finding simple - seat map design for everyone ux australia 2014

Finding Simple,Seat Map Design for Everyone

Jason BaylySenior UX Architect, Eventbrite

#uxaustralia @jasb

The Davenport Theatre, New York NYImage courtesy of davenporttheatre.com

CC Image courtesy of Interior_Photos on Flickr

CC Image courtesy of Sudheer G on Flickr

• Website localized in 14 countries, events listed in 187 countries

• $1B in gross ticket sales annually, 1M tickets sold each week

Eventbrite is an online marketplace for live experiences.

• Founded in 2006, late stage start-up

• 450 employees worldwide, offices in 5 countries

What is reserved seating?

Reserved seating is a type of an event where each attendee is guaranteed a specific seat.

Up until recently Eventbrite only catered to general admission events.

What is a reserved seating event?

Country Music ConcertCMA Theater, Nashville TN

Seats: 800

Talent ShowThe Davenport Theater, New York NY

Seats: 182

Religious ConcertNew Hope Oahu Church, Honolulu HI

Seats: 1,000

Art Auction FundraiserThe Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria VA

Seats: 925

Spin Class FundraiserSoul Cycle Gym, San Francisco CA

Seats: 54

California Philharmonic Orchestra ConcertSanta Anita Race Track, Arcadia CA

Seats: 5,600

Benefits of reserved seating

AttendeesCan choose where they sit, feel in controlLess stress on the day, no lining up, a seat is guaranteed

OrganizersGreater flexibility

Increased revenue through tiered pricing

Smoother entry management

Eventbrite

Little self service competition

Extend our reach and relevancy

Larger capacities, sell more tickets

What is simplicity?

Simplicity is when something is neither hard to understand or to do.

As UX designers we struggle to find the delicate balance between the simplicity of use and the complexity of usefulness.

Design should be collaborative

A problem shared and ideated on is a problem solved.

Principles to guide your way

Progressive complexity - When we hit complexity, reveal it progressively

Easy error recovery and system forgiveability – What ever happens its never the end of the world

Guide me to completion - Support and nurture me, the system is my Sherpa

Communal creation & sharing – Share the love that is reusable templates, assets & stencils

Seat map creation is a last resort – templates are the key to greater simplicity

Aid spatial comprehension of the venue - the seat map is my guide

Content over chrome (UI) – Don’t let the UI get in the way of my ticket/seat needs

Restricted complication – Try to avoid complication at all costs

The design and UI should BE Eventbrite - Light, bright & airy – always on brand

Find ways to minimize input (with template seat maps, smart defaults & intuitive tools)Delight is in the details - The experience is the sum of all the moving parts

Error prevention and affordance before messaging - Errors should be preventable

Afford greater task focus through the use of contextual controls and feedback

Designing seat maps can be simple

Methods and techniques used along the way.

All good design starts with a conversation

1

Walk a day in the shoes of your user and get out of the office.

Thoughtful reduction and refinement

2

Sometimes, the only way to figure out what is really important is to get rid of everything that isn’t.

Organise, sequence and reveal the detail as needed

3

Start shallow and then go deep as needed. The deep end of the pool can be scary at first.

Way finding affordances keep things moving. Feedback is critical to success.

Perception matters, simple should look simple

4

If the UI is pretty people will want to touch it, simplicity draws people in.

Predictable interactions are the key to success.

Acknowledge the complex, the difficult, the tedious

5

The user is your honored guest, make the system do all the hard work.

The first time is always hardest, support the on-boarding experience with extra care.

Time is a commodity and a measure of complexity

6

The end to end experience

The 10 laws of simplicity…1. Reduce2. Organise3. Time4. Learn5. Difference6. Context7. Emotion8. Trust9. Failure10.The one

Dr John Maeda@johnmaedalawsofsimplicity.com

Thanks for listening!

Finding simple, seat map design for everyoneUX Australia Conference

2014

Jason BaylySenior UX Architect

jbayly@eventbrite.com.au@jasb

eventbrite.com.au/reservedseatingvimeo.com/87748221