Sofar Sounds Introduction
Sofar Sounds hosts exclusive, intimate concerts in unconventional spaces, featuring emerging and established artists performing for small, attentive audiences.
The Challenge
Currently, the choices for locating intimate music performances are rather limited, depending solely on a single dropdown menu.
The Goal
Enhancing the site search functionalities of Sofar Sounds for a smooth and captivating interface, encouraging local concert browsing and boosting bookings.
Team
Leilani Hedstrom
Timeline
5 weeks
Roles
User Research
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Usability Testing
Tools
Figjam
Figma
Zoom
Dovetail
Notion
Maze
Current State
Launching the user exploration phase via a usability review, I detect high-impact moments and potential obstacles in the pathway from hunting for music events to securing a booking. This allows me to step into the user's perspective empathetically. Once these elements are pinpointed, potential “enhancements” and “extensions” are noted for future brainstorming.
Link to Usability Review
Business & User frustrations
Primary Frustration
When search options are limited to a singular city, it compels users to consider concerts on a city-by-city basis, ignoring potential other search categories. This leads to decreased user participation and less booking for the company.
Secondary Frustration
When the business model and value proposition lack a clear informational framework displayed on the website, it leaves visitors uncertain about the reservation process and predefined expectations. This invariably results in unsatisfactory reservations, and consequentially, concerts.
Competitor Benchmarking
In order to gain a more thorough comprehension of the marketplace that includes similar offerings targeted at either the same or diverse customer groups, it is crucial for me to attentively study and pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of competitors.
Both Live Nation and Eventbrite provide management services for music events, however their approaches vary. Live Nation is solely concentrated on the music and entertainment sectors, whereas Eventbrite's charm lies in its grassroots approach, allowing any individual to establish and manage a public or private event via their platform.
Link to Competitor Benchmarking
User Interview
In this instance, I conducted interviews via Zoom with two individuals who frequently attend concerts, aiming to unearth any unique insights about their concert reservation experiences. My focus is to understand their priorities during the search and booking phase of a concert, how they may engage with rival platforms, and which factors motivate or dissuade them from securing a concert ticket.
Data Synthesis and Identifying Trends
A data amalgamation aids in unearthing trends, sequences, pivotal lessons, and primary conclusions; for this purpose, I employed the Dovetail application. Initially, I established a tagging system by spotlighting participant responses that have direct relevance to the issue at hand, then grouped them utilizing tags. Subsequently, I arranged these tags by themes, and deployed an affinity diagram to pinpoint focal areas for key discoveries.
Link to view full User Research Interview
Key Insights
Factors influencing concert attendance encompass emotional connections with musicians, prioritizing proximity, music genres, and specific dates when seeking events, often attending concerts every few months, especially on weekends, and enjoying fast food as part of the experience.
Attendees prioritize simplified ticket pricing, artist profit transparency, and a seamless booking process. Concert ticket purchases are motivated by proximity and a low-risk purchasing experience, occasionally without prior knowledge of the artist, while ticket collection reflects devoted support for favored artists.
Discovery of new artists and concerts relies heavily on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and Google searches, with Live Nation and Ticketmaster serving as popular avenues for purchasing concert tickets.
Problem Space
At present, the options for finding intimate concerts are quite restrictive, relying solely on a singular dropdown menu.
How can we enhance the search function and make the user experience more enjoyable?
Information Architecture
To improve the user's browsing experience, my initial step is to thoroughly comprehend the user's process in locating site specifics. Achieving this aim is largely dependent on highlighting the home page, as it not only establishes the primary perception but also usually draws the most visitors.
Via information architecture, I derived an enhanced comprehension of the existing information hierarchy, in which concert searches, expectations, and upcoming events have precedence and are therefore placed at the top of the page. The browsing experience prioritizes location (cities), with an emphasis on the nearest cities followed by the most frequented cities.
Link to Information Architecture
User Flows
In the pursuit of crafting a design focused on the user, enhanced and existing user journeys were formed during the brainstorming stage, offering a comprehensive perspective of the user interaction. The pair of user journeys contrasts the present condition and potential subsequent enhancements.
Link to User Flows
Existing User Flow
The current user search feature is exhibited via a lone dropdown choice, restricting the exploring possibilities.
Improved User Flow
The improved flow offers a "current location" choice along with extra input selections, enabling users to precisely adjust search outcomes from the start, streamlining while expanding explorations.
Rapid Prototyping
While preparing to produce basic wireframes, I delineated the principal elements that I aim to incorporate in every page through individual sticky notes for each screen or component. My plan includes 3 web screens: the home page, the search results page, and the concert screen page. Concurrently, I sketched out 3 component wireframes encompassing a filter tool, a concert card, and a checkout overlay.
Although I anticipate the high-fidelity prototype may not exactly mirror the wireframe sketches, crafting a low-pressure, quick prototype will benefit my efficiency when transitioning from working in Figjam to Figma.
Styles & Components
Prior to initiating the high-quality design journey, a style blueprint incorporating colors and typography was set up to maintain uniformity.
High Fidelity Prototype
Hi-fi prototypes were executed through Figma. Concentration was on three pages encompassing the home page with an advanced search function, search outcomes with better filter operation, and an upgraded checkout process.
Three key learnings
If there were no time restrictions, I'd be enthusiastic to converse with a different set of potential users who are acquainted with Sofar Sounds and have, ideally, been to one of their concerts. This would yield more focused information that's exactly pertinent to the client.
Before initiating the design procedure, I'd conduct a user experience analysis pertaining to the search function, to acquire firsthand user evaluations. Subsequently, I'd retest using these same users to obtain their input and ascertain their level of enjoyment with the revamped design.
As a new designer in the field, I understand the significance of enhanced project oversight, prioritizing preliminary interface usability assessments prior to transitioning to the phase of comprehensive high-definition design.
Next steps
I acknowledge that due to tight schedules, I have yet to execute intensive usability testing on the high-fidelity prototype. This encounter has educated me about the importance of initiating usability tests early on and dedicating ample time for user interviews to thoroughly understand their requirements. Moving forward with this project entails conducting a usability examination and engaging with a narrower target audience to comprehend user drives and essential product values.