Merging Disciplines and Talents
The Personal Website of a Multidisciplinary Creator: A UX/UI Case Study
Ayami Awazuhara (1985, Nagano, Japan) is an artist, chef and writer relocated in Europe in 2006.
“Ayami Awazuhara’s background and training as a visual artist informs her passion for culinary pursuits.
Her joyful experimentation and fascination with taste, texture, shapes and hues, permeate her culinary and artistic practice.”
The Brief
Categorizing and organizing the diverse body of work and services offered by a multidisciplinary artist and creator can be a intricate and demanding endeavor. Over a two-week period, our team of two UX/UI designers embraced the challenge of developing a comprehensive personal website. The goal was to vividly and efficiently represent our client’s work while also serving as a platform to inform visitors about her practices and upcoming events, all while functioning as an essential contact channel for users.
Introducing Wolke
“When I left Japan, and I was not surrounded by wishper of nature, I was looking at the sky and observing the clouds. I can not exactly reproduce what I had in Japan but this gives me a freedom of change and challenge.”
“Wolke” (the German word for “Cloud”) represents Ayami’s gastronomic venture, where she hosts pop-up events and caterings, often set within artistic environments such as museums, galleries, and special events.
Secondary Research
While investigating Ayami’s online presence, comprising of an outdated website, Wolke’s Instagram account, and a WhatsApp group where she informs about her upcoming gastronomic events, we noticed a certain inconsistency in how Ayami’s versatility was portrayed across these independent channels.
Particularly when she articulated her preference not to be perceived as an artist who happens to know how to cook, or vice versa, but instead, to emphasize that the various facets of her work collectively define her artistic persona as a creator.
In our research, we have also encountered sources that further support the notion of Ayami’s culinary endeavors being an integral part of her artistic practice.
Qualitative Research
Following 3 client interviews and collecting responses from 33 survey participants, we have arrived at the following key insights:
- The website should also serve as a comprehensive portfolio.
- Ayami’s preference to be recognized not just as an artist who can cook, and vice versa, but as a multidisciplinar creator.
- The need to establish “Wolke” as an independent project while integrating it into Ayami’s overall artistic practice.
- The desire of people to stay informed about both upcoming and past events.
- The importance of not being related to the food-art concept.
User Personas
Given the diversity of Ayami’s work and services, we found it appropriate to create multiple user profiles tailored to individuals interested in our client’s primary areas of expertise: Art and Gastronomy.
This approach will offer us a comprehensive understanding of the diverse user base and their unique concerns, supplying valuable insights for the development of website features.
Problem Statements
For each User Persona, we have identified the key challenges faced by individuals within their respective contexts. This overview guides us in determining the issues to address when implementing the appropriate sections and functionalities on the website.
Brand Attributes
Considering Ayami’s personality and the essence of her work, we have defined specific brand attributes that will serve as our guiding principles to capture the desired mood in shaping the UI direction for the website:
- Professional
- Unconventional
- Calm
- Playful
- Ambiguous
- Ephemeral
Moodboard
After establishing our brand attributes, we created a moodboard that visually encapsulates the desired ambiance and aesthetic. This moodboard will serve as a source of inspiration for designing our prototype.
Information Architecture
A particularly demanding and crucial aspect of this project involved determining how to categorize and structure the extensive content and body of work in a cohesive manner, enhancing the navigation and understanding of the diverse array of Ayami’s creations.
Upon receiving all the content Ayami wished to showcase and the corresponding materials, our task was to organize it in a logical manner and craft a functional structure. After evaluating multiple options and engaging in discussions with Ayami, we identified the key sections of the website:
- About
- Wolke Kitchen
- Workshops
- Artwork
- Contact
To ensure a clear and focused introduction to the Wolke project, we decided to create a dedicated category where it can receive the attention it deserves. Additionally, we recognized the necessity of establishing a categorization system to encompass the diversity of Ayami’s artistic practices, activities, and services.
“Wolke does catering and anything related to ingesting food: pop-ups, caterings and cooking lessons.
Ayami is the conceptual side: books, workshops, tastings, art exhibitions.”
After careful deliberation, numerous adjustments, and collaborative discussions with Ayami, we have arrived at the final site structure as depicted in the site map:
Wireframing
Initially, our aim was to explore an alternative web design approach that would harmonize with Ayami’s artistic practice. However, we had to set aside this idea and pivot the interface design towards a more conventional approach due to the project’s time constraints, which did not afford us the opportunity to fully develop a more avant-garde design concept.
Final Prototype
Ultimately, we opted to create the final prototype with a clear and minimalist approach, prioritizing the enhancement of content over the interface. This design showcases all elements and information in an aseptic and efficient manner.
The homepage features a navigation bar and an animation that embodies several of the brand attributes, including Calm, Ambiguous, Playful, and Ephemeral.
The inclusion of Ayami’s name and the word “Wolke” in Japanese serves to unify both facets of her creative work.
The website’s navigation is defined by an independent double-sided scroll, which effectively distinguishes between the subcategories of content within each main section.
Key Learnings
Throughout this process, our team encountered several challenges that have provided valuable insights for optimizing our workflow in future projects:
- Recognizing the importance of considering project time constraints when defining scope and outcomes.
- Emphasizing the prioritization of tasks and adhering to structured project management practices is essential for agile project development.
- Understanding that not every project necessitates following the same process and methodologies; choosing the most suitable approach can save time and yield more efficient results.
What’s next?
Following the presentation and testing of the final prototype with Ayami and users, and after receiving valuable feedback, our commitment lies in implementing all necessary changes. We are also determined to seamlessly integrate any new content provided.
Once Ayami is ready to proceed with the website, we will focus on developing the style guide and preparing the project for handover to web developers, ensuring that her vision for an online personal site becomes a reality.
Team: Edu López de Silanes & Pau Fuertes Vila
Duration: 2 weeks
I appreciate your time in reading the article about Ayami’s new personal website. Your feedback on the project is highly valued, and I encourage you to explore my website to discover more of my work.
