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SmartStamp

SmartStamp is a mobile app for authenticating artworks and managing archives.

We explored two uses: official document validation for institutions, and proof of authenticity and provenance for artworks.

The SmartStamp app on a phone, on the screen Create Fingerprints.
Project Type
Product StrategyUX & UI DesignSystem ArchitectureDashboard DesignGraphic Design
Skills
User ResearchInformation ArchitectureInteraction DesignSecurity-Oriented UXPrototypingCompliance-Focused Design
My Role
UI & UX DesignProduct StrategySystem ArchitecturePrototypingGraphic Design
Platform
Mobile app

Short read

My Role

I did the UX and UI, and the graphic design, which includes the illustrations.

Target audience

SmartStamp is designed for institutions and organizations that rely on official document validation processes.

Illustration: A young man with a backpack holding up three paint brushes.
Illustration, Art Intro

Art Intro

Start valuing your art.

Illustration: A woman with a bun and glasses sitting at an easel, painting, a palette in her other hand.
Illustration, Art Lover

Art Lover

Collect and care about art.

Illustration: A man with glasses in a copper jacket walking past a framed picture and pointing at it, an empty frame under his arm.
Illustration, Art Pro

Art Pro

For galleries, curators, and active collectors

Illustration: A woman in a copper blazer leaning with crossed arms beside a framed abstract picture.
Illustration, Art Enterprise

Enterprise

Scalable authentication infrastructure

Main Challenge

The core challenge was transforming a traditionally analog approval process into a secure, traceable digital ecosystem without overcomplicating the user experience.

Illustration: A man with a palette signing a painting that stands on an easel.
Illustration, Signature
Illustration: A man holding a tablet up to a framed picture on the wall.
Illustration, Take Picture
Understanding User Needs

Any digital system must reinforce, not replace, traditional validation rituals.

Our Solution

SmartStamp introduces a secure hybrid system that connects physical stamps with a centralized digital verification platform. Each stamp is assigned a unique digital identity and linked to real-time tracking, authentication logs, and cloud-based records.

A page titled Artwork Certificate under the smartstamp logo: a cream picture area crossed by two diagonal lines, fields for Artist, Title, Date, User Object ID, No. of Fingerprints and Medium filled with sample text, two lines on how the document can be verified, and two black squares in place of codes, labelled Scan to view blockchain event log and Scan to import object into smartstamp app.
Certificate, draft with sample values

Digital artwork passport

SmartStamp is a mobile app for authenticating artworks and managing archives. It issues digital certificates of authenticity permanently bound to artworks via biometric surface scan.

Uses non-invasive fingerprinting technology to capture unique surface details, making the artwork verifiable, similar to Face ID for artworks, and registers it on the blockchain for secure future verification.

One pager on a cream ground with the smartstamp logo, two copper phones, four round icons for Scanning, Surface Analysis, Registration and Verification, the heading What you can do with four points and four copper plan cards.
One pager, General, 2025

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What you can do

Prove Authenticity

by scanning the artwork’s surface to verify its authenticity without any invasive intervention.

Illustration: A man with glasses holding a phone with a code on its screen in one hand and a framed picture in the other, a second picture behind him.
Illustration, Scan Artwork

Track Provenance

by using a digital passport that records ownership changes, ensuring a tamper-proof history.

Illustration: A man and a woman passing a framed picture from one to the other.
Illustration, Together Handover

Manage Collections

by organizing and accessing your artworks through a seamless, integrated mobile app.

Illustration: A woman with curly hair sitting on a stool and drawing on a pad, three framed pictures beside her.
Illustration, Collection Art

Future-proof Collections

by creating a digital record that validates your collection as reliable assets for management, transactions, and long-term preservation.

Illustration: A woman cheering with one arm raised, holding a phone that shows a link sign.
Illustration, Celebrate

Authenticate, archive and nurture your art collection.

The full process

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SmartStamp is a mobile app for authenticating artworks and managing archives. We explored two uses: official document validation for institutions, and proof of authenticity and provenance for artworks. SmartStamp is a secure, technology-enabled stamping system designed to modernize traditional document validation processes. By integrating physical stamps with digital authentication, tracking, and cloud-based verification, the platform transforms static approval workflows into traceable, auditable systems. SmartStamp strengthens security, increases transparency, and reduces fraud by linking every physical stamp action to a verified digital record in real time.

Project Type
Product StrategyUX & UI DesignSystem ArchitectureDashboard Design
Skills
User ResearchInformation ArchitectureInteraction DesignSecurity-Oriented UXPrototypingCompliance-Focused Design
Client
SmartStamp AG

My Role

  • UI & UX Design
  • Product Strategy
  • System Architecture
  • Prototyping

For SmartStamp, I led the UX and product development of a secure, technology-enabled stamping system that bridges physical validation with digital verification. I designed the interaction architecture for the admin dashboard, structured authentication workflows, and developed a scalable interface system for monitoring and compliance.

My focus was creating a secure, intuitive experience that simplifies complex tracking processes while maintaining clarity, reliability, and trust across institutional environments.

I did not do the brand design. There was a brand designer, and we chose the brand together: I gave my opinion and feedback. I worked on the product and the brand with the brand designer.

Main Challenge

The core challenge was transforming a traditionally analog approval process into a secure, traceable digital ecosystem without overcomplicating the user experience.

The system needed to integrate physical stamps with digital identity, real-time logging, and verification workflows, all while remaining simple for daily operational use. Balancing security requirements, compliance standards, and usability was essential. The interface had to communicate trust, control, and transparency while supporting administrators in monitoring stamp usage across multiple users and locations.

Target audience

SmartStamp is designed for institutions and organizations that rely on official document validation processes. Primary users include government offices, legal and notary services, financial institutions, and corporate compliance teams.

Secondary stakeholders include administrators and auditors responsible for oversight, traceability, and regulatory adherence. The platform supports organizations seeking stronger fraud prevention, operational accountability, and digital transformation of approval workflows.

Our Solution

SmartStamp introduces a secure hybrid system that connects physical stamps with a centralized digital verification platform. Each stamp is assigned a unique digital identity and linked to real-time tracking, authentication logs, and cloud-based records.

Through QR or NFC integration, documents can be instantly verified, while administrators monitor usage through a structured dashboard. By combining physical validation with digital traceability, SmartStamp increases document security, reduces forgery risks, and enables transparent, audit-ready workflows.

Our research for SmartStamp focused on understanding how authenticity, provenance, and trust are managed within contemporary art transactions. We explored how physical validation methods intersect with digital documentation, and how artists, galleries, collectors, and sellers experience friction in verifying originality and ownership.

The goal was to design a system that strengthens trust without disrupting existing creative and commercial workflows.

Market and Ecosystem Analysis

We analyzed the contemporary art ecosystem, identifying key pain points in authentication, resale verification, and documentation management.

The art market still relies heavily on physical certificates, manual signatures, and fragmented digital records. Fraud, forgery, and unclear provenance remain significant risks, especially in secondary sales and private transactions.

This analysis revealed an opportunity: a hybrid system that combines physical stamping with secure digital tracking could enhance credibility while preserving traditional validation practices.

Pitch deck slide on black with the title The Problem: Art and collectibles are at risk. Three red line icons, a prohibition sign, a dollar sign inside two arrows and a bomb, each above one sentence: no standards for tracking authenticity, provenance or condition, 70 million transfers each year are fragmented, manual and unreliable, and conflicts and global tensions are increasing risks to cultural heritage.
The problem, pitch deck, December 2024
Pitch deck slide on black with the title Key Features and four red line icons, a fingerprint, a shield with a lock, an eye over lines and a share symbol, beside the lines Immutable Digital Identity, Enhanced Security, Condition Transparency and Dynamic Exhibition Hosting.
Key features, pitch deck, December 2024

Client's Needs

Through conversations with the founders and interviews with artists, galleries, and collectors, we identified core priorities within the art authentication ecosystem:

  • Trust & Authenticity Assurance: Create a system that strengthens credibility without replacing traditional validation rituals.
  • Seamless Workflow Integration: Integrate digital tracking into existing art sales and certification processes without adding complexity.
  • Institutional-Grade Security: Provide a tamper-resistant, traceable authentication framework suitable for high-value transactions.
Key Findings
  • Hybrid Validation Preference: The art market values physical proof (stamps, certificates, signatures), but welcomes digital reinforcement when it enhances trust without disrupting tradition.
  • Friction in Secondary Sales: Verification becomes most critical during resale and private transactions, where provenance is often unclear or fragmented.
  • Clarity Over Complexity: Users across all groups avoid overly technical systems. The interface must feel discreet, intuitive, and trustworthy rather than “tech-heavy.”

Understanding User Needs

  • Trust is Central: The art market operates on reputation and credibility. Any digital system must reinforce, not replace, traditional validation rituals.
  • Simplicity Over Complexity: Users avoid overly technical systems. The solution must feel intuitive and discreet.
  • Hybrid Preference: Physical validation (stamps, signatures) remains culturally important, but users welcome digital reinforcement if seamlessly integrated.
  • Transparency in Secondary Markets: Verification becomes most critical during resale, cross-border sales, and private transactions.

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  • Information Architecture
  • User Flow
  • Visual Identity
Pitch deck slide on a red ground with six circles in a row. Four hold line icons and are numbered 01 Scanning, 02 Surface Analysis, 03 Fingerprint Creation and 04 Verification, framed by 00 Manage Transfer and 00 Manage Assets. Under each number a short list in a monospaced face, for example The Gadgets, The Surface, The Fingerprint and The Verification.
Process, pitch deck, December 2024

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Defining User Profiles

Persona

From interviews and contextual research, we defined representative personas across the art ecosystem.

A man with crossed arms looking at a landscape painting in a gallery.
The Passionate Guardian
Who

35-65y, HNWI and HENRY Collectors and Creators. Individuals

Focus

Value Preservation

Value Delivered

Future-Proof.

Peace of Mind.

Services Offered

Self-Authentication.

Provenance and Condition Reports.

Collection Management.

Value Proposition

View, share and transfer collection seamlessly.

Problems Addressed

Forgery, damage, loss.

Manual provenance records.

Royalties not enforceable.

A woman working close to a large painted panel.
The Cultural Steward
Who

Curators and Collection Managers. Museums and Foundations

Focus

Heritage preservation and process efficiency

Value Delivered

Reduced Risks.

Streamlined Operations.

Integrity.

Services Offered

Tamper-proof, transparent Condition Reports.

Loan Mgmt Tool.

Provenance Digitization.

Value Proposition

Protect and manage collections with confidence while streamlining workflows.

Problems Addressed

Reputation Risk.

Condition and loan processes.

A smiling woman in a grey jacket by a window.
The Market Professional
Who

Sales Managers and Dealers

Focus

Trust and Transaction Speed

Value Delivered

Credibility.

Faster Sales.

Buyer loyalty.

Services Offered

Provenance.

Condition Reports.

API Integration.

Value Proposition

Build Trust, boost sales and stay ahead.

Problems Addressed

Buyer Doubts.

Manual Processes.

A man in a suit smiling at his laptop.
The Risk Optimizer
Who

B2B Clients, Underwriters and Logistics Managers

Focus

Reliable data

Value Delivered

Precision.

Fraud Prevention.

Faster Claims.

Services Offered

Condition Reports.

One-Click Insurance.

Tamper-Proof IDs.

Value Proposition

Optimize Risk with Accurate, Trusted Data.

Problems Addressed

Inaccurate Data.

Slow Claims.

1 of 4

Tailored Value Propositions, pitch deck, December 2024. Photos: Unsplash.

Styleguide and UI Components

Illustrations
Illustration: A young man with a backpack holding up three paint brushes.
Illustration, Art Intro
Illustration: A woman with a bun and glasses sitting at an easel, painting, a palette in her other hand.
Illustration, Art Lover
Illustration: A man with glasses in a copper jacket walking past a framed picture and pointing at it, an empty frame under his arm.
Illustration, Art Pro
Illustration: A woman in a copper blazer leaning with crossed arms beside a framed abstract picture.
Illustration, Art Enterprise
Illustration: A man holding a tablet up to a framed picture on the wall.
Illustration, Take Picture
Illustration: A man with glasses holding a phone with a code on its screen in one hand and a framed picture in the other, a second picture behind him.
Illustration, Scan Artwork
Illustration: A woman with a bun looking at a framed picture through a magnifying glass.
Illustration, Search
Illustration: A man with a palette signing a painting that stands on an easel.
Illustration, Signature
Illustration: A woman with curly hair sitting on a stool and drawing on a pad, three framed pictures beside her.
Illustration, Collection Art
Illustration: A man holding a framed picture in front of him with both hands.
Illustration, Show Art
Illustration: A man and a woman passing a framed picture from one to the other.
Illustration, Together Handover
Illustration: A woman and a man waving, the man holding a framed picture, a paper plane flying above them.
Illustration, Congratulations
Illustration: A woman cheering with one arm raised, holding a phone that shows a link sign.
Illustration, Celebrate
Illustration: A woman with a bun standing with a hand on her chin, thinking.
Illustration, Thinking
Illustration: A woman with a bun and glasses frowning, her head resting in her hand.
Illustration, Not Happy
Illustration: A smiling ghost in copper trousers standing behind a large framed landscape.
Illustration, Ghost

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One Pager
One pager on a cream ground with the smartstamp logo, two copper phones, four round icons for Scanning, Surface Analysis, Registration and Verification, the heading What you can do with four points and four copper plan cards.
One pager, General, 2025
Investor Kit 2025
Cover page: the smartstamp logo with the line value your art, the title Investor Kit 2025 in copper, the line Authenticating the world’s most valuable objects, large cream circles cut by the page edge, and the date May 2025.
Investor Kit, cover
Inside page: a large copper 01, the word Introduction set upright along the left side, three short paragraphs of text, and three cream four pointed stars in the lower right corner.
Investor Kit, introduction
Artwork Certificate
A page titled Artwork Certificate under the smartstamp logo: a cream picture area crossed by two diagonal lines, fields for Artist, Title, Date, User Object ID, No. of Fingerprints and Medium filled with sample text, two lines on how the document can be verified, and two black squares in place of codes, labelled Scan to view blockchain event log and Scan to import object into smartstamp app.
Certificate, draft with sample values
Flyer
Flyer on a cream ground with the headline Celebrating art, community and connection, an invitation to a spring BBQ at a gallery in Zurich on May 7th at 7 PM with the address, the smartstamp logo in copper and a triangle of dark four pointed stars.
Event flyer, May 2025
Video Background
A cream 16 to 9 background with the small smartstamp logo top left and large white circles of the symbol cut by the right edge.
Video background, light
A charcoal 16 to 9 background with the small smartstamp logo in copper top left and large copper circles of the symbol cut by the right edge.
Video background, dark