Ticketmaster

Onboarding flow redesign

Type

Personal project for practice

Category

User Research
UX Design

Tools

Figma
Miro
Pencil & paper
Google forms

Key activities

Competitive Usability Testing, Survey, Interview, Empathy map, Sketching, Wireframing, Hifi Prototyping

Context

There isn’t a single corner of the entertainment industry that isn’t affected, from Covid 19 pandemic. Also, Ticketmaster and apps of its kind, which connect us to events, suffered greatly over the last year and a half.

Fortunately, the vaccination is progressing rapidly and effective vaccines are widely available. The landscape changes and we can hope that soon the entertainment industry will recover.

Image source: appfigures.com

Any challenge provides an opportunity for growth, so the timing is great to rethink the Ticketmaster’s app user experience.

Brand Research

In order to understand the brand and its position in the digital landscape, I used Similarweb, a digital intelligence provider to get informed about web analytics.

Firstly, I was interested in data regarding the Industry. I wanted to figure out the main players as well as, Ticketmaster’s share of the market.  

Interesting data

Source: similarweb.com
Oct 2020 – Dec 2020 | United States | All traffic

Source: similarweb.com
Oct 2020 – Dec 2020 | United States | Mobile web

Source: similarweb.com
Oct 2020 – Dec 2020 | United States | Ticketmaster and Eventbrite app Engagement in App store

Brand Research

Insights

Interpreting the data, it is clear that there are some opportunities for the Ticketmaster app to attract more users. 

  1. Web analytics show a clear trend in visiting ticketing platforms through smartphones. Especially Ticketmaster’s traffic derives from mobile web.
  2. Also, most ticketing apps serve as a channel for sellers to make their tickets available to possible buyers. They mostly rely on sellers to promote the events and they don’t invest in promoting their services to ticket buyers.
  3. Ticket buyers are not loyal to a ticketing platform. Mostly they use the platform as a necessary channel to buy tickets they are already interested in.
  4. Ticketing platforms don’t invest to promote loyalty and personalized user experience.

Redesign Goal

How might we enrich Ticketmaster app experience to serve better the ticket buyers and promote loyalty?

Before we redesign the mobile app, we should make sure we understand the users goals, motivations, needs and frustrations.

Survey Objectives

In order to offer an excellent user experience and promote brand loyalty through the mobile app, we should:

  • Uncover what resources participants leverage for new leisure events recommendations
  • Understand what criteria participants rely on most when browsing for events to attend

  • Learn more about the User Experience of the Ticketmaster app

Survey Key Findings

UX Research

Round Two

Competitive Usability Review

Since Eventbrite is the main competitor, I run a competitive usability test based on the thinking-aloud methodology
, aiming to identify the strengths of the Eventbrite app and the weaknesses of the Ticketmaster app.

I observed how people interact with each mobile app and note verbal feedback
. At the end of each session, I ask users which version they prefer and why
.

The key is to understand the rationale behind people’s behavior.

Key Insights

  1. The participants didn’t read the copy they tap NEXT to complete the steps
  2. Only one participant reached the Sign Up screen and then tapped on Cancel
  3. None out of 3 participants Signed Up
  1. The onboarding messaging is succinct and efficient
  2. The core value of the product is promptly delivered to the customer
  3. The personalized experience is focused on the user’s location.

UX Insights

After engaging with and observing the target users, I understood that:
  • Onboarding experience is meaningless or boring when the core value of onboarding is not delivered efficiently.

  • Asking a user to fill a long sign-up form during the first moments of interaction, leads to a negative response. 

  • Users value personalized content and the convenience to keep track of the events aligned with their interests.

Redesign Purpose

Design a user – centric onboarding flow that shortens the distance between sign-up and value.

Alignment with business objectives

  • If users don’t clearly understand the value of the app and how to use it, their odds of churning drastically increase.
  • Implementing a solid onboarding can increase significantly the app retention rate by providing personalized experience.
  • Significant investment has been already done in developing the Ticketmaster app. Improving the onboarding user experience will make sure the return of the original investment.

“Onboarding isn’t about setting users up, it’s about getting them back.”

-Samuel Hulick, UserOnboard.com

My Approach

Value Driven onboarding Flow

The suggested onboarding experience is focused to set the user up to experience value from the product quickly. My approach encompasses the following principles.

User-centric Onboarding

Make clear the core value we’re trying to deliver to our users

Minimize Friction

Simplify the steps a new user need to take to receive that core value

Strong Messaging

Use succinct copy to encourage new users to take action

Empathy Map

I started the design process by developing an empathy map to understand what drives users’ behavior and guide me towards meaningful innovations.

I conducted a moderated session (an empathy interview) with a Ticketmaster’s customer to gather his feelings and motivations. 

Empathy map - Buy event tickets

Design

Ticketmaster app - Onboarding Flow

Next Steps

Measure, observe, improve

I aim to test the onboarding flow with users to understand if the new design performs better and identify opportunities for improvement.
 
The results of extended usability testing will inform the iteration stage.

Key Learnings

Working on the case study I had the opportunity to deepen my understanding of onboarding flows and value their contribution to the overall experience.
More precisely: