Building Mefriend’s Native Ticketing Platform
Building Mefriend’s Native Ticketing Platform
A custom platform built for independence in ticket sales and a smooth experience for customers
A custom platform built for independence in ticket sales and a smooth experience for customers
MY ROLE
I was the Lead UX designer. Collaborated with UI Designers, PMs and the Dev team
I was the Lead UX designer. Collaborated with UI Designers, PMs and the Dev team
IMPACT
The solution helped our client to independently organize and host events successfully by selling tickets at multiple international locations.
TIMELINE
3 weeks
Overview
Overview
Problem
Problem
Lack of an independent event ticketing platform forced Mefriend to rely on third-party platforms which were incompatible with special event formats.
Lack of an independent event ticketing platform forced Mefriend to rely on third-party platforms which were incompatible with special event formats.
Constraints
Constraints
3 week deadline
3 week deadline
Solution
Solution
A native, independent ticketing platform which handles specific event formats without any hassle, and provides an intuitive experience.
A native, independent ticketing platform which handles specific event formats without any hassle, and provides an intuitive experience.
What is Mefriend?
What is Mefriend?
Event organizer in India and Gulf countries
Event organizer in India and Gulf countries
Mefriend is an international event organizer. They organize theme based events which usually span for multiple days with varied timings. They had been using a third-party ticketing platform to sell their event tickets. But they were planning a major event within 2 months for which they needed a native platform since their old platform wasn't capable of handling special event formats.
So to start selling their tickets independently, they approached us to design a ticketing platform which accommodates their specific events.
Mefriend is an international event organizer. They organize theme based events which usually span for multiple days with varied timings. They had been using a third-party ticketing platform to sell their event tickets. But they were planning a major event within 2 months for which they needed a native platform since their old platform wasn't capable of handling special event formats.
So to start selling their tickets independently, they approached us to design a ticketing platform which accommodates their specific events.
Target Audience
Target Audience
Mefriend targets Indians in India and the diaspora in the Gulf countries. The age group spanned across 18-60 years, which meant that the interface must be accessible enough for a 60 year old grandpa while remaining engaging enough for the GenZs.
Mefriend targets Indians in India and the diaspora in the Gulf countries. The age group spanned across 18-60 years, which meant that the interface must be accessible enough for a 60 year old grandpa while remaining engaging enough for the GenZs.
Homepage
Homepage
Event Listing
Event Listing
The website needed to gain user’s trust since it was a new player in the game. So I leaned on the patterns that users already knew by benchmarking the designs against the region’s market leaders. This ensured that the designs looked familiar enough to feel safe and be trusted from the very first interaction.
The website needed to gain user’s trust since it was a new player in the game. So I leaned on the patterns that users already knew by benchmarking the designs against the region’s market leaders. This ensured that the designs looked familiar enough to feel safe and be trusted from the very first interaction.
It was important for the homepage to strike a chord with the user to make them stay and find events they resonate with.
To achieve this I proposed a personalized feed, which lists events based on user’s past behaviors. But when budget limitations entered the chat, I pivoted to a logic-based framework to list events. My focus was to strike a balance between events that were most relevant to the user and events that drove higher revenue for Mefriend. Together, the Dev team and I devised a robust backend framework to make the homepage engaging for the user.
It was important for the homepage to strike a chord with the user to make them stay and find events they resonate with.
To achieve this I proposed a personalized feed, which lists events based on user’s past behaviors. But when budget limitations entered the chat, I pivoted to a logic-based framework to list events. My focus was to strike a balance between events that were most relevant to the user and events that drove higher revenue for Mefriend. Together, the Dev team and I devised a robust backend framework to make the homepage engaging for the user.
Ensured Relevance: Used location as the primary filter to guarantee content was immediately actionable for the user.
Maximized Revenue: Prioritized sponsored and high-margin events in prime spots to align with business goals.
Triggered Urgency: Highlighted fast-selling events with visual tags to create scarcity and accelerate conversions.
Ensured Relevance: Used location as the primary filter to guarantee content was immediately actionable for the user.
Maximized Revenue: Prioritized sponsored and high-margin events in prime spots to align with business goals.
Triggered Urgency: Highlighted fast-selling events with visual tags to create scarcity and accelerate conversions.
Booking tickets
Booking tickets
Multi-day Events
Multi-day Events
Mefriend regularly organizes events like Music fests or Business events, which spans for multiple days and for which customers buy multiple
tickets across these days.
Mefriend regularly organizes events like Music fests or Business events, which spans for multiple days and for which customers buy multiple
tickets across these days.
Improving click to completion
Improving click to completion
Usually a user buys the same class of tickets across the days of attending an event. In a standard interface this translates into switching dates, selecting time and selecting the exact count of tickets repeatedly for each day. This felt like a redundant interaction which caused a lot of friction while buying the tickets.
So to eliminate the friction of going back and forth, I designed a dynamic ticket selection component that allows the user to book the same class of tickets across all the days from a single screen.
Usually a user buys the same class of tickets across the days of attending an event. In a standard interface this translates into switching dates, selecting time and selecting the exact count of tickets repeatedly for each day. This felt like a redundant interaction which caused a lot of friction while buying the tickets.
So to eliminate the friction of going back and forth, I designed a dynamic ticket selection component that allows the user to book the same class of tickets across all the days from a single screen.
Designing for Distributors
Designing for Distributors
Agents and Resellers
Agents and Resellers
Mefriend relies on a network of partner agents for offline distribution. To support this channel, we implemented a role-based filtering on the website so that when an agent logs in, the interface restricts the feed to show only their allocated events.
To facilitate quick decision making, I placed the number of Assigned tickets and Commission rates on the event card. This allowed agents to assess potential earnings without needing to click through.
Mefriend relies on a network of partner agents for offline distribution. To support this channel, we implemented a role-based filtering on the website so that when an agent logs in, the interface restricts the feed to show only their allocated events.
To facilitate quick decision making, I placed the number of Assigned tickets and Commission rates on the event card. This allowed agents to assess potential earnings without needing to click through.
Issuing Tickets
Issuing Tickets
To facilitate transparency and prevent overbooking errors, I implemented a real time ticket counter. This component displays the agent’s remaining allocation and is updated in real time with every interaction.
To facilitate transparency and prevent overbooking errors, I implemented a real time ticket counter. This component displays the agent’s remaining allocation and is updated in real time with every interaction.
Checkout
Checkout
To reinforce the value of the transaction, I surfaced the total commission earned in the Purchase summary.
To reinforce the value of the transaction, I surfaced the total commission earned in the Purchase summary.
Designing for Gate Staff
Designing for Gate Staff
Scanning tickets at entry
Scanning tickets at entry
Imagine a humid evening outside the event location. Thousands of people are buzzing with anticipation flocking around the entry gate. For the gate staff this is the most stressful hour of the day.
All they have to do is scan and verify the tickets before the excitement of the crowd turns into frustration.
Usually the Gate staff are given a PDA device to scan the tickets. But very often, only limited devices are available at a location. So to break the dependency on the PDA devices, I designed a mobile app for the Gate staff that turns their phones into efficient ticket scanning devices.
Imagine a humid evening outside the event location. Thousands of people are buzzing with anticipation flocking around the entry gate. For the gate staff this is the most stressful hour of the day.
All they have to do is scan and verify the tickets before the excitement of the crowd turns into frustration.
Usually the Gate staff are given a PDA device to scan the tickets. But very often, only limited devices are available at a location. So to break the dependency on the PDA devices, I designed a mobile app for the Gate staff that turns their phones into efficient ticket scanning devices.
When you are giving people the power to validate tickets to an event, you can’t allow just anyone to access it.
That’s why I designed a gatekept sign up flow, where the user can register with their details but has to wait till their profile is approved by a Mefriend admin. This established a secure perimeter and only allowed people who are hired as the Gate staff.
When you are giving people the power to validate tickets to an event, you can’t allow just anyone to access it.
That’s why I designed a gatekept sign up flow, where the user can register with their details but has to wait till their profile is approved by a Mefriend admin. This established a secure perimeter and only allowed people who are hired as the Gate staff.
In the heat of the moment, the Gate staff shouldn’t be squinting their eyes to check the feedback.
So I directed the UI for peripheral awareness by flooding the screen with a vibrant green for every verified ticket, red for an invalid ticket, and a previously scanned ticket flashes a cautionary yellow.
This let the staff to be aware of the results without demanding attention away from the crowd.
In the heat of the moment, the Gate staff shouldn’t be squinting their eyes to check the feedback.
So I directed the UI for peripheral awareness by flooding the screen with a vibrant green for every verified ticket, red for an invalid ticket, and a previously scanned ticket flashes a cautionary yellow.
This let the staff to be aware of the results without demanding attention away from the crowd.
To aid rapid scanning of the tickets, I opted for a ‘Scan next’ button over an auto timer, to give more control to the user. In a hectic crowd, this gives the staff an option to show the invalid status to a customer before moving to the next person.
I positioned this button at the natural thumb zone to facilitate the forming of muscle memory and a continuous scan loop - Scan → Feedback → Scan next.
To aid rapid scanning of the tickets, I opted for a ‘Scan next’ button over an auto timer, to give more control to the user. In a hectic crowd, this gives the staff an option to show the invalid status to a customer before moving to the next person.
I positioned this button at the natural thumb zone to facilitate the forming of muscle memory and a continuous scan loop - Scan → Feedback → Scan next.
Impact
Impact
True Independence for Mefriend
True Independence for Mefriend
Mefriend successfully rolled out its events at 3 different countries in the Gulf. By owning the entire journey, from selling tickets to the final ticket scan, we designed smooth execution throughout the brand’s ecosystem.
Thousands of attendees were processed at multiple locations effortlessly. Our solutions made Mefriend truly independent- from third-party platforms for selling tickets and PDA devices for scanning tickets at entry.
Mefriend successfully rolled out its events at 3 different countries in the Gulf. By owning the entire journey, from selling tickets to the final ticket scan, we designed smooth execution throughout the brand’s ecosystem.
Thousands of attendees were processed at multiple locations effortlessly. Our solutions made Mefriend truly independent- from third-party platforms for selling tickets and PDA devices for scanning tickets at entry.
Approaching Phase 2
Approaching Phase 2
The most rewarding outcome of this project wasn’t just the successful launch,it was the trust we built with the Mefriend team.
Based on the operational and financial wins of the first rollout, we have been commissioned for Phase 2. We are now working together to scale the platform’s architecture, preparing to bring this seamless event experience to an even larger global audience.
The most rewarding outcome of this project wasn’t just the successful launch,it was the trust we built with the Mefriend team.
Based on the operational and financial wins of the first rollout, we have been commissioned for Phase 2. We are now working together to scale the platform’s architecture, preparing to bring this seamless event experience to an even larger global audience.
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