Timeline

10 Weeks

Autumn Quarter 2023

[Customer Journey]

Visual Design

[wordmark]

Altitude is a three-day, laid-back music festival that combines hipster-inspired indie rock and jazz, channeling the intimate vibe of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts on a larger scale. Hosted on the University of Washington campus, the event caters to college students, offering an up-close music experience with exclusive discounts.

For this project, I focused on developing key visual elements and a seamless mobile experience. My responsibilities included designing the festival's mobile application, signage, map, wordmark, and logo. A primary objective was to prototype a smooth, hassle-free ticket purchasing process within the app

[Personas]

How can I design a captivating brand that brings the spirit of jazz to life on a college campus?

Through my research, I analyzed music festivals like Capitol Hill Block Party, Bumbershoot, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, identifying both commonalities and unique aspects. This competitive analysis was key to shaping the Customer Value Proposition (CVP) and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for my festival. I believe that understanding competitors is essential for recognizing industry trends, user preferences, and areas for differentiation.

In my analysis, I discovered that many festivals face challenges with ticket purchasing: complex navigation with too many steps, limited interaction between attendees and artists, and uninspiring visual design that fails to reflect the energy of the events. To address these issues, my festival’s mobile interface prioritizes a streamlined, engaging ticket-buying experience, while affordable pricing ensures accessibility to a diverse audience.

Understanding the significance of personas has provided valuable insights into the target audience, allowing me to tailor the festival design to their needs. Personas act as detailed representations of key audience segments, helping me empathize with their motivations and behaviors. This approach ensures that every aspect of the festival—from the mobile app interface to the overall atmosphere—aligns with their expectations, creating an engaging experience.

Below are the personas I’ve developed →

[Persona 1]

Name: Louisa Knowles

Age: 21

Background: A junior at the University of Washington (UW) studying music, she spends her time playing the piano and listening to jazz while cooking. Passionate about jazz, she is an active member of a jazz music club at UW, where she connects with fellow enthusiasts and participates in events.

The final step in my research is to examine the customer journey. Analyzing the customer journey helps to identify key touchpoints and interactions that users have with the festival, providing insights into their experiences and pain points. By understanding the customer journey, I can optimize each stage, from discovering the festival and purchasing tickets to attending the event and sharing their experiences afterward. This comprehensive approach ensures that we create a more engaging and satisfying experience for attendees

After iterating through multiple variations of both the poster and ticket, I am pleased to present the final designs for each. I aimed for consistency by incorporating pink throughout all my designs. The layout and structure of both elements were intentionally crafted to enhance readability and usability. Feedback indicated that both designs are easy to read and navigate. As I created more design elements, developing the poster and ticket became more intuitive, as I had a clearer vision of the desired design structure.

Initial Map:

Early App Design Process

Creating wireframes is a crucial step in the design process, serving as a rough draft for the final product. These wireframes ensure that the design remains on track to be both visually appealing and intuitive for users. The three screens displayed represent the main sections: the home screen, ticket options, and shopping cart. During the critique session, feedback indicated that the stars in the icons did not align with those in the final wordmark, and that the ticket design did not fit on one screen. Wireframes provide an opportunity to identify and address these issues early in the design process, helping to ensure that the final design meets user needs and expectations.

Final Prototype

After completing the research, I will be able to generate ideas for how the jazz festival can address gaps left by other music festivals. The following section will outline the design process for Altitude, covering everything from physical tickets to the mobile app. I will explain each step in detail below:

Initial Wordmark:

[Color Palette]

The colors I selected for the design are intended to evoke a sense of classiness while also providing a fun, vibrant feel. I carefully chose the color ratios to ensure readability, maintaining a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 to make the content easily legible for users. The hex code #201F1F serves as the background color, while all other colors displayed are designed to stand out against it. Each of these colors passes the contrast ratio test for color blindness, enhancing visual accessibility and clarity.

[Map]

After receiving feedback from the critique session, many noted that my original design contained unnecessary details and did not align with the color theme. To address this feedback, I revised the final version of the map to incorporate pink as the primary color and included details of nearby buildings. Once completed, the feedback indicated that the map is now clear and intuitive for users.

[User Flow]

Hex Code: 201F1F

Take a look at the mobile app in action >

The inspiration for my wordmark design stemmed from the essence of jazz, leading me to choose a sans-serif font that captures the genre's classy feel. During class, I presented my initial design and participated in a critique session, which helped me become more comfortable discussing my work and encouraged me to seek feedback from my classmates on enhancing its appeal.

The feedback highlighted that the font spacing in my original wordmark was too tight, making it difficult to read. To address this issue, I increased the spacing between the letters. I also decided to modify the star design to convey a more sophisticated vibe, as the previous stars appeared too childish. Overall, this experience was invaluable in refining my design skills.

Once I clarified the themes I wanted to incorporate into the design, it became easier to create an efficient layout for the mobile app. In this section, I will showcase the user flow, wireframes, and final prototype.

Creating a user flow is essential for understanding the design of your mobile app. By detailing the potential outcomes of each choice, it provides a clear structure for my wireframes and ultimately guides the final product. Additionally, developing a user flow helps ensure that the mobile app experience remains intuitive for users. This systematic approach allows me to anticipate user behavior and make informed design decisions that enhance overall usability. Furthermore, a well-constructed user flow can highlight any areas of potential confusion, enabling me to address them early in the design process.

Upon launching the Altitude app, my primary goal was to create a seamless navigation experience, enabling users to effortlessly transition from purchasing tickets to accessing relevant information about the festival. Maintaining a consistent color scheme was essential in enhancing both user navigation and visual appeal, ensuring that users feel comfortable and engaged throughout their journey.

During my research, I noted that many music festival web applications often redirect users to third-party websites for ticket purchases, which can lead to frustration and confusion. To eliminate this inconvenience, the Altitude app allows users to purchase tickets directly within the platform, streamlining the process and enhancing user satisfaction.

Additionally, I incorporated intuitive icons and clear labeling to guide users through each step, making the app accessible to users of all experience levels. By prioritizing user experience and convenience, the Altitude app aims to create a memorable and enjoyable festival experience that keeps users coming back for future events. Ultimately, my goal was to ensure that every interaction within the app is smooth, engaging, and aligned with the excitement of the festival itself.