Interactive Design-Task 1: The Digital Business Concept
May 10, 2026
20/4/2026 - 5/5/2026 (Week 1-Week 3)
Zhao Jie,0387076
Interactive Design / GCD 60904
Assignment 1 : The digital business concept
I. Lecture
2. Instructions
3. Process Work
1.VGen
Disadvantages:
Our advantages:
2.Skeb
Disadvantages:
Our advantages:
3.CREPE
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Our advantages:
4.Summary
Existing platforms mainly focus on digital commissions.
Our platform introduces physical art trading, expands the scope of art transactions, and builds a more complete art ecosystem.
The digital business concept：
Our website also includes a chat system for buyers and sellers.This feature allows users to communicate more easily during the commission process.
For example, buyers can discuss their ideas, references, deadlines, and art style preferences directly with the artist.At the same time, artists can update the buyer about the progress of the artwork or ask questions if needed.
This helps reduce misunderstandings and makes the transaction process smoother and more reliable.
It also creates a better user experience and helps build trust between both sides.
This page shows the order summary, users can clearly see the product price, order details, and the total payment amount.
In addition, our platform charges a small platform fee.After discussion, we decided to set the fee at 5 percent.This fee helps support website maintenance, secure transactions, and customer service.
After checking that all the information is correct, users can proceed to payment.
5.Feedback
Week 1 :
This week, we briefly presented our idea to Ms. Mia during class. She believed that it was a valuable concept with strong potential for further development, and she gave us positive feedback. Since our website involves multiple sections and user interactions, she also reminded us to clearly distinguish different user behaviors when designing the user flowcharts.
Week 2 :
This week, we completed user flowchart and website sitemap, and also began preparing for our presentation. Ms. Mia pointed out several areas in our user flowchart where the logic was unclear and asked us to revise them.
Week 3 :
6.Reflection
Experience :
Observations :
During the development process, I observed that user logic and workflow clarity are equally important. Even if a UI design looks attractive, the experience can still become confusing if the user flow is unclear.
20/4/2026 - 5/5/2026 (Week 1-Week 3)
Zhao Jie,0387076
Interactive Design / GCD 60904
Assignment 1 : The digital business concept
Table of Content :
I. Lecture
2. Instructions
3. Process Work
4. Final Outcome
5. Feedback
6. Reflection
1.Lecture
After Ms. Mia’s explanation, we understood that this course mainly focuses on interactive website design, and throughout the semester we will gradually complete a full website project step by step. At the beginning of the course, we need to work in groups to come up with a small business idea and think about the website’s goal, target audience, and main function. We also need to analyze competitor websites, create a sitemap, user flow, and mood board to decide the website’s visual style and branding direction.
In the second stage, we start building the actual website and learn how to use tools like Bootstrap and jQuery while also improving layout design, interaction effects, responsive design, typography readability, and overall UI experience.
The third stage focuses on user testing, where we collect feedback through observation, surveys, and peer reviews, then analyze problems and continue improving the design. Finally, the Final Project requires us to fully complete and polish the website while submitting the final website, demo video, and e-portfolio. Overall, this course is not only about website creation, but also about learning how to develop a business idea into a real website for users, while practicing teamwork, visual design, interaction design, and user experience analysis.
Assignment Brief
Module Information
Assignment 1 : The digital business concept
Our website is called “Artpicks.” It is a platform that connects artists and buyers in one place.On this platform, buyers can explore a wide range of original artworks and post requests for custom work. Artists can show their portfolios and accept commissions.
We provide a clear and standard process for transactions, with secure payment holding and copyright protection. Our goal is to create a safe and efficient space where artists and buyers can connect directly, without middlemen.
Compared with traditional commission platforms (such as vgen, skeb, and crepe), our key difference is that we go beyond “pure digital art” by combining digital and traditional art.
Comparison with the three websites：
5. Feedback
6. Reflection
1.Lecture
After Ms. Mia’s explanation, we understood that this course mainly focuses on interactive website design, and throughout the semester we will gradually complete a full website project step by step. At the beginning of the course, we need to work in groups to come up with a small business idea and think about the website’s goal, target audience, and main function. We also need to analyze competitor websites, create a sitemap, user flow, and mood board to decide the website’s visual style and branding direction.
In the second stage, we start building the actual website and learn how to use tools like Bootstrap and jQuery while also improving layout design, interaction effects, responsive design, typography readability, and overall UI experience.
The third stage focuses on user testing, where we collect feedback through observation, surveys, and peer reviews, then analyze problems and continue improving the design. Finally, the Final Project requires us to fully complete and polish the website while submitting the final website, demo video, and e-portfolio. Overall, this course is not only about website creation, but also about learning how to develop a business idea into a real website for users, while practicing teamwork, visual design, interaction design, and user experience analysis.
2. Instructions
3. Process Work
Assignment 1 : The digital business concept
We provide a clear and standard process for transactions, with secure payment holding and copyright protection. Our goal is to create a safe and efficient space where artists and buyers can connect directly, without middlemen.
Compared with traditional commission platforms (such as vgen, skeb, and crepe), our key difference is that we go beyond “pure digital art” by combining digital and traditional art.
Comparison with the three websites：
1.VGen
- Clean interface and strong artwork display.
- The commission process is well-structured.
- It supports reviews and feedback.
- It is friendly for international users.
- It has some community features.
Disadvantages:
- It still focuses mainly on digital art.
- The styles are quite similar.
- There is strong competition among artists.
- It does not include physical art.
Our advantages:
- We expand from digital illustration to physical art (oil painting, sculpture, ceramics).
- We go beyond the ACG community and include more art types.
- We are not only a commission platform, but also an art marketplace.
2.Skeb
- The process is very simple and efficient.
- It supports different types of work, but mainly digital.
- It has a large user base and a mature ecosystem.
Disadvantages:
- There is almost no communication or revision system.
- The final result is not controllable.
- It mainly focuses on digital content.
- The functions are limited.
Our advantages:
- Supports communication and revisions, making the result more controllable.
- Provides both digital and physical art (such as oil painting, sculpture, and ceramics).
3.CREPE
Advantages:
- The process is complete and secure.
- It supports different types of creative work.
- It has a payment holding system.
- It protects user anonymity well.
Disadvantages:
- It is more like a service platform.
- The art style is quite general.
- Physical art exists but is not a core feature.
- The user experience feels more like a tool, with less artistic atmosphere.
Our advantages:
- We focus more on art culture (especially combining anime style and handmade art).
- Physical art is a core part of our platform, not just an extra feature.
- We are more like a “community + marketplace” instead of just a tool.
4.Summary
Existing platforms mainly focus on digital commissions.
Our platform introduces physical art trading, expands the scope of art transactions, and builds a more complete art ecosystem.
The digital business concept：
Our website concept focuses on connecting users with different types of artists and creative services. We first created a mood board to decide the overall color palette and visual direction of the website, then developed several sketches before finalizing the final UI design. The website was designed with five main sections to help users easily explore artists, discover artworks, and communicate with creators.
This is our website sitemap. Users can access five main sections: Artists, Projects, Today’s Picks, Support, and My Account.
The Artists section allows users to browse and explore artists, filter them by style, price, or rating, and view detailed profiles.
The Projects section is where users can post their own requests or browse existing ones, and artists can reach out for commissions. Today’s Picks highlights curated artists and artworks to help users discover high-quality content more easily.Support provides assistance such as FAQs, contacting the support team, and handling issues like refunds or disputes. My Account allows users to manage their personal information, track orders, and save their favorite artists or artworks.
Together, these sections create a complete user journey.
This is our core user flow. After entering the platform, users first browse content such as Artists, Projects, and Today’s Picks.
During this stage, users make an important decision based on their needs — choosing the type of order. They can either select In Stock for ready-made artworks, or Custom Order for personalized creations. This decision acts as the key branching point of the entire flow.
The following shows more detailed breakdown of the two flows.
In the In Stock flow, users can directly select an artwork, place an order, and complete the payment. The artist will then ship the physical artwork or deliver a digital file. After receiving the artwork, users can confirm the order, or contact the support team if any issues occur. This flow is simple and efficient, making it suitable for quick transactions.
In the Custom Order flow, the process is more interactive. Users first communicate with the artist about requirements such as style, size, price, and timeline. If needed, they can choose another artist.
Once both sides agree, the user makes a payment, which is securely held by the platform. The artist then starts the creation process and uploads progress in stages, such as sketch, mid-progress, and final artwork.
Users can review each stage and request changes, with up to three revisions allowed per stage. When the final artwork is approved, the artist receives full payment.
If any disputes occur, the support team will step in to evaluate the situation and ensure a fair outcome.
Below the homepage, we featured selected artworks created by my teammates and me to showcase the platform’s creative atmosphere. We also highlighted several important functions of the website. Users can explore both traditional art and digital art, discover talented artists, and even post their own project requests so artists can directly contact them. To make the platform more engaging, we added a “Today’s Pick” section where users can explore trending and newly joined artists.
In the artists section, users can filter artists using categories such as style, price, rating, availability, and popularity. Different artists specialize in different creative fields, including illustration, cover design, badge design, ceramics, and doll art. This allows users to quickly find artists that match their project needs and preferences.
We also designed a custom order feature where users can post their project requirements, including budget and timeline, to help artists better understand the project expectations.
We also designed a custom order feature where users can post their project requirements, including budget and timeline, to help artists better understand the project expectations.
In addition, the platform includes three recommendation modules: “What’s Hot on ArtPicks Right Now,” “Platform Picks,” and “New Artists.” These sections help users discover trending creators, platform-recommended artists, and newcomers to the community.
This is the Artist Profile page.Users can view the artist’s basic information, portfolio, reviews, and commission details here.
The left side of the page showcases selected artworks and the artist’s portfolio, allowing users to quickly understand the artist’s style and creative ability.
The right side displays commission information, including price range, estimated delivery time, and customer reviews.
Users can also directly contact the artist through the “Contact Artist” button or follow their favorite creators using the Follow feature.
For example, buyers can discuss their ideas, references, deadlines, and art style preferences directly with the artist.At the same time, artists can update the buyer about the progress of the artwork or ask questions if needed.
This helps reduce misunderstandings and makes the transaction process smoother and more reliable.
It also creates a better user experience and helps build trust between both sides.
In addition, our platform charges a small platform fee.After discussion, we decided to set the fee at 5 percent.This fee helps support website maintenance, secure transactions, and customer service.
After checking that all the information is correct, users can proceed to payment.
This is our payment page. We provide multiple payment options such as credit card, DuitNow, and Apple Pay.
On the right side, there is an order summary that clearly shows the price, platform fee, and total amount. Users can also cancel the order or go back, which provides flexibility and control during the payment process.
This is the payment success page. After completing the payment, users will receive a confirmation email.
The system also guides users to the next steps, such as returning to chat, viewing order details, or tracking order progress. This helps improve clarity and enhances user trust.
After the payment is completed, the artist begins the creation process.
On this page, the artist uploads progress in stages based on the agreed timeline. Users can clearly track the development of the artwork and provide feedback at each stage.
If the user is satisfied with the current stage, they can click Approved to confirm it, allowing the artist to proceed to the next stage. This design ensures that the process is transparent and controlled.
When the final artwork is uploaded and approved, the creation process is completed.
For digital artworks, users can download the file directly on this page. For physical artworks, users can track the shipping status. Once the artwork is downloaded or delivery is confirmed, the order status becomes Completed.
Both the user and the artist can leave reviews for each other. This page marks the end of the entire order process.
To improve user experience, we added both customer service support and self-service help features for users who may have questions while using the platform.
We also designed a personal account page where users can manage their information, track project progress, receive notifications when artists upload new work, and view new messages from artists through a notification system.
4. Final Outcome
ArtPicks Business Concept Documentation:
ArtPicks Presentation Slide:
Week 1 :
This week, we briefly presented our idea to Ms. Mia during class. She believed that it was a valuable concept with strong potential for further development, and she gave us positive feedback. Since our website involves multiple sections and user interactions, she also reminded us to clearly distinguish different user behaviors when designing the user flowcharts.
Week 2 :
This week, we completed user flowchart and website sitemap, and also began preparing for our presentation. Ms. Mia pointed out several areas in our user flowchart where the logic was unclear and asked us to revise them.
Week 3 :
This week, we completed the presentation slides and wrote the presentation script. My group members and I also met offline to rehearse our presentation, making sure that we could present all of our content within 15 minutes.
After our presentation, Ms. Mia gave us several suggestions for improving the slides. For example, when breaking down and explaining the user flowchart in detail, we should highlight the specific section being discussed in the overall flowchart so that the audience can clearly understand which part will be explained on the following slide.
6.Reflection
Experience :
In this project, my group and I created ArtPicks, an online art marketplace and commission platform. We worked on the business idea, user flowcharts, UI design, presentation slides, and scripts.
One of the main parts of the project was designing the user workflow, especially for the Custom Order process. Since the platform includes communication, payments, progress tracking, and revision systems, the workflow became more complex than we expected.
We also worked closely as a team by discussing ideas online and offline. Before the final presentation, we rehearsed together to make sure we could finish our presentation clearly within the time limit.
Observations :
During the development process, I observed that user logic and workflow clarity are equally important. Even if a UI design looks attractive, the experience can still become confusing if the user flow is unclear.
In addition, I noticed that balancing functionality and visual consistency was sometimes challenging. Since our platform contains many different pages and systems, maintaining a unified visual style across all interfaces required careful consideration of layout, colors, spacing, and hierarchy.
Findings :
Findings :
From this project, I learned that a platform should not only look attractive, but also solve user problems in a clear and simple way.I also learned the importance of organizing information clearly. At first, some of our content was repetitive and unclear, but after revisions and feedback, we improved the structure and made the content more organized.
Most importantly, I learned to think more from the user’s perspective by asking:What problems might users face?How can the process become clearer?Overall, this project improved my understanding of UI/UX design, teamwork, and user-centered thinking.
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