Merging Art and Usability:
Role
UX/UI Designer | Information Architect | Interaction Designer | Branding
Year
2022
Applications
Adobe XD, Photoshop, Rotato, Gifski, Screenflick
Brief
Avant Gardner is a well-known event space in Brooklyn, New York, famous for hosting large-scale music events, especially in the electronic music scene. My task was to redesign their website to better reflect the brand's identity, improve the user experience, and support the venue's business goals.
Imagine stepping into a venue that’s the heartbeat of Brooklyn’s electronic music scene
Avant Gardner is a space that thrives on pushing boundaries—an experience pulsing with energy, light, and sound. Yet, its online presence was holding it back. As a key touchpoint for potential visitors, issues like visual clutter, poor mobile responsiveness, unclear navigation, and a lack of integrated payment options hindered user engagement and ticket sales.
For many, the website isn’t just an entry point; it’s their first impression. The goal wasn’t just to create a site that looked good but one that could serve both the regulars who live for each weekend’s event and the newcomers who stumble upon it.
How to capture the essence of Avant Gardner’s aesthetic while making the user journey intuitive and seamless?
I began by reworking the user flow and sitemap to simplify navigation and ensure key details were easily accessible, creating a seamless path from event discovery to ticket purchase.
Crafting the Brand’s Digital Identity
One of the most pivotal aspects of this project was balancing the artistic and functional elements. Every visual element—color schemes, typography, and interactive animations—was chosen to evoke the atmosphere of the venue itself. The color palette mirrored the neon lights and shadows cast in the dark spaces of the club, while the typography felt bold and modern, reflecting the cutting-edge nature of the events hosted.
Refining Through Testing
To validate the solution, I conducted usability tests with five frequent event-goers, focusing on these key questions:
How intuitive is the site for users to navigate?
How quickly and easily can users find events and purchase tickets?
Participants were asked to complete key tasks, followed by a short questionnaire.
The questionnaire asked users to:
Indicate whether they completed the tasks (yes/no).
Rate the difficulty of each task.
Share their level of agreement with statements about the site’s usability.
The results showed that most users found the navigation intuitive and completed tasks with ease. Key feedback included:
Improved Navigation: Users praised the clear event listings and intuitive filters, with 80% of participants rating the navigation experience as “very easy.”
Quick Checkout: The integration of Apple Pay significantly sped up the mobile ticket purchasing process, with participants completing the checkout in under 60 seconds.
I made final adjustments based on feedback, particularly improving the responsiveness of the event detail pages on mobile to enhance accessibility.
Future Enhancements
For future iterations, potential improvements include:
Personalized Event Recommendations based on user history.
Social sharing features to promote events and boost ticket sales.
Key Learning
This redesign taught me the importance of balancing brand aesthetics with user-centered functionality. Simplifying navigation highlighted that, often, less is more when guiding users to their goals. User testing was invaluable, reinforcing that a seamless digital experience can enhance both usability and emotional engagement, strengthening the connection between the brand and its audience.
Reflecting on the project, I recognized the value of envisioning outcomes that matter to clients, such as increased ticket conversions, reduced bounce rates, and enhanced customer satisfaction. This understanding deepened my appreciation for how thoughtful design choices can directly contribute to business success.
Related work
