This document discusses Eventbrite's efforts to design a simple seat mapping tool for organizers of reserved seating events. It provides background on Eventbrite as an online ticketing marketplace and outlines the benefits of reserved seating events. The document then discusses principles of simplicity in design and how Eventbrite applied these principles to create an intuitive seat mapping tool that reduces complexity and supports users throughout the process.

1. Finding Simple,
Seat Map Design for Everyone
Jason Bayly
Senior UX Architect, Eventbrite
The Davenport Theatre, New York NY
Image courtesy of davenporttheatre.com
#uxaustralia @jasb

2. CC Image courtesy of Interior_Photos on Flickr

3. CC Image courtesy of Sudheer G on Flickr

4. Eventbrite is an online marketplace
for live experiences.
• Website localized in 14
countries, events listed in 187
countries
• $1B in gross ticket sales
annually, 1M tickets sold each
week
• Founded in 2006, late stage
start-up
• 450 employees worldwide,
offices in 5 countries

6. What is reserved seating?
Reserved seating is a type of an
event where each attendee is
guaranteed a specific seat.
Up until recently Eventbrite only
catered to general admission events.

7. What is a reserved seating event?

8. Country Music Concert
CMA Theater, Nashville TN
Seats: 800

9. Talent Show
The Davenport Theater, New York NY
Seats: 182

10. Religious Concert
New Hope Oahu Church, Honolulu HI
Seats: 1,000

11. Art Auction Fundraiser
The Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria VA
Seats: 925

12. Spin Class Fundraiser
Soul Cycle Gym, San Francisco CA
Seats: 54

13. California Philharmonic Orchestra Concert
Santa Anita Race Track, Arcadia CA
Seats: 5,600

14. Benefits of reserved seating
Attendees
Can choose
where they sit,
feel in control
Less stress on the
day, no lining up,
a seat is
guaranteed
Organizers
Greater flexibility
Smoother entry
management
Increased
revenue through
tiered pricing
Eventbrite
Little self service
competition
Larger capacities,
sell more tickets
Extend our reach
and relevancy

15. What is simplicity?
Simplicity is when something is
neither hard to understand or to do.

16. As UX designers we struggle to find
the delicate balance between the
simplicity of use and the complexity of
usefulness.

18. Design should be collaborative
A problem shared and ideated on is a problem solved.

26. Principles to guide your way
Restricted complication – Try to avoid
complication at all costs
Progressive complexity - When we hit
complexity, reveal it progressively
Easy error recovery and system
forgiveability – What ever happens its
never the end of the world
Guide me to completion - Support and nurture
me, the system is my Sherpa
Communal creation & sharing – Share the love
that is reusable templates, assets & stencils
Seat map creation is a last resort – templates
are the key to greater simplicity
Aid spatial comprehension of the venue - the
seat map is my guide
Content over chrome (UI) – Don’t let the UI get
in the way of my ticket/seat needs
The design and UI should BE Eventbrite - Light,
bright & airy – always on brand
Find ways to minimize input (with template seat
maps, smart defaults & intuitive tools)
Delight is in the details - The experience is the
sum of all the moving parts
Error prevention and affordance before
messaging - Errors should be preventable
Afford greater task focus through the use of
contextual controls and feedback

27. Designing seat maps can be
simple
Methods and techniques used along the way.

28. All good design starts with
a conversation
1

29. Walk a day in the shoes of your
user and get out of the office.

31. Thoughtful reduction and
refinement
2

32. Sometimes, the only way to
figure out what is really important
is to get rid of everything that
isn’t.

35. Organise, sequence and
reveal the detail as needed
3

36. Start shallow and then go deep as needed.
The deep end of the pool can be scary at
first.

38. Way finding affordances keep things
moving. Feedback is critical to success.

40. Perception matters, simple
should look simple
4

41. If the UI is pretty people will want
to touch it, simplicity draws
people in.

44. Predictable interactions are the
key to success.

45. Acknowledge the complex,
the difficult, the tedious
5

46. The user is your honored guest, make
the system do all the hard work.

48. The first time is always hardest, support
the on-boarding experience with extra
care.

50. Time is a commodity and a
measure of complexity
6

51. The end to end experience

53. The 10 laws of simplicity…
1. Reduce
2. Organise
3. Time
4. Learn
5. Difference
6. Context
7. Emotion
8. Trust
9. Failure
10. The one
Dr John Maeda
@johnmaeda
lawsofsimplicity.com

54. Thanks for listening!
Finding simple, seat map design for everyone
UX Australia Conference
2014
Jason Bayly
Senior UX Architect
jbayly@eventbrite.com.au
@jasb
eventbrite.com.au/reservedseating
vimeo.com/87748221