Additional Research Efforts

1. Competitor Research
   To gain deeper insights into industry standards and user expectations, we conducted an extensive analysis of ATG’s competitors. This included:
   • Mapping Checkout Flows: We meticulously documented the checkout processes of competing platforms, identifying key differences and potential pain points.
   • TrustPilot Review Analysis: Using keyword searches, we extracted and analyzed positive and negative reviews. This helped us pinpoint recurring themes in user satisfaction and frustration, providing actionable insights for improvement.
2. App Review
   We mapped the app screens of competitors and compared them directly to ATG’s app. This exercise highlighted design and functionality gaps, allowing us to identify opportunities to enhance ATG’s mobile experience.
3. Internal interviewed
   We spoke to the head of Ticketing and I was able to collect a lot of data on constraints, ticketing concerns and data they had collected over the years.
4. Survey
   We conducted a survey for everyone who brought a ticket from ATG, over a 2 week period and asked what format they would prefer to have their tickets in.

What did the participants say?

Our initial research uncovered several important insights:

Ticketing

1. Issues with ATG’s Current System
   ATG relied on PDF tickets sent via email, which users often misplaced. Customers expected to find their tickets by logging into their accounts, but this was not possible, leading to frustration.
2. Desire for Digital Wallet Integration
   Many users wanted the option to add tickets to Apple Pay or Google Pay for easy access and storage.
3. Additional Features
   A smaller group of users expressed interest in adding tickets to their calendars.
4. Email Confirmation as a Must-Have
   Regardless of other features, users insisted on receiving tickets via email. This served as both their ticket and a confirmation of purchase. Without it, users panicked, fearing their order had failed—especially since tickets are often held for only a limited time.

Account creation

A key hypothesis from ATG’s Heads of Department was that users would prefer not to create an account or sign in before purchasing tickets. This belief heavily influenced ATG’s checkout process, which avoided login prompts during ticket selection and purchase. Instead, users were prompted to create an account after the transaction, but they had no access to their tickets via the account, leading to user frustration.

However, within the working team, there was no consensus on this hypothesis. Opinions varied, so instead of forming a unified hypothesis, we decided to test the assumption directly.

1. Findings on Account Creation
   
   1. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, we discovered that users were open to creating an account and even found value in it—provided it offered tangible benefits, such as:
   • Speeding Up the Checkout Process
     Users disliked filling out long forms and valued the convenience of having details pre-filled when an account existed. Speeding up the checkout process also included the use of Social sign-in/sign-up such as Google. They was great mistrust of Facebook across the participants.
   • Access to Tickets at Any Time
     Users appreciated the security and peace of mind of knowing they could retrieve their tickets whenever needed by logging into their account.
   • Exclusive Deals and Offers
     Access to special discounts or deals incentivised users to create an account.
2. Sign-In FlowThe user sign-in process presented significant challenges due to ATG’s technical setup. Currently, users with existing accounts or subscriptions had to sign in before purchasing tickets, as this was the only way to link tickets to their accounts. However, users strongly preferred signing in after selecting their tickets, for two key reasons:
   1. Privacy Concerns
      Users were reluctant to create an account before browsing tickets, as they didn’t want to share personal information prematurely.
   2. Fear of Losing Tickets
      With a strict 5-minute timer on ticket reservations, users worried that being forced to sign in upfront would cause them to lose their tickets.

The designs

From all the collected data, we concluded the following:

1. Optimal Sign-Up Locations
   There are two potential points in the user journey where prompting account creation could be most effective. However, further testing is needed to determine which option works best.Directly before selecting tickets: To establish user preferences and streamline checkout.Directly after selecting tickets: To ensure users could focus on browsing and reserving tickets before providing personal details.
2. Flexible Ticket Access
   Users want access to their tickets online and the ability to download or manage them in ways that suit their preferences. Options should include:
   • Adding tickets to a digital wallet (e.g., Apple Pay or Google Pay)
   • Downloading as a PDF
   • Adding tickets to their calendar
   • Future iterations: Allowing users to share tickets with friends for seamless distribution
3. Quick and Easy Checkout
   A frictionless checkout experience is critical, with minimal steps to complete a purchase.
4. Streamlined Account Features
   The user account should serve as a hub for:
   • Easy and immediate access to tickets
   • Building user confidence in the system
5. Effortless Account Creation
   Signing in or creating an account should be a seamless experience, with social sign-in options (e.g., Google or Facebook) offering the most efficient method.

The Findings

We testing the two concepts with users:
5 x ATG users
5 x new users

Each was done unmoderated due to the time we had we had to complete this project.

We showed each participant both concepts, but changed the order for the concepts at random so we did not get order bias.

We found that users really likely both concepts, but leaned more towards concept 2, because they where able to select their tickets first. We also found that 70% of users would sign-in to the account sign-in prompt on the order confirmation page, to confirm their tickets were correct and they would immediately add to their wallet and then also check their email – but users were know longer that fused about their email confirmation which is different to what we were told in the discovery phase.

As a whole the project was considered a success and handed over the project and moved onto my next role.

By redesigning the login process at ATG, We delivered a 25% reduction in drop-off rates and a 40% faster checkout process. This was achieved through thoughtful user flow optimisation and a seamless experience that addressed key pain points for both subscription and non-subscription users. The result wasn’t just a cleaner, more intuitive design—it led to a measurable improvement in user engagement, reducing friction and driving conversions. This success demonstrates how a well-crafted user experience can directly impact both user satisfaction and business outcomes.