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Free Artists

Web3 platform dedicated to crowdfunding musicians

Two High-Fidelity mockup previews of Free Artists, the web platform, as viewed on an iMac desktop, comparing a Project Pool page before and after it has been fully funded.

Context

For this project, I worked with Free Artists, a startup, as they began a second iteration of their Web3 platform. In lieu of record labels, Free Artists brings creators and consumers together with full autonomy. Musicians pitch projects and raise funds from Backers who support their creation and profit from its production.

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For their second iteration, the FA team aimed to:

  • highlight the goals of their two users, Artists and Backers

  • be perceived as universal, rather than a platform catered to users with a finance background

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​In this second iteration, I created a new sitemap and redesigned Free Artists’ layout accordingly. I focused on where Artists and Backers meet, designing the critical screen wherein Backers read about the state of the Artists project.

Timeline

8 Weeks

My Role

1 of 3 UX Designers • Review Figma Design Library • Ideation

Tools

Figma

SOLUTION

Distinguishing the Pool, the Artist, and the Project.

Open vs. Closed Pool

  • Check if the pool is closed or open

  • Visualize the project's state and progress

  • Check the funding and the earnings

Learn about the Artist

  • Read about the Artist background

  • Read the project's backstory 

  • Flip through pictures of the Artist at work

Understand the project

  • Learn more about the terms

  • Download important documents

  • ​See how funds will breakdown

Mockup of Free Artist's project page that features the artist, their project proposal, and the projects current funding status.

DEFINING THE TWO USERS

Artists and Backers Overlap on the Project Page.

Artists, Backers, & Pools

To begin, I reviewed Free Artists’ two users: Artists and Backers. As a funding platform, it was essential to understand who they are as individuals and how they overlap within Free Artists.

Diagram of Free Artist's two users: Backers, who propose projects and open a funding contract to raise capital, and Backers, who contribute to their funding and receive a percentage of the artist's earnings based on their contract.

After my team and I divided the workload, I focused on Backers and one of their most important goals: tracking the projects they have funded. This includes:

  • accessing the pool page to view details of the project

  • viewing the total amount they contributed and their total earnings received so far

REVIEWING PREVIOUS ITERATIONS

Refining UX Text to solidify Free Artists as inclusive and community driven.

Sketching & Wireframing

I reviewed the first iteration project pages and noticed details spanned across several screens. As I began sketching, I gathered the overlapping elements —including the artist’s biography, project details, funding, and current fans. I also re-examined the UX Text and how it can be used to further convey Free Artists as inclusive and community driven.

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After I discussed my suggestions for a stronger representation of the Free Artists mission and second iteration objectives:

  • The Pool Page transitioned into the active voice

  • "Your Investment" became "You’ve Contributed”

  • "Supporters/Investors" became “Backers”​

Iteration of the UX Text featured on a Artist's project page.

UI DESIGN

Proposing & Implementing changes to demonstrate visual hierarchy.

While designing in high-fidelity, I proposed a transition from the first iteration's side navigation to a top navigation; by shifting to a lateral movement, the three main sections of Free Artists can demonstrate the platform’s visual hierarchy.

 

In addition, I:

  • incorporated the Free Artists color palette​​

  • considered web dimensions and the hierarchy of the pool details to ensure the most essential information could be found first

FINALIZING SECOND ITERATION

Expanding the backstory and adding photographs humanize the artist & the project.

To provide a more cohesive Bio, I rewrote the details of the project and the artist. I included a new backstory to the Techno Collab project and a separate profile for Joe Smith, the Artist. I added specific project and artist photos to personalize the Pool Page, reinforcing Free Artist as an open and social community platform.

The "About" section on an artist's project page, detailing information About the project inspiration, and motivations, and About the Artist's background and aspirations.
Series of photograph thumbnails that capture the Artist, their band, and rehearsing.

TAKEAWAYS & LOOKING FORWARD

Discussing next steps with team: testing a project page before and after it's fully funded to validate design elements.

My work with Free Artists on their second iteration centered on how to communicate their core mission as a platform where musicians pitch projects and raise funds from Backers who support their creation and profit from its production. 

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As I reviewed their designs and met with the Free Artist's team, I grew to understand how refining a project page was the best way to demonstrate to its users how Free Artists works on a personal and community-based level: Backers review their contributions and earnings to a project and learn more about an Artist’s story.

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​​After presenting my final designs, including the major changes to the UX text, switching from a vertical to a horizontal navigation, and the addition of information detailing the project and the artist, I discussed next steps. Once a pool is closed  —a project fully funded—the project page would include more elaborate data for the Backers to review. Therefore, a scroll to top button would allow Backers to jump back after scrolling and reading details. I shared how conducting user testing of an Open Pool page with a raise nearly complete would help to determine the button’s value at this time.

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