For my project I am going to create a book festival. One of the largest problems with book festivals is the issue that it’s hard to find and purchase tickets to the event. Many people who aren’t as tech savvy (for example the elderly) will need assistance and an easy-to-understand website/app that will support them. This is especially important as for book festivals each event (for example on-stage author events) is paid for and booked individually. So, to solve this problem I will make my website and app informative as well as effective and engaging (usability goals). Another problem regarding my festival is that when in the venue it may be easy to get lost. This is specifically relevant to those who are not used to the location. To fix this problem the app will have an interactive map which contains the location of each event as well as places to buy food and drinks. I also intend to use it in a way that can help groups of people find each other if they get lost, making it accessible and helpful in safety concerns.
Regarding the app and website, there are a lot of common problems for example, a confusing or illegible copy. The platforms must be consistent and easily understandable to keep it accessible (especially for people with dyslexia etc.) Furthermore, it is important to make it easy to navigate through the website and access the tickets through the app for easy access when approaching any event. The user journey is important and “Festivals today use sophisticated technology and maximise their impact through websites, social media, podcasts, live streams and more” (A, Green 2024). I intend to utilise this technology to help my audience have an easier and impactful experience when booking their tickets and finding out more about my festival.
Usability goals are relevant because my platforms will be effective. It will be very informative of the events, yet it will also be a conventional easy to understand website, reminiscent of other book festival websites. Although it will be simple, it will still be engaging and efficient with clear and large fonts and a colour palette that will be consistent throughout all platforms.
Usability goals, brainstorm and problem space mind map –
These are my usability goals and how I aim to achieve them through my website and app.
This is my initial brainstorm about my festival and how to keep it successful and accessible.
This is my problem space mind map, here I brainstormed the potential problems that may occur in my festival, website and app.
References –
Eatingmywords (June 2024) Literary Festivals: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly https://eatingmywords.com.au/literary-festivals-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ (accessed 5th march 2025)
