A mobile app to engage young adults with public art in The Hague

Designing a new mobile app from scratch to help The Hague Municipality with encouraging young adults to engage with public art

Role (Team of 5)

UX Designer

Employer

The Hague Municipality

Platform

Mobile-App

Duration

3 Months

There are over 600 works of art in The Hague, displayed throughout its streets, squares, and parks- ranging from statues and sculptures to memorials - collectively known as outdoor art

The purpose of public art in The Hague is to bring color to the city, invite residents to reflect on meaningful events from the past, and share unique stories that spark the imagination and strengthen the connection between people and their surroundings

Handful of outdoor art in The Hague - This is the official website of outdoor art in The Hague showcasing over 600 artworks

Unfortunately, public art oftenly goes unnoticed by young adults

Public art is meant to bring color to the city, reflect on history, and create a sense of connection among people. However, much of his art goes unnoticed, leaving it feeling empty and disconnected. There is an opportunity for young adults to re-engage with whese works and bring meaning to them.

Art In The Hague City Centre

Artwork in the "Grote Marktstraat" one of the most relevant shopping streets in The Hague

Art In The Hague City Centre

Artwork near the central library and town hall in The Hague

From 25 Concepts to 3 Concepts

We created 25 individual concepts (5 per person), allowing us to first diverge independently. We then converged around overlapping themes to develop 3 shared inspirational concepts and feedback led us to the final concept.

Concept poster 1
Concept poster 1
Concept Poster 3
Concept Poster 3
Concept Poster 2
Concept Poster 2

LoreWalker

A gamified app for young adults to explore public art through puzzles and reflection

Promo video for LoreWalker, during an Expo for students

Gamified exploration and interaction 

Public art often lacks context, making it hard to connect with. Its static nature feels less engaging to a generation used to interactive experiences. Combined with an outdated image and the tendency to blend into the background, it's easily overlooked by young adults

Social reflection, community engagement and multiplayer

Young adults often overlook public art and historic sites because they feel distant, passive and lacking personal relevance. Without engaging stories or interactive elements, they're easy to ignore in a fast-paced world. These topics also don't come up in conversations

Rewards features + Customization

An incentitive to increase the retention of young adults with the app, by offering them rewards that they can use in real life.

Accessibility features

An accessible user experience has a higher number of potential users. We want to include everyone to use the app

Final Feedback

The Product Owner at the Municipality of The Hague confirmed interest in further development of the app, validating that the solution met the project’s goals.

Key Learnings

User Story Definition

Early sprints suffered from overly broad user stories, slowing execution. Refining these into clear, actionable tasks significantly improved focus and delivery.

Time & Effort Estimation

Core tasks such as building the design system and integrating features were initially underestimated. This highlighted the need for more realistic scoping and buffer planning in sprint cycles.

Sustaining Momentum

Maintaining motivation became challenging toward the end of the project due to its duration and external pressures. Clear milestones and prioritization proved essential to keep progress moving.

Design & Technical Constraints

Some tools, including ProtoPie, did not scale with the project’s scope, requiring mid-course adjustments. User testing also surfaced areas for redesign, reinforcing the importance of iterative validation.

UX Designer focused on usable, feasible products

Designing with implementation in mind.

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