A UX Journey into Nigerian Musical Heritage
The Challenge
MUSON, a cornerstone of Nigeria’s musical landscape since 1983, sought a modern, engaging way to showcase traditional Nigerian musical instruments. My role was to craft an intuitive, user-focused digital interface that not only organized these instruments effectively but also highlighted their rich cultural significance. This project aimed to merge heritage with contemporary design, creating an experience that resonates with audiences and enriches their understanding of Nigeria’s musical traditions.
Solution
The solution was an interactive digital interface designed to showcase a curated collection of traditional Nigerian musical instruments on MUSON’s website. This platform acts as a cultural bridge, bringing Nigeria’s rich musical heritage to life for modern audiences. The interface strikes a careful balance between educational content and user-friendly navigation, allowing both music enthusiasts and casual users to discover and appreciate the instruments with ease.
Research Goals
Curate and archive a comprehensive collection of traditional instruments.
Analyze and classify the instruments, focusing on their attributes, relationships, and interactive user pathways.
Design a streamlined interface that illustrates these classifications and facilitates user navigation.
Research Process
The research process began with an extensive exploration of traditional Nigerian musical instruments, focusing on gathering a diverse range that represented the country’s rich cultural and regional diversity. This involved both primary and secondary research, including consultations with experts in Nigerian music, ethnomusicologists, and historical archives. The goal was to ensure the collection was comprehensive and culturally accurate.
Next, I delved into the classification of these instruments, analyzing their physical characteristics, methods of sound production, and cultural contexts. I compared and contrasted two major classification systems: the ethnographic Hornbostel-Sachs system and the orchestral classification framework, identifying overlaps and distinctions. This step involved mapping out the relationships between the instruments, considering factors like region, tribe, material, and musical function.
Simultaneously, I conducted usability research to understand how different user groups (from casual users to music enthusiasts) might interact with the platform. This included user testing on early design mockups, gathering feedback on navigation preferences, and understanding how users would expect to explore and learn about the instruments.
With this information, I was able to create a streamlined and intuitive interface that addressed both the educational goals of the project and the need for user-friendly navigation. The research process not only informed the design decisions but also helped shape a platform that provides a rich, accessible, and culturally immersive experience for users.
Instrument Classification Approach
To build an effective structure for the interface, I examined two major classification systems:
Orchestral Classifications:
Woodwind: Instruments producing sound by blowing, often involving reeds.
Brasswind: Traditionally brass-made instruments activated by blowing.
Percussion: Instruments that produce sound through impact.
String: Instruments featuring vibrating strings.
Ethnographic Classifications (Hornbostel-Sachs System):
Aerophones: Sound generated by air vibration.
Chordophones: Sound created by vibrating strings.
Electrophones: Instruments producing electronic sound.
Membranophones: Sound made by vibrating a membrane.
Idiophones: Sound created by the instrument’s body vibrating.
I observed parallels between these classification systems. For instance, the Gan Gan (Talking Drum) could be categorized as both a Membranophone (by ethnographic standards) and a Percussion instrument (orchestrally). Recognizing these overlaps was crucial in refining how I would organize and present the instruments on the platform.
Design Insights
Tribal and regional origins are integral to understanding traditional instruments, posing a challenge for clear organization. I chose to categorize instruments based on their geographical roots, using color-coded visual cues to highlight regional diversity and heritage.
Site Map
The Solution
The final design was an accessible, interactive digital interface for MUSON's website, showcasing an organized, color-coded collection of traditional Nigerian musical instruments. This interface bridges the rich history of Nigerian music with contemporary digital presentation, making cultural knowledge more engaging and accessible.
User Testing
Users revealed that the placement of the map was too much of a focal point which distracted from the rest of the information displayed on the website, they also revealed that the text on the image gallery was a bit difficult to read due to size and color.
Website Demo
