Challenge

How might we help artists and creators barter and trade resources with one another?

Artists often struggle to earn viable and sustainable livings and as a result engage in trade with one another. We were inspired to think about alternative economies for artists, specifically bartering economies. Could facilitating opportunities for trade increase sustainability for working artists? We set out to explore new models for trading between creatives.

Role Research, UX/UI, Prototyping
ToolsFigma, Cargo
Duration6 Weeks



Solution

A membership-based platform that connects artists and creators with relevant skills and needs to barter and trade resources.






Research

We interviewed creators between 25 and 40 y.o. across a range of artistic disciplines, experience levels and cultural identities.



User 1“The ability to trade allows me to own artwork, which is something I care about as an artist.”
User 2 “When I think about how hard it is to get by as an artist in  New York City, one of the first things that comes to mind  is housing or studio space.”

User 3 “I’m looking for collaborators or people that I can bring onto projects because a lot of my work is very cross-disciplinary.”



Insights and User Personas

Labor, information, advice, space, collaborators, and materials were the frequently traded and urgent needs expressed by artists. 

The problem shared between users was eonomic scarcity, and their shared values were care, trust and community. Trading is considered intimate, potentially too intimate to be created artificially. We created 3 personas based on the scenarios shared in the research: trading artwork, trading resources, and trading skills.






Abi, Ceramics, 29Philadelphia

“It’s hard for us to aquire each other’s work even if we look up to one another.”



Mandela, Carpentry, 31
Chicago

“We’re in a scarcity for certain things.”



Jules, Media, 34
Berlin

“The most valuable thing you can trade as a creative is your time and knowledge.”



Defining the Problem

How might we help artists and creators to initiate and facilitate trade? To build trust and authentic connections?



User 1“Sometimes in the current model we’re seen as in competition with each other. What could be a model where we’re not in competition with one another, but in community with each other?”
User 2 “We’re kind of headed into a world where bartering might be more applicable. I think the flexibility will come when the time is called for, and the time is coming. It might be here.”
 User 3 “Somehow answering that question of how to build trust leads to the possibility of the moneyless marketplace.”


Concepts and Initial Testing

We mapped flows for a digital network that connects artists and creators with relevant skills and needs to barter and trade resources.




Concepts and Initial Testing

We designed and tested mid-fidelity wireframes for onboarding, creating a profile, browsing profiles, and initiating trade .


Shortly after, we pivoted to users being able to create specific, targeted classified ads—we didn’t want to enable doom scrolling and thought it more effective to lead with the need than the offer. 

Create a classified Flow




Insights and Iterations

Users desired more content, including an exhaustive list of disciplines, prompts for long-form text inputs, and for the application process to be clarified upfront.


In general, they desired more specific language across the application. Users preferred the system to “match” them with opportunities, so we eliminated the matchmaking feature, for now. In the following iteration the priorities were language specificity, experimenting with branding, and making sure users could capture what they do and what they need easily and accurately.


Onboarding Flow


Create a Classified Flow





Additional Testing and Final Iterations

Based on feedback, we adjusted the color palette and gradient for legibility. We added an edit mode to the last page of each flow, and the alternate option to easily navigate backward. 



Onboarding Flow



Create a Classified Flow



Final Prototype and Next Steps






Final Insights
Users proposed the idea of including a budget option, but felt it could compromise the platform or change intentions. However, they said it could be useful to have a “slightly more community-oriented way of passing around money.” In a future enhancement we would like to do A/B testing with an “I have a budget” option included

Next Steps
We are planning physical, real-world, low-fidelity bartering and trading events.