uxdi project 3 fandango v3 posted copy
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
FandangoEvents
Design by: Allison Cooper!Lissa Doty!
Phoebe YangStudent Project: General Assembly UXDI Winter 2013
FandangoEvents
Fandango
Current business model:
Fandango is currently framed as the go-to movie information and ticketing platform.
The Project:
We were tasked with expanding Fandango’s market from movie tickets and information to browsing and purchasing tickets to concerts and local events. In addition, we needed to demonstrate:
• how Fandango would introduce the new features
• event discovery
• flow for purchasing tickets
• flow for retrieving tickets and using them as passes
It is an easy way to search for events with a personalized feed and recommendations, purchase event tickets on the go, and share events and tickets with friends. Unlike the TicketMaster/LiveNation behemoth, it’s aimed at smaller more affordable local events, and unlike Eventbrite it supports more event discovery for users.
Our solution: Fandango EventsFandango Events is a new iPhone app for urban-dwellers who want to find interesting events to attend with their friends.
Competitive Analysis: Ticketing
Our team initially focused on ticketing websites and apps, and recorded the presence of specific feature patterns, as well as noting special features or branding.
Ticket price splitting
Ticket packages
Loyalty Programs
Photo Sharing
Facebook integration
Social sharing
Mobile App
Service Fees
Fandango X X X X X X
Eventbrite X X X X
Ticketmaster X X X X X X
StubHub X X X X X XBrown Paper
TicketsX X X
Meetup X X X X X
Goldstar X X X X X
Method
special features
Now current goings-on; trending instagram tags
WillCall curated events; send tickets to friends
TimetoEnjoy fit events into your schedule’s free time
RedRover focus on family events
Vamos facebook-integrated friend events
WhyPlan curated events in NYC and London
Applauze photo-heavy event listings by category
Here & Now phototag-based current happenings
Eventster facebook-integrated friend events
Lanyrd conferences & professional-events focus
Competitive Analysis: Event DiscoveryMethodsOur team investigated a range of existing event discovery apps.
Findings & Opportunities IdentifiedPlanning behaviors: event apps like “Now” focus on the spontaneity of finding nearby events immediately; we found, though, that our users often plan for the weekend ahead with friends.
Need for event listing maintenance: many event discovery apps researched tended to “die” without continual maintenance/upkeep; App Store reviews complained of lack of current listings and technical problems. This is a great angle for Fandango, as it is already seen as a reliable, trusted source for accurate, current information.
At small/mid-size venues, event producers (not the venue) often choose the ticketing service. Establishing relationships with both venues and event producers would drive more business to Fandango.
Competitive Landscape: Analysis & ConsiderationsFindingsWillCall, a mobile app, offered a unique way to buy tickets and give them digitally to friendsVertical integration of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s business model means they have a monopoly of large-scale events at many major American amphitheaters and other venues (and artists).
Opportunities IdentifiedMany ticketing services still rely on physical tickets for entry to events. Offering digital e-tickets on users’ iPhones could increase their loyalty to Fandango, and ease their concerns about losing their tickets.
Preliminary User Research: Screening SurveyMethods
Findings
Opportunities Identified
We received 74 responses to a screening survey asking about event attendance and ticket purchasing behaviors.
Ticket price is an important consideration, but it’s also contextual.
Buying tickets for friends is a hassle.
People are already using Facebook, Instagram, etc for events; this social aspect is important for supporting social attendance.
Encouraging users to buy and distribute tickets for friends could increase ticket sales.
Users need an easy way to distribute tickets that they’ve bought for friends.
Secondary User ResearchMethods We interviewed classmates, friends, and patrons at bars.
FindingsSocial Media: Promoters with smaller budgets are using more social media than just Facebook to get the word out. Instagram is an increasingly popular way to discover events, as Facebook event notifications are frequently overlooked.
Opportunities IdentifiedPhoto-sharing integration could lead to a more interesting way to discover events.
Facebook is still important for connecting and communicating about events with friends, and these elements should be incorporated into the event discovery process to increase ticket sales.
People utilize different sources (online/offline) to discover events, including local newspapers/magazines, flyers/posters and blogs.
THE PARENT
SOCIAL LIFE
MONEY & TECH
ERIN, 38Erin is a married mother of two based in Chicago. She works as an HR recruiter, and doesn’t have a lot of free time.
Erin and David already use Fandango to find movies that are age-appropriate for their children. They sometimes use the app to buy tickets ahead of time too so they won’t have to stand in line with their young kids.
Erin is comfortable with her iPhone and household tech. She and David both have iPhones as well as an iPad mini and are considering getting a second one because the kids are using it so much. They own their Chicago condo, but they are still paying back loans from David’s law school.
Erin and her husband David, 43, a lawyer at an environmental nonprofit, have two boys, 6 and 3 years old. Though they vowed never to own a minivan, they now drive a 2011 Toyota Sienna. They had active social lives before the kids came along but now most of their outings consist of family-friendly activities and playdates. Most of their social circle is made up of the parents who have children the same age as theirs; they miss some of their pre-parenthood friends, who they no longer get to see.
“Sometimes it’s nice to have a adult conversation…”
“Reputation and relationships are everything”PETER, 41 THE PRODUCER
Peter got his start working for a promoter at a mid-size concert venue but now is known for throwing big parties and other events at clubs and bars. He’s got a big network of friends and an established reputation, with relationships with many DJ friends and a known underground-but-mainstream style.
He needs to earn enough to pay the bills, but building relationships and community is just as important as making money. He pays close attention to the vibe, aesthetics, and reputation of the venues he selects; one bad experience with a venue means his attendees won’t return. Good personal relationships with his business partners are key, and are the reason why he chooses one ticketing agent over another.
Peter is big on using social media for himself and to promote his events. While Facebook and Twitter are still important, he’s moving more to Instagram, where it’s easier for people to discover his events and he can extend the reach of his brand. Throwing events may be his job, but he still always finds it fun, and he loves showing his massive circle of extended friends a unique and memorable time.
“I could be convinced…"THE ATTENDEEAUDREE, 24
SOCIAL LIFEShe attends fewer than 10 events per year. Audree lives with roommates, and though she has some friends from college still around, she’s also interested in expanding her social circle.
MONEY & TECHShe is sensitive to ticket price although she can afford to splurge sometimes, but going with friends is most important. She’s quite tech-savvy and active on social media.
She uses Fandango because it’s easy when a friend sends her a link to a movie they want to go see and she can just buy her ticket there—she even has the app on her phone, which also adds ease and convenience.
Audree is a front-end web developer in San Francisco. She tends to be more of a homebody, preferring to have dinner parties at her apartment with friends.
THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
SOCIAL LIFE
MONEY & TECH
SASHA, 29Sasha lives in San Francisco, is single and has a wide circle of friends. She’s a project manager at a UCSF lab.
Sasha loves attending house shows as well as larger events like Outside Lands, a music and arts festival held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. She hears about shows by following bands on social media and subscribing to email lists. She wants ticket buying to be easy and dislikes having to deal with paper tickets.
Sasha’s job allows her the time and the money to go out and she’s into the alternative scene. She's well enough versed in tech and uses her iPhone constantly. She uses Fandango occasionally for movies times. Sasha can afford to go out frequently, but she’s concerned about price—she hates extra fees. She never drives to events in the city, preferring to take buses, Lyft, or cabs.
She’s known as the go-to person among her friends for events, scouring event listings and actively discovering the best her city has to offer through both online and offline sources (newspapers, weeklies, the Bold italic, Johnny Funcheap). She also uses Facebook to find out about events but is often disappointed when she only hears about events after they happen. She plans her weekends in advance to ensure she’s going to the best events, whether a concert/show, party or bar night.
“It’s stressful buying tickets for everyone and wondering if they’ll show up on time.”
Persona Characteristics as a Spectrum
Sasha ErinSearching for something specific vs browsing and
casual discovery:
“I know what I want to do and just need to find it.”
“Surprise me!” “I want to learn about new things.”
Time/scheduling: “I plan my weekend in advance.” “What to do tonight??”
Social ticket purchase logistics:
“I’m organizing my friends to go out and need to invite them and share tickets…
somehow.”
“I’m not worried about inviting friends, I’m just buying a ticket for my partner and myself.”
Location: “I don’t care if I have to take a cab or public transit.”
“I want something within walking distance.”
Key features & needs: Facebook/social ability to browse
Edge Cases
Edge Cases
Fandango Events: Design Principles
Be consistent with design elements.Fandango Events should feel familiar to Fandango Movie users.
Foster emotionally satisfying experiences.Bring friends together, regardless of their user status.
Design for effortless interactions.Tasks should be simple.
Scenario: Sasha
Prototype Narrative
User testing with prototype
Methods
Findings
Opportunities Identified
We tested various iterations of our prototype with potential users.
Our features were on the right track, but we needed more clarity.
Users liked our Send Ticket to Friend feature, thought we could emphasize it more.
Iterations
Branding, Business Development & Rollout Considerations
Rollout: Target event producers, promoters, and venues and build relationships with them. Encourage them to promote Fandango’s event app to their followers and fans.
Our user research showed that Fandango was viewed as an informational platform, not as a place to buy tickets. Creating an app that is targeted to a group that are already looking to buy tickets could drive more business to Fandango Movies, as well as increase revenues from ticket sales for both events and movies.
Thank you
Allison Cooper [email protected] Lissa Doty [email protected] Phoebe Yang [email protected]
Student Project: General Assembly UXDI Winter 2013