Smart Events- Event Planning App
Overview
This is a hypothetical mobile app project targeting large-scale, physical conference event planners that leverages Gamification to cut down on waste and to increase sustainable, environment-friendly practices.
Brief
This was a time-limited design exercise where the goal was to demonstrate the ability to create an interactive mobile app prototype within a one-week timeframe, using user-centered insights and research  to drive the UX design​ effort.
Role
 This was a solo effort where all of the requirement gathering, research, mockups, and prototyping were done by one person. Other than the interview subject, there were no other contributors to the project, which was never meant to proceed into development.
Methodology
Research methods consisted of a combination of competitive/comparative analysis of popular other event-planning apps, plus user interviews and usability testing. This informed and guided UX design efforts using Adobe XD with Google's Material design system to create animated, interactive prototypes and mockups.
User Research and Insights
Jerry Diaz
  • Friend of the Family for 15+ years
  • As aCertfied Meeting Professional (CMP) he plans large scale events and conferences
  • Uses CVENT, Excel, Outlook
  • Only connection in this space/industry
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Collateral/ Marketing Collection
  • Millions of tons of exhibit/tradeshow marketing & sales documents get discarded. 
  • Most never gets back to a decision-makers desk, dumped in expo hall or hotel garbage
  • Money spent on data collection, graphics, print, ship, drainage, all get thrown away! 
  • Sustainable solution is to get ALL ‘collateral’ in a transferable digital format. WIN-WIN
  • “I feel this feature is lacking in apps” - Sustainable Meetings & Exhibitions is a huge thing.
Profile Exchanges
  • Business cards are very obsolete. Paper to mobile device contacts is old school & cumbersome. 
  • Why not exchange business cards with an app?
    • Avoids problem of running out of cards, or lost/forgotten card 
  • Check your app solves problems of ‘who was that person I spoke with on today/date/time-slot/range?
Tracking/Surfacing Sustainability Metrics
  • Tracking for sustainable purposes is good. IF a company adopted sustainable practices. 
  • SAVINGS for company bottom-line is critical.
    • Wood, paper, shipping (fuel costs), drainage is very expensive. This all means $$ saved.
  • Value to ‘bean-counters’.
  • PLUS getting traceable collateral (printed/physical marketing materials) to decision-maker.
    • Most of this NEVER gets to decision makers and is wasted
  • These would be HUGE value to Sales & Marketing.
Sensor Detection
  • Pharmaceutical Meetings have new legal mandates. 
  • Physicians, nurses, medical practitioners are bound by strict guidelines when attending conferences.
  • – What they eat, which breakout they enter, golf course they play, swag they accept. 
  • All (& more) is documented.
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Design Inspiration
Water dispensers from the gym illustrate how sustainable they are by quantifying how many plastic bottles are saved. 

In-App ideas for tracking sustainable metrics could include:
  • Inviting People to an online/virtual event vs. in-person event
  • Using Digital Invites vs. Paper/Printed Invites
  • Digital Badge/Registration vs. Printed
  • Sharing Digital Collateral/Marketing Materials vs. Physical Merch
  • Digital Money/Wire Transfers vs. mailing a check
  • Exchanging Contact Info In-App vs. Physical Business Cards
Competitive and Comparative Analysis
Google search - Top 10 Planning Apps
  • Todoist
  • Google Tasks
  • TickTick
  • Habitica
Personal 1st Hand Experience 
  • Trello
  • Asana
  • Jira
Asana
​Pros
  • Attractive Onboarding and visual design
  • Prior 1st Hand Experience from Client Projects
  • Easy to create flows, phases across multiple organizations
Cons
  • Only Google Login
  • Requests Notifications off the bat (without incentive or explaining why)
  • No means to see “at a glance” overall progress
Whova
Pros
  • Allows you to explore a Demo Event with LinkedIn & Facebook Signup
  • Help screen has a “Transition to Virtual Event” - very timely!
  • Manages custom agendas and attendee contacts
Cons
  • Requests Notifications off the bat (without incentive or explaining why)
  • After confirming email sign-in, I had to close/re-open the app to proceed
  • No means of choosing an avatar (had to take/use photos)
  • Seems more geared towards conference attendees vs planners - to make an event, you have to contact them!
Trello
Pros
  • Prior 1st Hand Experience from Client Projects
  • Replicates Agile/Scrum boards and cards
  • Setting Due Date has some nice presets & reminders
  • Being able to attach assets to tasks is helpful
  • Being able to break a task down into smaller checklists is handy
Cons
  • Only Google Log-In
  • Requests Notifications off the bat (without incentive or explaining why)
  • Font on task board is tiny and hard to read
  • Some of the UI/interaction patterns within a task are not consistent (full-screen pop-ups vs. accordions)
Smart Events Branding and Visual Design
Slogan: Plan Your Event, Save Money and the planet!
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GreenEvents might be too “earthy” or associated with cannabis/medical marijuana, but who doesn’t want to feel smart?
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  • Uses Green in branding colors to create associations with nature, the environment, and money/finances.
  • Mostly calming, cool green/grey tones with yellow/red used sparingly to provide contrast and draw user attention
  • Leaf/Coin icon/motif provides a distinctive marker for gamified elements and sustainability.
Typography - Brown
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Robust font with good readability at a variety of font weights, colors and translucencies
  • Conveys approachable/friendly qualities while also looking timeless, classy, and “pro-grade” (especially in all-caps)
Mindmaps and Architecture Sketches
1st Usability Test- Jerry Diaz- Findings
45 min Skype call + Screenshare after 22 hrs of work 
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  • “This app is the tip of the Iceberg”
  • Task list is important, but rudimentary
  • Missing more robust strategic planning tools
    • Events Progress need a timeline
    • The Timeline should have Objectives with measurable (KPI’s)
    • Tasks feed into Objectives
    • Need to be able to set a budget with a goal
      • Aka - Make Profit, Break Even, or Loss
Pivots and Insights from Usability Test
  • Prototype was too focused on tactical tasking, not on strategy
    • Makes sense given my experience/biases with apps like Asana, Trello, and Jira
  • Changed Sustainability Score Side sheet so text didn’t look like hyperlinks
    • Also added a Digital Survey and Vendor/Venue rating examples
  • Fixed a bug with Event Card Clicked State
  • Fixed Non-functional links (“Save” FAB and Task Renaming)
  • Fixed bugs/link with My Tasks variant of Task List
  • More full-featured Teams Mockup (including Attendees + Subtitles)
  • More robust Event Summary including Timeline, Venue, and KPIs
  • Reorganized Tabs 
    • Used to be Info, Progress, Tasks, then switched to Summary, Objectives, then task boards one level down
    • Had the side effect of clearing up space to put task column headers up top on Task Boards
Interactive XD Prototype Goals
  • Leverage Material Design + Adobe XD for rapid prototyping in a compressed timeline
  • Suggest light gamified use-cases to show how the app might fulfill the goal of planning sustainable events
    • Gamified elements are super-subtle and don’t undermine the professional tone 
  • Less focus on generalized to-do listing, more robust and targeted “pro-grade” features that busy event planners demand
  • Compressed/Compact Usability Testing
  • Illustrate what could be accomplished with ~40 hrs of work
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