The main product is a web based virtual event platform with features for everyone from event organizers, exhibitors, speakers to attendees.
Client: nxtshow Agency: Flagship Projects Year: 2020
When the pandemic hit us, I was part of a team working on physical event experiences. Naturally we decided to go virtual, and with our background in tech and designing we decided to create our own virtual event platform. Nxtshow was born out of that need to bridge the gap between physical and virtual events.
My role was to come up with a user experience and design that will take attendees seamlessly through the event in an engaging and user-friendly way.
The main product was a web based virtual event platform with features for everyone from event organizers, exhibitors, speakers to attendees. The mobile app was designed for event attendees.
Project Goals
Hybrid Integration: Create a platform that seamlessly coexists with physical events, enabling virtual and in-person attendees to interact and engage.
User-Centric Design: Deliver an intuitive and engaging user experience for all stakeholders: organizers, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees.
Mobile Accessibility: Develop a companion mobile app to complement the desktop platform, offering features for on-the-go users and physical event attendees.
Scalable Features: Build robust functionality to support large-scale events with multiple live sessions, networking opportunities, and data analytics.
Challenges
Diverse User Base: Designing for different user groups with distinct needs, including event organizers, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees.
Hybrid Experience: Creating a platform that enhances virtual participation while adding value to in-person attendees.
Engagement: Ensuring virtual attendees remain engaged through interactive features like live sessions, networking, and Q&A.
Scalability: Supporting events with thousands of attendees, hundreds of live sessions, and extensive data streaming.
My Design Process
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Discovery & Research
Conducted user interviews with organizers, exhibitors, and attendees to understand pain points from past virtual event platforms.
Analyzed competitor platforms to identify gaps and opportunities.
Defined key user personas to inform the design strategy
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Ideation & Prototyping
Created low-fidelity wireframes to map user journeys for each persona.
Developed high-fidelity prototypes to visualize the interface and interactions.
Focused on intuitive navigation and minimizing cognitive load for users.
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User Testing & Iteration
Conducted usability tests with initial prototypes, gathering feedback to refine designs.
Improved session discovery, chat functionality, and analytics dashboards based on user input.
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Design & Implementation
Delivered a cohesive design system for the desktop and mobile platforms, ensuring consistency and scalability.
Collaborated with developers to ensure seamless implementation and adherence to design specifications.
Mobile Application UI
The Nxtshow mobile app was designed to complement the web platform, offering attendees on-the-go access to sessions, networking tools, and event resources. Whether attending virtually or in-person, the app ensured a seamless and engaging event experience. Here’s a look at the mobile app’s UI designs, thoughtfully crafted to enhance the user experience with intuitive navigation, engaging visuals, and seamless access to key event features.
The Lobby
The first screen that appears after you log in to the app is the event ‘lobby’ which highlights the upcoming sessions, featured exhibitors and speakers etc. It gives an overall view of the event with the event banner on top and access to main features on the tab bar down below.
Other features include the favorites or the ‘My Bag’ which contains all the goodies you have collected along the event. The hamburger menu contains access to features such as chats and the badge which can also be printed for a hybrid event.
Exhibition
The Exhibition tab on the app lists all the exhibitors attending the event. Users have the option to switch between booth view or a list view of all the exhibitors. They can also search and filter by industry to find who they are looking for.
Each exhibitor then has their own space to show case their collaterals in the form of brochures, videos or products. Visitors can also interact with the exhibitor agents that are available on the booths.
Sessions
The Sessions tab contains all the interactive sessions, keynote speeches, workshops etc. You can see them all listed with their date and timings and also speakers/panelists. Live sessions will be active during the time, pre-recorded ones can be accessed at any time. Paid sessions can be booked in advance as well.
Each session has a ray of interactive tools to go with it such as live Q/A, Chat room, Polls etc. You can also add personal notes to any session visible only to you.
Network
The Networking area is where all the attendees get to connect with each other. Starting off by selecting the areas of interests, the user will be presented with the best matches to network with.
The user can then view the profiles, start a direct chat or video call. The social links are also available.
