Existing digital products created for music and travel lovers offer multiple features individually for live music event attendance and travel planning. However, users frequently face challenges in achieving seamless trip planning, due to the complex and time-consuming process of using multiple platforms to fully complete their journey plans. These frustrations stem from the lack of a comprehensive solution, leading to missed ticket opportunities, difficulties in accessing event information, and struggles with transport, accommodation, high prices, among others. Therefore, an opportunity exists to bridge these two domains of travel experiences and live music events, specifically for those travelling to music festivals.
The project aims to understand user behaviours and preferences when searching for live music events in different cities and countries, identify pain points encountered on existing platforms and during travel, and explore travel motivations for concerts and festivals. The goal is to create an innovative platform that engages music enthusiasts while travelling for live events. To achieve this, the objectives include applying Lean UX methodology to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for rapid testing and iteration, conducting research to validate ideas and assumptions before design, building and testing a fully functional prototype.
The project adhered to Lean UX methodology as a mandatory practice, focused on rapid prototyping, user feedback and iterative design. While this methodology provided a structured framework, the creative process remained open and flexible, allowing for continuous improvement based on feedback, prioritising the user experience and staying aligned with the project's aims and objectives.
Identity, culture and global connections
Festivals reflect identity, community, and globalisation, acting as cultural hubs for tourism and urban transformation. Attendees value their historical and cultural significance, shaping travel decisions and experiences.
Music tourism represents £6.6bn revenue and 45,000 jobs
UK music tourism surged by 14.3% (2016–2022), generating £6.6bn in 2022 and supporting 45,000+ jobs. It’s a key driver of economic growth and employment.
Niche apps could transform festival experiences
hile giants like Airbnb and Spotify dominate travel and music, niche apps like Woov and Dart show potential to transform festivals with features like real-time updates, messaging, and offline tools, though they have yet to achieve widespread adoption or significant market impact.
Bridging travel and music as an opportunity
Music fans travel globally for live events, seeking connections and new experiences. Integrating travel and music platforms can simplify planning and enhance the festival journey, unlocking potential for both industries
Surveys and intervews
Interviews and surveys were conducted among the target audience: people between 18 to 40 years old who enjoy travelling to live music events whilst exploring new cities and countries.
Travel frequency
78% of participants have travelled to different cities or countries to attend a live music event in the past three to six months.
Digital resources
Users highlighted travel navigation, social media integration, ticket booking, event discovery, and budget management as key features for planning a trip. These elements are crucial for ensuring a seamless and enjoyable travel experience.
Motivations, interests and pain points
For participants, key motivations for travelling to festivals or concerts include a love for events, joining friends, FOMO, travel opportunities, and new experiences. Pain points include event issues, lack of nearby activities, expensive accommodation, limited transport, sold-out tickets, and few promotions.
Connect with others
70% of interviewees expressed interest in connecting with others to meet up or share experiences related to live music events.
Lean UX design process
User Journey
Information architecture
Usability test feedback
Feedback testing was conducted to evaluate the hi-fi prototype with five users. Each participant accessed the prototype via a Figma link on their own mobile devices. The sessions were moderated in person, and user feedback was gathered through a structured survey, enabling participants to rate their experience and provide detailed insights. This approach ensured a thorough evaluation of the prototype's usability and user satisfaction.
Streamlined ticket discovery with room for enhancement
The app was found to be user-friendly for exploring and purchasing festival tickets, with clear navigation and accessible event details. However, some buttons were non-functional, and additional content was requested. While the process was straightforward, improvements in functionality and content could enhance the experience further.
Unlocking a better experience by location
Users found exploring by location easy with the destination filter but wanted more activity-specific options. While guides were accessible and well-integrated, clearer navigation and more localised event details would improve the experience. Expanding filters and activity variety could make the app even more user-friendly.
Streamlining the trip planning experience
Users found starting a trip straightforward but wanted clearer previews with summaries, maps, or images. Some encountered broken buttons and incomplete features, making editing and navigation frustrating. While easy to find, the feature could be more functional by linking flights or providing a full trip overview. Refinements would improve usability and reliability.
