Air Show Interface \ Thunder Over Michigan
Understanding the Problem
Thunder Over Michigan is a well-known Air Show that draws 10,000+ attendees to see famous flying acts such as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Every year they launch a new website that showcases the featured performers. This website needed to be responsive, clean, and organized, showcase the performers and make it easy to buy tickets. As a UX designer, it was important to understand the specific needs and goals of the users who would be visiting the Thunder Over Michigan website when creating a great user experience. This included researching and understanding the target audience, such as the attendees, organizers, and sponsors of the event. I also needed to consider the unique challenges and opportunities that came with designing an event website, such as providing information about the event schedule, location, and ticket purchase. Additionally, I needed to stay up to date on the latest design trends and best practices in the field to ensure that the final product was both visually appealing and user-friendly. Furthermore, user feedback was important to ensure that the design was meeting the users' needs and expectations and incorporating them into the final product. I also had to make sure that the website was optimized for search engines and was accessible to all users by adhering to web accessibility guidelines. Overall, understanding the audience and the event was crucial in creating a great user experience for the Thunder Over Michigan website.
Research
My research approach when creating a great user experience was to start by conducting user interviews to gather qualitative data on the users' needs, goals, and pain points. I also analyzed website analytics to understand how users were currently interacting with the website. The data from previous years helped gauge the necessary changes for this website. The website also attracts many returning customers who are loyal to the Air Show. Finally, I conducted a competitive analysis to understand how similar websites in the industry were addressing the same user needs. This comprehensive research approach helped me to gain a deep understanding of the users' needs and create a user-centered design that met those needs effectively.
Sketch
I began the design process by creating low-fidelity sketches and wireframes to explore different layouts and design options based on the previous year's event. This allowed me to quickly iterate on different ideas and test them with users before committing to a final design with stakeholders. I also created user flow diagrams to map out the different paths that users could take on the website and ensure that they were intuitive and easy to navigate to tickets, parking, performers, etc. I also created detailed high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes to test the design with users and gather feedback on the overall user experience. These techniques helped me to create a design that was both visually appealing and user-friendly, and that met the needs of the users effectively.
Design
My design choices when creating a great user experience for the Thunder Over Michigan website were focused on providing a seamless and enjoyable experience for the users. Based on my research findings, I made sure that the website was easy to navigate and had a clear visual hierarchy. I used impressive imagery of planes which included a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet! Also, colors and typography were consistent with the branding of the event to create a visually appealing design. I also made sure that the website was optimized for search engines and was responsive, allowing users to access it on any device. Furthermore, I included features such as clear calls to action (buy tickets), and integration of social media to enhance the user experience. Additionally, I made sure that the website was accessible to all users by adhering to web accessibility guidelines. Overall, my design choices were focused on creating a user-centered design that met the needs of the users effectively, while also being visually appealing and easy to use.
Implement
The website received a lot of traffic once it was launched. The website looked excellent on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. I collaborated closely with the development team to ensure that the design was translated correctly into the final product. I supplied extensive design requirements and documentation to help the development team understand how to properly execute the concept. In addition, I performed frequent testing and quality assurance to ensure that the website was working properly and that the user experience was consistent across all major browsers. I also collaborated with stakeholders and users to collect feedback on the final product and make any necessary changes. Through this process, I was able to ensure that the final website met the needs of the users and provided a positive user experience. Furthermore, I made sure that the website was optimized for search engines and was responsive. Overall, it was a collaborative effort and the close coordination between the design, development, and testing users helped to deliver a great user experience for the Thunder Over Michigan website.
Conclusion
My final impressions of the Thunder Over Michigan website user experience were that it was an interesting and demanding endeavor with tight deadlines. Throughout the project, I used a user-centered approach to understand the objectives and goals of the website's visitors. I gathered user feedback using various research approaches and utilized it to develop an intuitive and user-friendly website. The website design was aesthetically attractive and matched the event branding. I also followed web accessibility requirements to ensure that the website was accessible to all people. We were successful in providing a seamless and engaging experience for all users, as seen by the favorable comments we got. Overall, it was a success.
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