The one with the brainstorming
We set out to build a ticket resale platform which would enable users to buy and sell extra movie tickets in a simple & efficient manner. The first step in developing such a platform was to identify the flaws with the existing ticket resale websites(“Websites”).
PROBLEMSComplex Layouts
Almost all the Websites have one thing in common. Ugly UI. The entire layout is usually filled with irrelevant UI elements and the important ones are buried in a sea of advertisements! The user interface is so chaotic that even a web enthusiast would find it difficult to buy or sell tickets using such Websites.
Navigation Mayhem
Site navigation is the most important part of a website’s architecture. It is the virtual guide for your visitor (and crawlers) to show how your site is structured. A visitor always wants to know ‘where’ he is, ‘where’ he can go, and ‘where’ he has been. Most of the Websites have bad navigation usabilitythat results in users getting lost and eventually leaving the Website.
Bad Search
Search is the user’s lifeline when navigation fails. Even though advanced search can sometimes help, simple search usually works best, and search should be presented as a simple box, since that’s what users are looking for. Majority of the Websites don’t have a search functionality at all. Even when they do, the search returns irrelevant results in most cases.
SOLUTIONS
At PirateMyShow, we did some serious brainstorming and came up with solutions to tackle the above problems.
Simple UI
Our goal was to develop a simple and elegant user interface. To be simple, the types and number of UI elements must be minimal; all UI elements and their combinations must be understandable for everyday users; and there must be consistency among all UI elements and their combinations. So we adopted Flat 2.0, which combines the best of flat design with additional user interface cues to create website design that’s beautiful and functional.
Intuitive Navigation
Dictionary.com defines something as “intuitive” if you can understand it immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. To be intuitive, we took the familiarity approach. What people regard as an intuitive user interface actually leans on their existing skills and knowledge from their previous experiences. So we took cue from popular ticket booking websites such as BookMyShow and implemented similar workflows.
Search that just works
Our goal was to develop a search box that is clearly visible, quickly recognizable and easy to use. Effective search should subtly guide users in creating and reformulating queries. So we used as-you-type suggestions(auto-suggest) to help users save time, iterate on their searches, and get the results they want.
Signup for a free account at www.theticketresale.com and witness the difference yourself.