The traditional ticketing process has broken down. Bots and scalpers dominate sales, leaving genuine fans unable to access tickets at fair prices. The emotional toll is real — fans describe the process as heartbreaking, unfair, and like playing the lottery.
How might we create a ticketing experience that...
01
Prioritizes fairness and transparency
02
Protects and prioritizes real fans
03
Reduces stress during high-demand sales
04
Preserves the joy of seeing an artist live
Goals
Fair Access
Ensure tickets go to verified, real fans, not bots. A verified-fan process prioritizes real people before the queue even opens.
Affordable Pricing
Keep tickets accessible through capped pricing and transparent fees. No hidden costs, no sticker shock, no predatory markups.
Trust & Transparency
Build confidence with a clear, real-time queue system and a verified resale marketplace that fans can rely on.
Research
I reviewed news articles, social media posts, and hundreds of fan forums across major tours. The patterns were loud and consistent.
01
Queue Frustration
Fans waited online for hours only to be kicked out or told tickets were sold out with no explanation.
02
Lack of Transparency
Fans waited online for hours only to be kicked out or told tickets were sold out with no explanation.
03
Scalper Exploitation
Resale prices sometimes exceeded 10× face value, pricing out the very fans the system should protect.
04
Emotional Toll
Fans described the experience as "heartbreaking," "unfair," and "like playing the lottery."
Persona
Based on the pain points, I created a persona to keep the focus on designing for real fans, not the system that profits from them.
Sophie, 25
Graduate Student & Part-Time Retail Associate
Goals
See her favorite artists without paying inflated resale prices
Access tickets before bots or scalpers dominate the queue
Frustrations
Has been unable to buy tickets multiple times due to bots buying out inventory
Is often priced out by resale markups that exceed her monthly rent
Motivators
Verified-fan processes that prioritize real people over bots
Fair, capped pricing that feels respectful and accessible
solution
Fans weren't just upset about missing tickets — they felt betrayed by a system that didn't protect them. Encore's solution focuses on trust, fairness, and clarity.
1
Verified Fan Access
Users verify their identity before entering ticket queues, ensuring tickets go to real people, not bots.
Tickets reach real fans, every time.
2
Capped Pricing & Fair Fees
Prices are displayed upfront with strict markup limits. No hidden fees, no predatory upsells.
No sticker shock. No surprises.
3
Fan Resale Marketplace
Fans can resell tickets within price cap limits, keeping tickets within the community.
Resale stays fair and fan-first.
4
Transparent Queue System
A real-time waiting room shows your exact position in line with estimated wait times.
Less anxiety. More trust.
Design Flows
To bring Encore to life, I mapped four core user flows from identity verification to ticket management.
Final Prototype
After defining the core flows, I created a high-fidelity prototype that emphasizes clarity, fairness, and the joy of finally securing tickets.
Joyful micro-interactions celebrate successful purchases
Consistent visual hierarchy reduces overwhelm
Mobile-first design to match real purchasing behavior
Outcomes & Reflections
Thank you for reading