Case Study: A Movie Theater app to buy tickets and order snacks

Project

UX Design

Date

2023

Role

UX Designer

Duration

2 months

Responsibilities

User Experience Design
UX Research
UI Design
Interaction Design

Introduction

Cinema is a very common place to spend an enjoyable time, and as technology advances, so does the way of purchasing movie tickets. This application was designed to serve as a tool for users to buy tickets and order snacks before arriving at the cinema, helping them save time by avoiding the need to stand in line. They can simply get to the cinema and start enjoying their experience.

Problem

People who enjoy going to the cinema often arrive early because they need to buy their tickets and/or snacks, spending more time waiting in line. Sometimes they even miss part of the movie if the line is long enough.

Goal

This application will allow users to purchase their tickets and order snacks whenever and wherever they want, enabling them to place orders before arriving at the cinema. This will help them avoid long lines and save time, ensuring they don't miss any part of the movie or have to arrive early to order.

Research

Prior to diving into the design process, I undertook thorough research involving individuals aged 20-40 to gain deeper insights into their needs and challenges when ordering snacks or tickets, either through a dedicated app or directly at the cinema. Through a series of interviews, I actively listened to their feedback regarding their experiences when attending the cinema and their expectations for a digital platform catering to this context.

Key pain points

Queueing for Tickets or Snacks

A problem frequently mentioned in the interviews is the time lost standing in line to buy tickets and order snacks. Sometimes they have to arrive early to allow enough time for ordering snacks and not miss any part of the movie.

Quick Navigation Through the App

Users who have used similar apps commented that they need the journey through the app to be quick and straightforward so they don't waste time reading too much or dealing with unwanted options.

User-Friendly Interface

Some users mentioned that the apps they had used for ordering snacks were not very user-friendly or easy to understand, making it difficult to complete their purchase.

Human Interaction

Sometimes users do not want to spend energy on social interaction when they go to the cinema, as this can make the purchasing experience take longer than necessary.

Users

Diego

20 years old

Diego is a full-time university student who likes to go to the cinema with his girlfriend on his days off. He spends most of his time studying and going to school, so he likes to make the most of his free time. He knows the cinema is always crowded and prefers to buy his tickets online before the movie to avoid lines.

Problem Statement

As a full-time student, Diego does not have much time to waste. When he goes to the cinema, he often finds it crowded and has to stand in line to get snacks, sometimes missing part of the movie. He doesn't have much free time and would like to enjoy it in the most convenient, easy, and fast way possible.

Helena

35 years old

Helena has a full-time job, is married, and has two young children. She and her husband work during the week and enjoy going to the cinema with their family on weekends. She likes to have a fun and stress-free experience with her family during their outings.

Problem Statement

Helena works full-time and has two young children. When she goes to the cinema with them and her husband, they have to stand in line to buy tickets and then again for snacks. They have to take care of the kids while waiting and then place the order, which is an exhausting task. They have to arrive early and spend a lot of time waiting.

User journey

Action

Find and select a movie.

Select a showtime and seats.

Add snacks to the order.

Complete the purchase.

Prepare for the cinema visit

Task list

A. Navigate to the home screen.

B. Use search or filter options to find a movie.

C. View movie details such as synopsis, cast, duration, and showtimes.

D. Select a movie to view available showtimes.

A. Choose a preferred showtime from the available options.

B. View the seating chart with real-time availability.

C. Select desired seats.

Browse the snack menu.Select desired snacks and customize if necessary.Add snacks to the cart.Review the snack order.

Review the order summary, including tickets and snacks.Apply any discounts or promo codes.Select a payment method and confirm the payment.Receive an order confirmation with QR codes for tickets and snacks.

Receive notifications reminding of movie time and directions.Arrive at the cinema.Scan the QR code at the entrance.

Feeling adjective

Interested, Engaged

Decisive, Empowered

Satisfied, Anticipatory

Confident, Relieved

Prepared, Excited

Improvement opportunities

Implement personalized recommendations based on user preferences.Ensure movie details are comprehensive and up-to-date.Provide user reviews and ratings to help with movie selection.

Highlight the best available seats for quick selection.Offer a 3D seating view for a better understanding of seat locations.Allow users to save favorite seat preferences for future bookings.

Display popular snack combos and recommendations.Offer customization options for snacks (e.g., extra butter, large drink).Implement a loyalty program for frequent snack buyers.

Ensure the checkout process is secure and fast.Provide clear instructions on how to apply discounts or promo codes.Offer multiple payment options, including mobile wallets.

Send timely notifications with reminders and directions.Provide an option for parking information or directions to the cinema.Ensure QR code scanning is quick and hassle-free.

Wireframes and Prototypes

Digital wireframes

Low Fidelity Prototype

Low Fidelity to High Fidelity

High Fidelity Prototype

Accesability

This application is designed to be used by everyone:

The colors used provide sufficient contrast for easy readability.
I added text to the icons for better understanding.
Interactive elements are easy to identify.
The path is clear and direct.
I added an option to change the language.
An option to read the page aloud.

Conclusions and Next Steps

I am an industrial designer looking to start a career as a UX designer. This is my first project for UX Design. I learned a lot about the importance of designing to always meet user needs and listening to their feedback.

My favorite part of the process is iteration as I can improve my design with feedback and real user experience. I'm sure there is room for improvement in my design and I think it would keep needing work as the user needs change.