Role
Product designer
Timeframe
January - June 2023
Team
2 Developers
Platform
Responsive web
Introduction
Over a period of four months, I designed and launched a digital showcase platform for Langara College’s Fine Arts graduates. The platform elevated student visibility, streamlined faculty evaluation, and established a scalable system for future online exhibitions.
Problem
The Fine Arts department began creating graduation websites in 2020 after pandemic-related cancellations of physical exhibitions. Even after in-person showcases returned, the digital platform remained essential for extending visibility and accessibility.
The 2023 redesign focused on elevating the experience for students, families, judges, and prospective applicants, creating a curated gallery that celebrates student work while aligning with modern UX expectations.
Research & discovery
I conducted interviews with three primary user groups to identify what mattered most when engaging with the showcase.
Students
Professional presentation: Wanted high-resolution imagery, consistent layouts, and space for bios and artist statements.
Ease of navigation: Needed an intuitive structure to quickly upload and showcase their work.
Visibility: Wanted their portfolios to be easily shareable with employers, peers, and the creative community.
Faculty & Judges
Focus on artwork: Required layouts that emphasized student work while maintaining a professional tone.
Clarity & accessibility: Needed easy navigation for reviewing submissions and assessing projects across categories.
Efficiency: Sought a platform that simplified evaluation and reduced time spent sorting through submissions.
Friends & Family
Aesthetic experience: Valued simple, visual browsing that made the gallery feel celebratory and engaging.
Ease of access: Wanted quick load times and a mobile-friendly viewing experience
Design exploartion
Using insights from interviews, I mapped the complete flow in FigJam
Userflow
After defining the information architecture, I created low-fidelity wireframes to explore different layout possibilities and content hierarchies. These early sketches focused on showcasing student artwork prominently while maintaining clear navigation for multiple audiences.
Low fidelity
As the direction solidified, I transitioned into mid-fidelity wireframes to refine interaction patterns, accessibility, and visual balance establishing the foundation for a polished, cohesive experience.
Wireframes
usability testing
I conducted usability testing sessions with students and faculty to evaluate the mid-fidelity wireframes.
Mid-fidelity prototype
Results:
Users completed all tasks smoothly
Feedback confirmed that the experience was intuitive and enjoyable
No major issues were raised pre-launch
moodboard
I conducted usability testing sessions with students and faculty to evaluate the mid-fidelity wireframes.
moodboard
Final design
I explored multiple layout approaches for navigation, artist detail pages, and gallery flows
Design exploration
These explorations led to a responsive, modular design that gave visual prominence to student work while remaining intuitive across audiences.
Final design
Impact
The digital showcase became a resource for prospective students exploring the program
Faculty praised the professional feel and easy access
The 2023 design has been reused for the 2024 and 2025 graduation showcases, becoming the foundation for Langara’s ongoing digital exhibition format
Reflections
For many students, this was their only showcase. The tone and flow had to celebrate their work while being technically robust.
Clear sprint planning and visual documentation kept the cross-functional team aligned and on track.