VENUE
A unique movie-viewing experience
mobile app
6 weeks
Research, User Flows, Wireframing,
UX research, Branding UI,
Prototyping
VENUE is a mobile app that allows users to explore and reserve tickets to outdoor movie venues. The app aims to compile independent outdoor movie cinemas all in one, easy to use app.
.about
Some movies are just meant to be watched
the right way.
Imagine watching some of New York’s iconic movies at unique venues throughout the city.
.demo
View on mobile
.project
Discover
Explore
Implement
Empathize
User Interviews
User Journey
Personas
Define
Problem Statement
Project Goal
Ideate
User Flows
Competitive Audits
Wireframes
Design
UI Kit
Mockups
Prototyping
Test
Usability Testing
Feedback
Reflection
Going Forward
Empathize
.journeymap
Consider
Explore
Decide
Reserve
Complete
Browsing on their phone.
Sees an post, video, ad for the app.
Becomes interested in the app’s features.
Opportunities:
Available on android and iOS at launch.
Focus on ticketing feature, as to not overwhelm users.
Downloads the app.
Proceeds with onboarding.
Begins to browse movies and venues.
Opportunities:
Clearly educate users on the app’s function.
Simplify and reduce the time to signup.
Offer ways to signup via social or email account.
Consults with their family or friends on a movie choice.
Picks a suitable date and time.
Finds a movie to watch at their desired venue.
Opportunities:
Ensure users are able to prioritize search by movie or venue.
Have indication of available seating early.
Movie selections include a “family-friendly” genre.
Proceeds to pick seating.
Reviews the order details carefully.
Enters and saves payment method.
Successfully books the tickets.
E-maiI sent outlining venue details.
Opportunities:
Clearly show order details prior to payment.
Allow users to save payment methods.
Ensure secure payment process to build trust with users.
Day before app sends a reminder of the upcoming movie experience.
On the day, the user arrives at the venue.
Locates the entrance and enters via a ticket (QR code).
Opportunities:
Send several reminders via email and push notifications.
Allow user to access venue location details.
Make the QR code ticket quickly and easily accessable.
“Wow, I’ve always wanted to go to an outdoor cinema.”
“Is this available on my phone’s app store?”
“Why is it taking so long to signup for this.”
“I hope I can get some good seats for this movie.”
“So I can search by movie or venue. I think I’ll look at the best venues first.”
“I hope I’m doing this correctly.”
“Great, this reminder, tells me exactly where I should go.”
“Using a code was so easy and convenient to get in.”
Define
.problem statement
Users are unable to easily browse the movies playing at outdoor cinemas near them.
With the advent of streaming services, more people are choosing to watch movies at home. However, due to COVID-19 there has been a resurgence in the popularity of outdoor cinemas. These businesses are operated as standalone venues, so ticketing can only be done through their individual websites.
Case Study:
Their are 15 outdoor cinemas in New York City. All of these businesses have their own website and ticket reservation process. Below are just a few websites of the major venues.
.project goal
Design a solution were users are able to simply browse and reserve tickets for any outdoor cinema near them.
Build an app that aggregates all the outdoor cinema venues. Offer all of these experiences in one convenient and accessible platform. By putting them all on one platform we’re able to streamline and unify all ticketing to a simple and easy procedure.
Ideate
.competitive analysis
Learn from the best, identify the strengths and weaknesses within the space.
The ticketing flow was observed with two traditional theater chains. It was decided to include the most prominent streaming service in order to understand the UI and search/browsing elements being used.
poor
fair
good
Product Offering
Pricing
Target Audience
Branding
User Experience
User Interface
Traditional theater experiences, with 4D and Imax offerings
Traditional theater experiences, with 4D and Imax offerings
Streaming service primarily focused on at-home and on-the-go entertainment
$$
$$
$
Movie-lovers who appreciate theatrical experience and of communal cinema environment.
Movie-lovers who appreciate theatrical experience and of communal cinema environment.
People look for a variety of entertainment that they had once gained from TV andmovies,
Design
.visual design
Visual Design System
Unique branding and UI Kit
Colors (Primary/Brand)
Colors (Secondary)
Typography
Heading 1
Vollkom SC / Bold / 24px
Heading 2
Vollkom SC / Semibold / 20px
Subheading 1
Vollkom SC / Semibold / 16px
Subheading 2
Poppins / Semibold / 16px
Body
Tw Cen MT / Regular / 16px
Caption
Tw Cen MT / BOLD / 12px
UI Kit (Components)
The Classics
New York Vibez
Family-Friendly
Blockbusters
Home
Venue
Movies
My Tickets
Home
Venue
Movies
My Tickets
Home
Venue
Movies
My Tickets
Home
Venue
Movies
My Tickets
Home
Venue
Movies
My Tickets
4.3 miles
Central Park
2 .1 miles
Seaport Cinema
3.4 miles
Skyline Drive-in
17.4 miles
Rooftop cinema
10.4 miles
Santori park
2 .1 miles
Seaport Cinema
4.3 miles
Central Park
3.4 miles
Skyline Drive-in
17.4 miles
Rooftop Cinema
10.4 miles
Santori Park
V
V
V
V
V
My Account
Order History
Messages
Venue Map
Contact Us
Log out
My Account
Order History
Messages
Venue Map
Contact Us
Log out
My Account
Order History
Messages
Venue Map
Contact Us
Log out
search
When Harry Met Sally...
Location: Seaport Cinema
Date: Friday, Nov 13
Time: 9:00pm
When Harry Met Sally...
Location: Seaport Cinema
Date: Friday, Nov 13
Time: 9:00pm
.mockups
.prototype
Test
.usability testing
Usability Testing 1
Testing was carried out on a preliminary Hi-fi prototype.
There were 3 key takeaways from the study.
Accessible:
Users would like to sign up via linking the app to their social media.
SOLUTION:
Including ability to signup and/or login with the use of a preexisting social media account was desired in order to simply the experience.
Usable:
Users overwhelmed with selecting a movie/venue due to having too many options.
SOLUTION:
Too much emphasis is placed on the movie, it became clear the search should start with the venue itself. The main driver for the user visit an outdoor cinema is the location/venue not necessarily the movie.
Process:
Users were confused on if their booking had been fully completed.
SOLUTION:
Confirmation and digital receipt would be necessary to assure users the transaction had been completed.
Reiteration:
UX: Prioritize Venues over Movies
During testing most users valued the quality/setting of the venues over the actual movies. Most users showed great interest in the venues, and the movies associated with each. Movies tended to reflect the attributes of outdoor cinema.
UI: Polished and Modern
The preliminary app felt outdated, so I chose to overhaul many of the visual elements. In the re-design the overall UI was geared toward a very sleek, classic , and cinematic feel.
Reflection
.going forward
As it stands, only the primary ticketing user flow has been created for Venue.
The Conclusion:
It cannot be stated enough the importance of early testing in the design process. In the context of Venue, a usability test was executed on an early hi-fi prototype, yielding insights that were unfortunately realized too late. The UX of the preliminary hi-fi prototype lacked a clear purpose and value proposition for the user.
It was only after investing considerable time that the true value of the app was found to lie within the venues rather than the movies themselves. Had testing been conducted on the lo-fi prototype, time could have been managed more efficiently. This experience stands as a poignant lesson that will undoubtedly shape my future design approach.
In conclusion, the Venue case study exemplifies the importance of a user-centered design approach and data-driven decision-making. Overcoming challenges and learning from user interactions facilitated the design of a simple and easy app to browse local outdoor cinemas. As I progress, the invaluable lessons derived from this experience will serve as the cornerstone for my future design decisions, reinforcing my commitment to prioritizing user needs.