Fandango takes on concerts
In a class project, I was on a team of UX designers to broaden Fandango’s offerings. We were asked to update Fandango’s app to now include concert ticketing.
My Role: UX Designer
Tools: Sketch, Invision, Photoshop
My Contributions:
- Researched competitors
- Conducted user interviews
- Developed Personas
- Sketched homepage, and concert pages
- Introduced & added new design elements
- Created high-fidelity wireframes
- Detailed prototype with transitions
Methods Used:
Business Research
User Interviews
Affinity Mapping
Persona Development
Customer Journey
Scenarios/User Flows
Task Analysis
Sketch
Wireframes
Usability Testing
Prototype
What i’m solving
The Problem
Fandango already has an established user-base that is familiar with their app and its functionality. The goal was therefor to introduce new offerings seamlessly, and encourage desktop users to start using the mobile site.
Approach
Analyze: Here I'll learn how the Fandango app operates, what its flow feels like, and get to know its content.
Define: Questions that pop up during the analysis are pushed into user interviews- where I'll poke, prod and gain insight to define how people currently buy concert tickets.
Ideate: Once I'm clear on the problem, I'll use the design method to kick things off. I'll sketch out an amalgamation of Fandango and the concert ticket capabilities of its contemporaries.
Test: Based on the previous steps, I'll create my first attempt at Fandango's concert ticketing. I'll then user test to establish a foundation.
Iterate: With the recent findings, I'll start the process all over again.
Analyze
current app
Comparative Analysis
My team and I researched 6 possible competitors in the concert ticketing space. Here is a SWOT Analysis of Fandango currently (strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats)- in comparison with its competitors.
Strengths
Apple Pay & PayPal for easier checkout
Large user base (36 million each month)
Total of 46 million downloads worldwide
Weaknesses
Too many ads
Only focuses on movies
Almost no branding on app currently
Opportunities
Already has huge user base, so it's easier to implement new services
Point reward system that enables users to use points between movies and events
Threats
Major competitors Ticketmaster/Eventbrite
Fandango points does not apply to all the theaters
Interviews
When approaching the interview process, I first sent out a screener to gain attention from people who regularly attend concerts.
Were these concert-goers aware of the events they wanted to attend?
Were they casually browsing?
What are the hangups they come against with competitors?
What gives them pause with using apps vs. desktop?
DEFINE
interview findings
We found that concert goers:
Had a lot of payment preferences
Strongly preferred desktop overall
Hated secret fees
Used varied methods of finding events
Found filters to be essential for finding what they want
Personas
Goals
Hates browsing, just wants to find exactly what he is looking for
Get on the app, purchase his tickets, and be done quickly
Buy tickets for his favorite bands the minute tickets are released
Challenges
His Favorite musicians often sell out tickets very quickly
The checkout process on the app feels tedious compared to desktop
If he misses the minute tickets are released, he misses out on the concert
Goals
- Browses for concerts often because he wants to discover a new band to love
- Wants to have full details about a concert and its venue before making a pruchase
- Buys tickets for any band whenever he's in the mood for live music
Challenges
- Like to have all the information about a concert before he can make a decision
- Too much info overloads him
- Would rather use desktop so he can have many windows open
IDEATE
Hand SKetching
I sketched the homepage, the venue, and the seat selection. The homepage was based on that of Fandango for continuity. The venue and seat selection was modeled after Ticketmaster, since its already successful app.
Wireframes
To save on time we decided to kick off our first draft in mid-fidelity. I created the homepage, the venue, and seat selection pages. Below is what the first iteration of what my wireframes looked like.
TEST
User Testing
With the first iteration ready to go, our team was ready to conduct usability tests. The findings from those tests on my wireframes included:
Images on first screen too small
The listed seats and sections were too close together
The sorting filter for lowest price and best seats was confusing (we took from Ticketmaster's layout)
Little branding to remind you what app you're on (modeled after the way Fandango currently looks)
Iterate
With the feedback provided, I had several items to prioritize:
Enlarge the font and photos to make clear, and accessible
Add in call-backs to Fandangos branding
Clearer distinctions between the filter the user has chosen vs. the inactive one
Make more room on the layout so words are lest cramped
Change the word "spotlight" as a page name, to "homepage"
With the updates in place, the most current iteration can be seen below.
Want to see it in action?
Check out my Invision prototype
Reflections
Challenges
- An established app is not always effective or clear
- While simplicity is nice, navigation indicators are king
- White space is nice to have, but too much is blinding
- Highlighting the fact that there was a new section
- Provide an easy way to click back to the Fandango apps original offerings
Solutions
- Utilized its current users without alienating them
- Made sure the new offerings were clear, simple, and streamlined with the Fandango app original designs
- Seamless and clear integration of new offerings that have the look, feel, and functionality of the original app, with tweaks
Next
- User test colors to make sure its congruent with the brand
- AB test a landing page to see what gets more people to check out the new concert offerings
- Experiment with further iterations on seating selection
- Make the venue section/seating selection page zoomable to click on specific seats