PROBLEM
Being part of a friend group that's extremely active in the EDM (electronic dance music) community means I get to listen to the excitement in everyone's voices when a favorite DJ is coming to town or a festival drops their much anticipated lineup. I also incredulously observe the exact same planning chaos unfold every time.
Which results in a constant scramble of searching Instagram and Google over and over, scraping together the same bits of information. This made me wonder…
RESEARCH
What about the other services that already exist?
The EDM community is massive and extremely active, so I assumed there must be existing websites and apps fans already use to find shows. I tried each one and found that they all failed to deliver a comprehensive solution.
Performed a competitive analysis to gauge what solutions are currently available to fans.
I then spoke with people I knew to frequently seek out events to see if I could gather some insights on this situation.
"I have to follow a dozen different Instagram accounts just to keep track of what's happening in my city. It clogs my feed and even then, I might still miss a show."
"It gets tiring checking multiple calendars or digging through social media every time I go out."
“There are lots of little details to keep straight multiplied if you’re going to several shows. It feels like more responsibility than I would like it to be.”
‘You’d think I could check this all on my ticket, but I’d have to remember which site I bought it on, then log in every time.”***
***Ticketing sites such as Ticketmaster and AXS sign users out after each session due to security reasons.
My conversations with fans revealed a few common themes:
😰 The cumbersome process requires extra attention and effort.
🪩 EDM fans have specific needs that are not being addressed.
📅 Juggling the logistical details becomes an unnecessary added stress.
🧑🤝🧑 Coordinating with a group of people is challenging.
Finding a strong initial connection between my market research and interviews, I began to see that the EDM community was lacking a resource they could consistently rely on.
SYNTHESIS
In order to best consider my user, I created a persona that captures the generalized traits of my target audience. This would be my point of reference when keeping the user in mind for when building out the first points of this project.
Meet Lina Lee, a your typical EDM fan!
Narrowing the scope through prioritization
To determine the final deliverables for the MVP, I applied the MoSCoW framework to prioritize the features that are most essential to the user based on the persona frustrations and research insights.
Narrowing down a list of features that must be included in the initial launch,
I concluded from the Must Haves that, the features most needed for EDM Enjoyer to attend shows hassle free is:
🏙️ A centralized hub with details for all events ranging from local shows to multi-day festivals
🔍 Search and filters system curated to EDM DJs and niche sub-genres
🧑🦱 A profile to keep track of personal activity and committed shows
Paving Lina's happy path to their next show
The most important action EDM Enjoyer will take is discovering or finding shows they want to attend and adding it to their calendar.
Staying focused on the product vision
The end solution will ensure that EDM Enjoyer, who is frustrated by the scattered process of event tracking, can reliably access all essential information about EDM events from one central source.
WIREFRAMING
How might we design a structure that's familiar, intuitive, and complete?
Following the set of features and happy path I defined, I brainstormed the visual layout of the screens and content.
USABLITY TESTING
Answering some questions through testing
Using a low-fidelity prototype, I ran five usability tests to gather data on a few open soIutions.
1. Which discover page is more engaging?
I made two versions of the Discover page to see which users would prefer.
2. Should a search bar be added to the Discover page?
Knowing that some users will use the app to look for specific shows, I questioned whether a search bar would be necessary to add to the Discover page, the first entry point to the app.
After confirming that users can navigate the app's core flows and ensuring that my structure was supporting user needs, I was confident to move into beginning the final designs.
BRANDING
Capturing the essence of the EDM community
I knew I wanted the app's visual design to reflect the vibrant, electrifying nature of the EDM community. I gathered a broad range of inspiration from illustrations, graphics, and images to build a mood board that reflected the branding I was aiming for.
SOLUTION
Are you an EDM fan who's tired of hunting down shows, calendars, and friends when all you want to do is listen to your favorite artists live?
EDMTrain was created with the fans in mind, helping you easily stay connected with the scene.
DISCOVER
Never miss your favorite shows or find new ones with a discover page tailored to your preferences.
FIND ANY EDM SHOWS IMAGINABLE
Even the most niche events will be a breeze to find thanks to a search and filter feature curated specifically for the EDM genre.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR COMMITMENTS
No need to hurriedly scroll into the depths of Instagram the night before a show. Just find all your upcoming and past shows through your user profile.
TAKEAWAYS