Green Shirt Studio (GSS) is a performing arts school based in Chicago, IL.
The Artistic Director sought to increase the number of events hosted each year. However, the existing events management workflow was too time consuming to be scalable. Furthermore, customers were frequently left without enough information. This created inquiries which added additional admin effort.
As UX Designer and Project Lead, I conducted discovery, mapped user flows, researched backend integrations, designed high-fidelity wireframes and collaborated with the Developer on implementation of the solution.
5 months
After an initial interview with the Artistic Director, I conducted observational studies to learn and document the details of the existing events management process. Mapping the steps provided insightful context of admin and customer pain points.
Maps of the existing work and purchase flows for administrators and customers.
For the admin, the existing process was full of repetitive and tedious tasks. For customers, uncertainty was present throughout the process, including how to register and if registration was successful.
Miscommunication emerged as the prevailing frustration, a symptom of the non-standardized approach to event communications.
Quotes from the admin and customers that were uncovered during discovery.
Given that communication was a prevailing pain point, I prioritized documenting all the current forms of communications. Taking this step helped me identify the requirements of each event type, which later informed the solution.
Artifacts from the many methods of communication as part of the existing events management process.
Using the information I had gathered in discovery, I mapped optimized flows for the admin and customers for each event type. An overarching goal was to reduce repetitive tasks through the use of templates and automation.
I used divergent thinking to map these flows and imagined we had endless resources to build a customized solution. I was aware this did not match reality. However, this open-ended frame of mind gave me the freedom to think through how best to address pain points and improve the overall user experience.
1. While I had documented 4 events during Discovery, there were, in fact 6 event types.
2. My original breakdown of "admin" and "customer" was not nuanced enough to account for all of the users who interacted with these flows.
To ensure I was accounting for all users, I documented each type of user and their goals and needs. This information translated into task flows and strategy for content.
As stated, the ideal flows were ideal. We were a small team with limited time, and I was aware a custom-built solution would not be feasible.
However, the flows and definition of user groups guided my research into backend integrations that could meet all of our needs. I looked at both CRMs and event management platforms. Ultimately we chose Eventbrite. It met our basic needs of templates, customization, and automation, and also had features that would bolster marketing efforts.
We discussed how to integrate Eventbrite and the GSS website. Our initial concept was to mimic the existing classes checkout flow. However, this approach would require embedding an iframe, which presented two issues:
Data within the iframe would not be accessible through Google, resulting in missed SEO benefits.
We could not apply GSS styling to the Eventbrite UI, creating a disjointed user experience.
Low-fidelity wireframes helped us to ideate on integration options. Embedding the checkout ultimately would not fit our needs.
Event cards on the GSS website would redirect the user to the GSS Eventbrite page, where they could purchase tickets.
By linking out to Eventbrite, we would receive SEO benefits and could maintain GSS styling.
I transitioned the low-fidelity wireframe to a high-fidelity design. This phase progressed swiftly, thanks to the design system crafted by the previous UX Designer.
The high-fidelity design of the Shows & Events page and components from the GSS design system.
In October 2022, we rolled out the new workflow and launched the Shows & Events page.
In July 2023 the Artistic Director shared customer interactions that highlighted communication gaps in the page design:
Some customers mistakenly believed that a ticket was not necessary to attend an event.
In instances of no upcoming events, the call to action was not clear enough, resulting in customer inquiries.
We learned that when no events were upcoming, the Shows & Events page left visitors with uncertainty of what actions they could take.
To clarify that a ticket was required to attend events, I emphasized this information through strategic copy updates.
A before and after iteration of the page, highlight copy updates.
In addition to the copy updates, I designed a state to that accounts for times when there are no upcoming events.
For this empty state, the content nudging users to visit GSS on Eventbrite moves right below the fold. The goal was to ensure that guests–even if there were no immediate upcoming events– were aware of the Eventbrite account. This could help direct users back to the page at a later point in time and in turn generate future ticket sales.
The empty state of the Shows & Events page.
In September 2023, we launched the revised design. It is currently live and accessible through the link below.
The updated Shows & Events page at launch in September 2023.
Events hosted in 2023, up from 6 events in 2022.
Improvement in productivity.
Generated through this new revenue pipeline.
Followers on Eventbrite.
"The new event workflow has made producing events incredibly easier which has allowed our company to produce events more frequently, with greater variation, and with a lot less effort.”
Our part-time schedules and asynchronous communication were the primary challenges of this project. To address it, we implemented team meetings, a kanban board, and collaborative work sessions. All of this helped to maintain project momentum. In hindsight, I would establish a project management system from the start.
Despite the challenge mentioned above, two notable successes were the investment in the discovery phase, which expedited subsequent stages, and the use of mapping, which helped build a complete picture of user groups and event types.
In reflection, this project emphasizes the importance of team adaptability and meticulous documentation. Both are important ingredients for creating a positive user experience.