Theyyam
Project Overview
Ipsum, dedicated to preserving and promoting cultural heritage, partnered with me to document the vibrant and sacred art of Theyyam, a traditional ritual dance from Kerala, India. The project focused on capturing the vivid colors, intricate costumes, and powerful emotions of this ancient art form, with the aim of bringing its cultural significance to a global audience.
About my Role
Priyanka’s ability to capture the essence of our event was truly impressive. The photos are vibrant and full of life, exactly what we wanted
Anjali Verma
CEO, IPSUM
The Problem
Limited user customization! An accessibility-first product should be adaptable and customizable in all aspects. The user must be put first.
The Problem(s)
Though TACO Desk was intended to be an easy point of access, the original website wasn’t serving its audience.
Users ran into several obstacles:
Unclear direction: Visitors weren’t sure what to do or click after landing, causing high drop-off and low interaction with the question submission flow.
Disjointed branding: The site was a default Zendesk template, making it feel disconnected from a University of Texas entity, TACO’s identity.
Lack of clarity: Many users left asking, “What is this site even for?”. Users didn’t want to submit questions because they didn’t know what kind of questions to ask. Those who did submit often asked about how to apply to UT’s engineering school. Although we are always welcoming of new and prospective longhorns 🤘 this isn’t meant to be an application help hub.
Intimidating topic: The word “nuclear” created a barrier. The general public knows little about the topic outside of Chernobyl and the Simpsons. The content felt too complex and unapproachable.
These issues limited the site’s ability to inform and engage its audience.
HOW MIGHT WE BALANCE ACCESSIBILITY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND CHARM?
The Process
I started by sketching potential layouts based on three key fields: notebook, lecture, and chatbot.
User research
Adds visual interest while quickly establishing the kind of questions that the user may ask
Result
3 key layouts allowing for user modification within