly interaction patterns.
🎯 The Objective
- Improve the user journey across key digital touchpoints (web and mobile)
- Simplify navigation flows without sacrificing richness of content
- Integrate visual storytelling through motion graphics and microinteractions
- Ensure accessibility and responsiveness across all devices
📊 My Role & Approach
I led the usability research and visual design strategy across cross-functional teams. My contributions spanned UI/UX, motion graphics, and overall brand alignment through digital mediums.
Approach:
- Ran usability testing with diverse user groups including students, families, and older adults
- Synthesized insights into actionable design improvements
- Facilitated workshops between stakeholders, developers, and marketing teams
- Directed the implementation of modular design systems and flexible UI components
💡 Key Insights
- Users were unsure how to navigate between exhibits and events; call-to-action placement lacked visibility
- Visual content was often overpowered by dense text or inconsistent layout structure
- Mobile users expressed frustration with accessing event schedules and ticketing flows
- Animations and motion feedback were either lacking or misaligned with brand tone
✏️ Design Execution
- Introduced an updated visual hierarchy using color, scale, and typography that emphasized ease-of-scan while honoring DIA’s artistic aesthetic
- Integrated smooth motion transitions to guide user focus and create delight
- Reorganized menu systems and prioritized content based on user behavior data
- Created reusable UI components that aligned with accessibility best practices
✅ The Results
- 28% increase in mobile engagement time
- 19% reduction in bounce rate across the homepage and exhibit landing pages
- Positive qualitative feedback from users during final usability round: “Beautiful, easier to explore”, “I finally know where to find things.”
- Successful rollout of modular visual system for broader use across marketing and events
These improvements contributed to a stronger, more consistent experience that scaled well across platforms.
🔄 What I Learned
This project deepened my understanding of balancing brand identity with usability. I learned how visual storytelling and microinteractions can elevate content without overshadowing function and how inclusive design practices unlock more meaningful digital experiences.
🙌 Final Takeaway
A strong digital presence should invite curiosity instead of confusion. For DIA, good design wasn’t just about beauty. It was about making art more accessible, discoverable, and delightful to engage with.
