✦ CASE STUDY
Sceneo — Discover and Enjoy Live Shows with Friends
A UX Design project for musical, theater, and concert lovers. Sceneo is a mobile app concept designed to make attending live performances easier, clearer, and more social.
My Role
UX Researcher · Designer
Team
Solo Project · University of Michigan · SI 422: Needs Assessment & Evaluation
Duration
Aug – Oct 2025
Methods
Interviews · Personas · Journey Mapping · Wireframing · UI Design
Overview
From research to wireframes, I explored how students discover, evaluate, and attend musicals or plays—and how social connection and seat experience shape their enjoyment.
Problem
Students who want to attend musicals or plays struggle to find all shows in one place, compare seating or venue details, and decide whether to go alone or with friends. This leads to missed events and less satisfying experiences.
Research
I conducted five semi-structured interviews with university and high school students to understand how people choose which performances to attend and what makes the experience meaningful.
Key Insights
- Students mostly hear about shows from friends, email lists, or social media—but these are scattered and easy to miss.
- Going with friends feels more fun and less awkward; going alone can feel immersive but socially uncomfortable.
- Seat comfort, lighting, and visibility directly affect satisfaction and immersion.
- Ticket value depends on cast, production quality, and venue experience.
Representative Quotes
"I only go if my friends are going—it's just easier that way." — Joseph
"I actually get more into it alone, but it feels weird to go by myself." — Elizabeth
"Bad lighting or seats ruin the mood—it breaks the flow." — Mingyuan
Design Process
Personas & Journey Map
Based on interview findings, I created personas representing two key motivations: Melissa, the passionate theatergoer who values immersive experiences, and Daniel, the social companion who attends for connection. Their journey maps highlighted gaps in show discovery, ticket coordination, and post-show sharing.
Sketches & Wireframes
Early sketches explored how users could browse shows, see friends' activity, and split tickets. I translated these ideas into lo-fi wireframes and refined button wording to make interactions friendlier.
Key Features
- Seat View Preview: Simulates seat perspectives to reduce guesswork before buying.
- Friends Activity Feed: Shows what friends watched, rated, or want to attend.
- Split & Share: Allows group ticket purchases and Venmo cost-splitting.
Design System
I established a playful yet elegant visual language using purple gradients and rounded icons to reflect creativity and collaboration. Typography followed Roboto for clarity and scalability across mobile and web.
Feedback & Iterations
- Show Cards: Redesigned to look more modern and spacious (Joseph's feedback).
- Filter Options: Added age/PG ratings to support family users (Elizabeth's feedback).
- Layout Consistency: Increased text size and rounded corners for a cohesive feel (Josh's feedback).
Reflection
This project taught me that emotions and social context are as influential as usability in entertainment design. Future iterations will refine the "friends' reaction" feature, improve Venmo integration, and optimize the seat preview for mobile performance.