A couple of weeks ago, I found myself playing around with the official South-By-South-West (SXSW) mobile app, SXSW Go, on my Android device. Great memories came back to me as I viewed my schedule of events and recalled the unwarranted amounts of inspiration, fun and education I got out of SXSW 2011.
However, in playing around with the app, I noticed some opportunities where the User Experience (UX) could’ve been enhanced. As a result, I conducted some fundamental user research (looking to the app reviews on the Android Market and probing my mates who went to SXSW 2011 with me) and whipped up some high-fidelity conceptual wireframes for the SXSW 2012 app.
Before we begin, I’d like to thank @c0uP, @pkattera, @reece_wagner & @jasehutch for their time in the process, either contributing ideas and insight or reviewing the concepts. I’m extremely appreciative to have these guys involved.
The wireframes below is just a preview of some of the thought that has been put into re-engineering the User Experience for the SXSW 2012 app. Only two user journeys have been explored:
- Schedule – The entire SXSW schedule (including the film, interactive and music festivals as well as the tradeshows)
- My SXSW – The user’s customised shortlist of events they wish to attend
Significant thought has also been put into Places, Social and the Tradeshow, but that’s for another discussion.
I’d love to hear your feedback and see what you think!
1. Splashscreen
2. Dashboard Navigation
Note: The SXSW 2011 app did not feature dashboard navigation.
3. Schedule Interface
5. My SXSW – Talk Info
This screen is accessed when a user drills down into a specific talk from their My SXSW screen, which contains their customised/favourited list of talks.
31 Comments
@pkattera [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki #donline
@mattieryan [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki
@robotcircus [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki #donline
@nathbush [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki
@robotcircus [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki
HOT RT @jymmysim: @pkattera [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/azUQ3A1g #donline
Hey Pon,
Thanks for the wise words through the process and the coverage
Concepts for the 2012 SXSW mobile app by @jymmysim http://t.co/ccQ4o8OL
@pkattera [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki #donline
Thanks for the RT Jase. Appreciate it.
The @sxsw mobile app is getting a facelift and it looks much sleeker. http://t.co/fQhXKtAi #interesting via @percolate
Hi Anne,
Thanks for the tweet out of the SXSW 2012. Didn’t even think it’d come through @percolate!
The @sxsw mobile app is getting a facelift and it looks much sleeker. http://t.co/FDrPBzZ5 RT @aaretz:
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for the kind words re: the SXSW 2012 app. Much appreciated.
Wireframe concepts for a @SXSW 2012 #Android app by the super smart and rad @jymmysim >> http://t.co/VmC0iOkQ
@pkattera [New Blog] SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/HzvUV0Ki #donline
Hey Damian,
Thanks for spreading the word!
Nice work Jordan! “@jymmysim: @SXSW You guys interested? SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/sAG0FBZS #donline”
Some really nice thinking. RT @jymmysim: @SXSW You guys interested? SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/ZcBKHyZw #donline
Hey Leon,
Thanks for the kind words and for the RT!
The ‘Talk Info’ page is looking a *lot* better than a few days ago :O
Man. That was a thorn-in-the-backside page. I think that design took 3 iterations alone. It could do with some more colour in the design phase, but agreed with ya- it’s come a long way from the bare bones wireframe it was.
Thanks for the guidance and inspiration along the way man.
Nice work mate!
I’ve always wanted the ‘My SXSW’ functionality to give an indication of demand for each session. There is nothing worse than going to a venue to see a line of 100 people outside the room then choosing another session but missing the start of that choice because of the size of the conference and difficultly in getting around it quickly. If I had some way to know beforehand that there was a high probability of not getting into a session I would go straight to one of my alternate choices.
It just seems like this scheduling data seems like something that is just going to waste at the moment. The organisers could even use the data to move popular sessions in small rooms to larger rooms to cope with demand so people don’t miss out.
Hey Anthony,
Thanks for the comment!
Funny you mention about the demand indicator. A work mate of mine, Jason Hutchinson, introduced me to the ‘Cannes Heatmap’, a project out of Fantasy Interactive (@F_i)– http://www.f-i.com/google/heatmap/
It’s HOT! The concept of the heatmap could be appropriated back to the context of SXSW to determine which events are ‘hot’ and which aren’t. That way you could know beforehand which ones you should be either attending (or avoiding). It would also be useful if you were in the middle of a talk that wasn’t doing it for you – pull out the heatmap, and see what’s ‘trending on top’ at the moment.
I’ve been contacted back by the SXSW team, and their “mobile plans are already in motion”. I look forward to seeing and playing with the app in 2012
Love the heat map idea to switch sessions mid way through.
Can’t wait for SXSW 2012!
Looking smart Jordan. Much better than the existing UX and design.
The @sxsw mobile app is getting a facelift and it looks much sleeker. http://t.co/FDrPBzZ5 RT @aaretz:
Inspiringly active approach to UX problem solving @jymmysim Well done.. @SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes– http://t.co/N9q7ZVvq #donline
SXSW 2012 Mobile App Wireframes: Dashboard Navigation. Note: The SXSW 2011 app did not feature dashboard navigat… http://t.co/vfkRTomr
Looks great! I’m excited to be heading there again this year. When will the app be available for download?
Hi Christa,
Thankyou for your feedback!
Just to clarify, my wireframes for the SXSW app are only conceptual at the moment – as a previous SXSW-goer, I didn’t have the best UX from the Android app. As such, I thought I’d give it a go and redesign some of the features.
As for when the official 2012 SXSW app will be released…I could only suspect it will be released within the next fortnight-month. SXSW is approaching fast!!!