AR Preview App for Community Mural Design

Introduction

The AR Preview App was conceived to answer the question of how to engender community participation in the development of public art. It aimed to increase community engagement in public art decision-making by allowing residents to see potential mural designs live and vote for their top choices, making it more democratic.

Problem Statement

Residents are normally excluded from decisions on public art, leading to a feeling of not being connected to the eventual works. In the case of mural festivals, this disengagement means less excitement and participation from the very community the art is intended for. The challenge was designing a user-friendly tool to enable residents to participate actively in the mural selection process and provide useful community feedback to artists.

Target Audience

Primary Users: The residents of Fayetteville, from diverse demographics: young professionals to retirees.

Secondary Users: Artists submitting mural proposals and using community feedback to perfect their designs.

User Needs

Residents:

A platform for visualizing mural designs in their neighborhoods.

A basic voting system for preference expression.

An accessible and interactive digital resource.

Artists:

Insight into community preferences.

A platform to showcase their work to a broader audience.

Design Goals

Create an intuitive interface for AR visualization of the mural designs on designated walls.

Create a voting system, easy to use, to ensure daily participation.

Make sure it's inclusive, and accessible for users with different levels of tech-literacy.

Design Process

Research Phase: Conducted user interviews with residents of Fayetteville to understand their relationship with public art and digital tools. Analyzing the successful AR applications in retail and gaming to understand how to use augmented reality effectively.Benchmarking community engagement tools, such as public voting systems.

Ideation: Brainstormed features that use AR technology with interactive design. Proposed key features:

Real-time AR visualization of murals on selected walls.

QR code access for ease of use.

Daily voting mechanism to maintain engagement.

Wireframing & Prototyping: Created low-fidelity wireframes for initial feedback.

Developed mid-fidelity prototypes, focusing on:

AR Preview Screen: Basic scale, rotate, and view controls of the murals.

Voting Interface: Clearing options with visual feedback if a vote is chosen.

Artist Profiles: Sections to highlight the work and background of muralists.

Tools used: Figma for prototyping; and Miro for collaborative brainstorming.

Usability Testing: Prototypes were tested with 15 participants, including residents and artists.

Key findings:

Users preferred a minimalistic interface for AR interaction in order not to overwhelm visuals.

The voting mechanism needed a confirmation screen to reduce errors.

Some users required a tutorial function to understand AR navigation.

Key Features

• AR Visualization:

  • Users can scan QR codes placed near proposed mural sites to view designs superimposed on the walls.

  • Controls allow zooming, panning, and rotating the murals.

• Voting System:

  • A daily voting feature allows users to cast a single vote per day.

  • Transparent display of voting progress to encourage continued participation.

• Artist Profiles:

  • Interactive profiles showcasing each artist's portfolio, bio, and design rationale.

• Community Engagement Tools:

  • Share options for social media to promote favorite designs.

  • Feedback section for users to leave suggestions for artists.

The AR Preview App demonstrates how UX/UI design can bridge gaps between public initiatives and community participation, using technology to create meaningful connections. Through careful research, iterative design, and user testing, the app empowered residents to co-create their public art environment, transforming passive observers into active participants.