Picture House Cinema
This case study stems from my frustration with the clunky ticketing process at my local cinema, driving me to think and create a smoother, more enjoyable experience to book cinema tickets. The Picture House is a community centered brand offering diverse films and unique experiences, with 26 distinct cinemas that foster connection and inclusive for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Team/
Self initiated project
Role /
UX UI Designer
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Timeline/
Sept - Dec 2024
The Challenge
The mobile app has a few usability issues, like confusing navigation, an outdated design, and a poor visual structure. These make it tricky for users, especially newcomers, to quickly book tickets and check film schedules.
The Goal
My goal was to make the experience more enjoyable for existing users. I redesigned the Picture House app to be modern, easy to use, and smooth for both new and regular cinema-goers, with the goal of attracting new members and boosting revenue.
Research
After analysing the analytics and user experience of the Picturehouse Cinema mobile app, I identified several key areas for improvement. The app's navigation was confusing, and the content hierarchy needed refinement to make essential features like memberships, events, and ticket bookings more accessible.
Competitor Analysis
I focused on researching competitors for the UK cinema booking system and conducted a detailed analysis of key cinemas. By examining various aspects like booking flow, user interface design, key features, mobile app experience, and customer support, I was able to identify several trends and areas for improvement across the industry.
Who I am designing for?
I was able to conduct interviews with 3 participants, the interview style was casual and served more as a way for participants to share any additional feedback and provide more detail on their challenges.
Some key pain points that were identified via the interviews were:
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Booking Process Friction: All three personas experience challenges with unnecessary steps, slow processes, or a lack of clarity in seat selection, particularly when booking for a group or family.
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Navigation Issues: Emma and Irene both struggle with confusing UI and complicated navigation, making the overall experience less efficient.
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Personalisation Needs: Both Emma and Irene expressed a desire for more personalised recommendations based on their preferences, whether it be for films or payment methods.
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Family-Focused Features: Marc highlighted the need for better features and options for booking tickets for families, including easier seat selection and family-friendly film recommendations.
Key Findings
The research highlighted that while the UK cinema booking systems are quite competitive, there are opportunities to improve in the areas of user journey optimisation (minimising unnecessary steps in booking) and performance on mobile apps (ensuring quick load times, especially at peak times). Furthermore, integrating more advanced accessibility features and personalisation (e.g., loyalty rewards integration into the booking flow) could enhance the user experience and help brands stand out in a crowded market.
Design
Low Fidelity Wiframes
Usability Testing
I conducted informal usability tests with three participants, asking them to share their screens while explaining their goals and thought processes as they completed the cinema ticket booking. Based on their feedback, I identified key recommendations for improvement, including the following:
Optimising the user experience
By consolidating essential information into a single, user-friendly page, I streamline navigation and eliminate unnecessary clicks, providing an intuitive interface for quick, easy access to what matters most.
Cleaner login page
Offer social media login options to streamline the login process and facilitate membership sign-ups
High Fidelity Wiframes
How to become a member screens
Learning & outcomes
Designing PictureHouse was a rewarding and stimulating experience that developed my UX/UI skills. The challenge of attracting new members while retaining existing ones was particularly engaging, requiring a balance of user-centered design and strategic thinking. A key highlight was enhancing the mobile app's interaction, which was previously inefficient.
By addressing user pain points and integrating intuitive, engaging design elements, I created a seamless experience that exceeded expectations. This project deepened my understanding of how thoughtful design drives user engagement and retention, reinforcing the importance of continuous iteration based on feedback.
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