ToGather
Platform
Mobile Application
Model
B2C
Category
Social Event Listing
Year
2024
Introduction
Role
UI/UX Design
UX Research
Testing
Background
Reconnecting in the Post-COVID Era
In the post-COVID era, people are more eager than ever to reconnect, share experiences, and participate in activities that align with their interests. The desire for social and community events has grown significantly as individuals seek to rebuild their social networks and engage in collective activities.
Challenges in Discovering Relevant Events
Despite being active on social media and showcasing various interests, people often find it difficult to discover relevant events and connect with others who share their passions.
Bridging the Gap for Meaningful Connections
Many events end without meaningful connections or friendships being formed among participants. There is a clear need for a platform that bridges the gap between online interests and real-world event participation, facilitating social interactions and community building.
Problem
Current event listing websites and applications fall short in several critical areas. Users struggle to find events that match their interests, often facing a disconnect between social media content and available events. Existing platforms lack robust social features, making it hard to connect with like-minded individuals and social media friends. Additionally, they fail to provide accurate, personalized recommendations and have inefficient registration and payment processes.
There is a need for a more efficient, user-centric solution that integrates personal interests, facilitates meaningful social connections, and simplifies event discovery and participation.
Project Timeline
Methodologies
Secondary Research
To understand the current event listing apps landscape, identify strengths and weaknesses, and pinpoint user pain points to inform further research.
How I Did It
I reviewed literature, industry reports, and case studies on event listing apps. I also tested Eventbrite, Meetup, Ticketmaster, and Facebook Meet to analyze their features and processes. This helped me prepare a comprehensive report on their strengths and weaknesses.
What I Discovered
Strengths: Wide range of event listings and basic organizational tools.
Weaknesses: Struggle with accurate recommendations, lack robust social features, and have cumbersome payment processes.
User Pain Points: Difficulty finding relevant events, connecting with like-minded individuals, and managing transactions.
User Survey
To gather quantitative data on user experiences and preferences, validating secondary research findings and identifying improvement areas.
How I Did It
I designed a 12-question survey covering user info, frequently used event apps, issues with current apps, desired improvements, and features non-users want. The survey, distributed to experienced event app users, yielded 25 responses for trend and pain point analysis.
What I Learned
Key Pain Points: Irrelevant events, inaccurate recommendations, issues with search filters and personalization.
Non-Users: Prefer using social media to discover events, indicating gaps in current app features.
As majority, 61.5% of respondents indicated that their reluctance to use event listing services is due to a lack of interest in the quality and content of the events.
As majority, 46.2% of respondents indicated that the most appealing feature of an event listing app is a more personalized event recommendation system.
As majority, 76.9% of respondents indicated that they use social media to search for events they are interested in.
User Interviews
To gain deeper qualitative insights into user experiences, habits, and preferences, building on survey findings.
How I Did It
I selected five representative survey respondents with event app experience. In-depth interviews explored their experiences, favorite and least favorite features, and desired functionalities for future apps, discussing why these features mattered and how they impacted satisfaction.
What I Heard
Users emphasized the need for personalized recommendations and robust social features to connect with like-minded individuals. They highlighted the importance of a seamless, intuitive interface with easy navigation and transaction processes.
“ If the event app recommends content that appeals to me, I will definitely attend. I hope to make more like-minded friends. ”
-Cherry
“ I wish I could link my music app to get more event recommendations for my favorite artists. ”
-Joey
“ I strive to precisely find events that interest me and hope for efficient payment and other processes. ”
-Vladimir
" It would be great if I could attend events with online or offline friends. "
-SUN
Research Synthesis
Affinity map
Using affinity mapping from surveys and interviews, I categorized key user insights into habits, satisfaction, pain points, and demands. Users often engage in social activities on both PC and mobile, preferring events aligned with their interests. They appreciate discovering new events and value user-friendly interfaces but are frustrated by inaccurate event information, poor recommendations, and cumbersome processes. Their main demands include easy operations, accurate recommendations, detailed event information, improved search functionality, and enhanced personalization.
（ The image of organized affinity mapping ）
Empathy Mapping
I created an empathy map to highlight user needs and behaviors through aspects like Think, Feel, Hear, and See. Users seek easy operations, accurate recommendations, detailed information, better search functionality, and enhanced personalization while engaging in social activities on PC and mobile.
（ The image of empathy mapping ）
Personas
Building on empathy mapping, I developed detailed personas that capture our target users' key traits, needs, and pain points.
Persona One:
A female user who loves discovering diverse events and connecting with like-minded friends. She values fun, novelty, and privacy.
Needs: User-friendly interface, accurate recommendations, secure privacy.
Pain Points: Inaccurate info, lack of social features, complex processes.
（ The image of persona one ）
（ The image of persona two ）
Persona Two:
A male user seeking professional events with a focus on secure payments and practicality.
Needs: Efficient search, accurate info, secure payments.
Pain Points: Inaccurate recommendations, poor interface, lack of detailed info.
User Flow
To ensure our app meets the needs identified in the empathy mapping and personas, I created detailed user flows for key functionalities.
The home page offers event categories, personalized recommendations, and search functionality, allowing users to find events with filters, browse recommendations, view details, and purchase tickets with confirmation. Users can create events by entering, saving, and publishing detailed information, while managing registered events and tickets is streamlined for ease. Social media integration enables personalized event recommendations, and users can join or create groups, display personal profiles, and chat with others for a more interactive experience.
（ The image of user flow : Attend Event, Create Event , Manage Event and Personalizations ）
From Sketch to Wireframe
Sketch
From Insights to Visuals
Using insights from empathy mapping, personas, and user flow, I created detailed sketches of all key functional pages, providing an initial visual representation of the app's layout and design.
Using GoodNotes for Sketching
Using the GoodNotes app on an iPad, I hand-drew sketches for each function outlined in the user flow.
Balancing Detail and Simplicity
The main challenge was balancing detailed information with a simple layout. Ensuring a clear and intuitive sequence was crucial. The new social features were roughly sketched and will need further refinement.
（ The image of the skecth created using the GoodNotes app on an iPad ）
Wireframe
Transitioning from sketch to wireframe involved several key changes to enhance user experience:
Standardizing Styles
Buttons, search bars, and input fields were standardized for a consistent visual experience.
Using Icons
Icons replaced some text elements for quicker visual comprehension.
Optimizing Loading Pages
Animations were added to loading pages to enhance engagement and provide visual feedback during wait times.
Moodboard
The design combines vibrant pinks and oranges to create a welcoming, social atmosphere that emphasizes connection and personalized recommendations. Gradient tones add a dynamic feel, bringing energy and movement to the interface. The user-friendly design is enhanced with round, clean fonts and icons, ensuring clarity and ease of navigation, making the entire experience both visually appealing and highly functional.
High Fidelity Design
The high-fidelity design phase combined refined sketches, wireframes, and a vibrant mood board into a polished, interactive prototype. This design features dynamic gradients, round fonts and icons, and user-centric adjustments, including improved button sizes, enhanced readability, intuitive layouts, and a simplified navigation bar, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience.
Usability Test
After developing the high-fidelity design from the wireframe, usability testing was conducted to gather user feedback and validate our design choices. This step was crucial to ensure the design effectively addressed user needs and pain points identified in previous research phases.
Process
Usability testing was conducted to gather feedback on the high-fidelity design.
Recruitment: Reached out to previous interview participants, posted recruitment announcements on social media, and asked friends who frequently use event listing apps.
Meetings: Scheduled online meetings with participants. The interactive prototype, created in Figma, was uploaded to the Maze platform.
Tasks: Participants completed tasks such as browsing pages, using the search function, registering for events, purchasing tickets, creating and managing events, linking social accounts, browsing groups, navigating chat, and accessing their profile.
Results
Issues Identified
Several issues were identified during testing. Buttons were too close to the edge and too small. Text was hard to read for users with weaker eyesight, and the option to delete an event registration was hard to find. Users clicked multiple times during loading. The bottom navigation bar was crowded, and input fields were inconsistent. The primary color was too rigid, so it was changed to a vibrant gradient.
Iterate
Based on the feedback, several improvements were made. The size and spacing of buttons were increased, and text readability was enhanced. The layout was reorganized for intuitive access to key actions, and loading page feedback was improved. A search bar was added to the connect app page, and unnecessary icons were removed from the homepage. A dropdown recommendation menu was added to the homepage search bar. Some page contents were centered for better visual alignment. The color scheme was updated to a vibrant gradient for a more dynamic look.
Prototype Outcome
The final prototype effectively addressed key pain points, improving user satisfaction with a simplified navigation bar, streamlined steps for basic functions, and enhanced search options with diverse tags and filters. Personalized recommendations were optimized through social account integration, and social features like group chats and personal pages were added. The design prioritized accessibility with reduced text and optimized readability, while a vibrant, dynamic theme color enhanced both the brand identity and the overall user experience.
Future Feature Expansion
To further enhance the user experience and maintain the app's competitiveness, several future features have been identified for potential expansion:
Advanced Recommendation Engine: Utilizing machine learning to continuously improve the accuracy of event recommendations based on user behavior and feedback.
Event Analytics: Providing users with insights and analytics on their event participation and preferences.
Social Media Integration: Deeper integration with more social media platforms for seamless sharing and event promotion.
Enhanced Security Features: Implementing advanced security measures to protect user data and transactions.
END
END
Introduction
Role
UI/UX Design
UX Research
Testing
Background
Reconnecting in the Post-COVID Era
In the post-COVID era, people are more eager than ever to reconnect, share experiences, and participate in activities that align with their interests. The desire for social and community events has grown significantly as individuals seek to rebuild their social networks and engage in collective activities.
Challenges in Discovering Relevant Events
Despite being active on social media and showcasing various interests, people often find it difficult to discover relevant events and connect with others who share their passions.
Bridging the Gap for Meaningful Connections
Many events end without meaningful connections or friendships being formed among participants. There is a clear need for a platform that bridges the gap between online interests and real-world event participation, facilitating social interactions and community building.
Problem
Current event listing websites and applications fall short in several critical areas. Users struggle to find events that match their interests, often facing a disconnect between social media content and available events. Existing platforms lack robust social features, making it hard to connect with like-minded individuals and social media friends. Additionally, they fail to provide accurate, personalized recommendations and have inefficient registration and payment processes.
There is a need for a more efficient, user-centric solution that integrates personal interests, facilitates meaningful social connections, and simplifies event discovery and participation.
Project Timeline
Methodologies
Secondary Research
To understand the current event listing apps landscape, identify strengths and weaknesses, and pinpoint user pain points to inform further research.
How I Did It
I reviewed literature, industry reports, and case studies on event listing apps. I also tested Eventbrite, Meetup, Ticketmaster, and Facebook Meet to analyze their features and processes. This helped me prepare a comprehensive report on their strengths and weaknesses.
What I Discovered
Strengths: Wide range of event listings and basic organizational tools.
Weaknesses: Struggle with accurate recommendations, lack robust social features, and have cumbersome payment processes.
User Pain Points: Difficulty finding relevant events, connecting with like-minded individuals, and managing transactions.
User Survey
To gather quantitative data on user experiences and preferences, validating secondary research findings and identifying improvement areas.
How I Did It
I designed a 12-question survey covering user info, frequently used event apps, issues with current apps, desired improvements, and features non-users want. The survey, distributed to experienced event app users, yielded 25 responses for trend and pain point analysis.
What I Learned
Key Pain Points: Irrelevant events, inaccurate recommendations, issues with search filters and personalization.
Non-Users: Prefer using social media to discover events, indicating gaps in current app features.
As majority, 61.5% of respondents indicated that their reluctance to use event listing services is due to a lack of interest in the quality and content of the events.
As majority, 46.2% of respondents indicated that the most appealing feature of an event listing app is a more personalized event recommendation system.
As majority, 76.9% of respondents indicated that they use social media to search for events they are interested in.
User Interviews
To gain deeper qualitative insights into user experiences, habits, and preferences, building on survey findings.
How I Did It
I selected five representative survey respondents with event app experience. In-depth interviews explored their experiences, favorite and least favorite features, and desired functionalities for future apps, discussing why these features mattered and how they impacted satisfaction.
What I Heard
Users emphasized the need for personalized recommendations and robust social features to connect with like-minded individuals. They highlighted the importance of a seamless, intuitive interface with easy navigation and transaction processes.
“ If the event app recommends content that appeals to me, I will definitely attend. I hope to make more like-minded friends. ”
-Cherry
“ I wish I could link my music app to get more event recommendations for my favorite artists. ”
-Joey
“ I strive to precisely find events that interest me and hope for efficient payment and other processes. ”
-Vladimir
" It would be great if I could attend events with online or offline friends. "
-SUN
Research Synthesis
Affinity map
Using affinity mapping from surveys and interviews, I categorized key user insights into habits, satisfaction, pain points, and demands. Users often engage in social activities on both PC and mobile, preferring events aligned with their interests. They appreciate discovering new events and value user-friendly interfaces but are frustrated by inaccurate event information, poor recommendations, and cumbersome processes. Their main demands include easy operations, accurate recommendations, detailed event information, improved search functionality, and enhanced personalization.
（ The image of organized affinity mapping ）
Empathy Mapping
I created an empathy map to highlight user needs and behaviors through aspects like Think, Feel, Hear, and See. Users seek easy operations, accurate recommendations, detailed information, better search functionality, and enhanced personalization while engaging in social activities on PC and mobile.
（ The image of empathy mapping ）
Personas
Building on empathy mapping, I developed detailed personas that capture our target users' key traits, needs, and pain points.
Persona One:
A female user who loves discovering diverse events and connecting with like-minded friends. She values fun, novelty, and privacy.
Needs: User-friendly interface, accurate recommendations, secure privacy.
Pain Points: Inaccurate info, lack of social features, complex processes.
（ The image of persona one ）
（ The image of persona two ）
Persona Two:
A male user seeking professional events with a focus on secure payments and practicality.
Needs: Efficient search, accurate info, secure payments.
Pain Points: Inaccurate recommendations, poor interface, lack of detailed info.
User Flow
To ensure our app meets the needs identified in the empathy mapping and personas, I created detailed user flows for key functionalities.
The home page offers event categories, personalized recommendations, and search functionality, allowing users to find events with filters, browse recommendations, view details, and purchase tickets with confirmation. Users can create events by entering, saving, and publishing detailed information, while managing registered events and tickets is streamlined for ease. Social media integration enables personalized event recommendations, and users can join or create groups, display personal profiles, and chat with others for a more interactive experience.
（ The image of user flow : Attend Event, Create Event , Manage Event and Personalizations ）
From Sketch to Wireframe
Sketch
From Insights to Visuals
Using insights from empathy mapping, personas, and user flow, I created detailed sketches of all key functional pages, providing an initial visual representation of the app's layout and design.
Using GoodNotes for Sketching
Using the GoodNotes app on an iPad, I hand-drew sketches for each function outlined in the user flow.
Balancing Detail and Simplicity
The main challenge was balancing detailed information with a simple layout. Ensuring a clear and intuitive sequence was crucial. The new social features were roughly sketched and will need further refinement.
（ The image of the skecth created using the GoodNotes app on an iPad ）
Wireframe
Transitioning from sketch to wireframe involved several key changes to enhance user experience:
Standardizing Styles
Buttons, search bars, and input fields were standardized for a consistent visual experience.
Using Icons
Icons replaced some text elements for quicker visual comprehension.
Optimizing Loading Pages
Animations were added to loading pages to enhance engagement and provide visual feedback during wait times.
Moodboard
The design combines vibrant pinks and oranges to create a welcoming, social atmosphere that emphasizes connection and personalized recommendations. Gradient tones add a dynamic feel, bringing energy and movement to the interface. The user-friendly design is enhanced with round, clean fonts and icons, ensuring clarity and ease of navigation, making the entire experience both visually appealing and highly functional.
High Fidelity Design
The high-fidelity design phase combined refined sketches, wireframes, and a vibrant mood board into a polished, interactive prototype. This design features dynamic gradients, round fonts and icons, and user-centric adjustments, including improved button sizes, enhanced readability, intuitive layouts, and a simplified navigation bar, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience.
Usability Test
After developing the high-fidelity design from the wireframe, usability testing was conducted to gather user feedback and validate our design choices. This step was crucial to ensure the design effectively addressed user needs and pain points identified in previous research phases.
Process
Usability testing was conducted to gather feedback on the high-fidelity design.
Recruitment: Reached out to previous interview participants, posted recruitment announcements on social media, and asked friends who frequently use event listing apps.
Meetings: Scheduled online meetings with participants. The interactive prototype, created in Figma, was uploaded to the Maze platform.
Tasks: Participants completed tasks such as browsing pages, using the search function, registering for events, purchasing tickets, creating and managing events, linking social accounts, browsing groups, navigating chat, and accessing their profile.
Results
Issues Identified
Several issues were identified during testing. Buttons were too close to the edge and too small. Text was hard to read for users with weaker eyesight, and the option to delete an event registration was hard to find. Users clicked multiple times during loading. The bottom navigation bar was crowded, and input fields were inconsistent. The primary color was too rigid, so it was changed to a vibrant gradient.
Iterate
Based on the feedback, several improvements were made. The size and spacing of buttons were increased, and text readability was enhanced. The layout was reorganized for intuitive access to key actions, and loading page feedback was improved. A search bar was added to the connect app page, and unnecessary icons were removed from the homepage. A dropdown recommendation menu was added to the homepage search bar. Some page contents were centered for better visual alignment. The color scheme was updated to a vibrant gradient for a more dynamic look.
Prototype Outcome
The final prototype effectively addressed key pain points, improving user satisfaction with a simplified navigation bar, streamlined steps for basic functions, and enhanced search options with diverse tags and filters. Personalized recommendations were optimized through social account integration, and social features like group chats and personal pages were added. The design prioritized accessibility with reduced text and optimized readability, while a vibrant, dynamic theme color enhanced both the brand identity and the overall user experience.
Future Feature Expansion
To further enhance the user experience and maintain the app's competitiveness, several future features have been identified for potential expansion:
Advanced Recommendation Engine: Utilizing machine learning to continuously improve the accuracy of event recommendations based on user behavior and feedback.
Event Analytics: Providing users with insights and analytics on their event participation and preferences.
Social Media Integration: Deeper integration with more social media platforms for seamless sharing and event promotion.
Enhanced Security Features: Implementing advanced security measures to protect user data and transactions.
END
END
ToGather
Platform
Mobile Application
Model
B2C
Category
Social Event Listing
Year
2024