Overview
IQPC goes beyond the traditional event experience to deliver enhanced learning and networking opportunities. The company offers blended digital learning through their extensive library of white papers, infographics, videos, case studies, tailored research and data products to keep their customers ahead of industry. IQPC’s online communities extend networking beyond events to a broader community of over 1 million members. Their unique combination of real world events and digital content provides unrivaled learning and networking opportunities.
Project Requirements
Work with 3rd party app developers to solve branding inconsistencies including correcting portal logos, colors and navigation menus.
The 1st version of the app was tested at a live event, and one of the biggest issues identified was that delegates were not able to identify who within their networks was actually attending the conference and who was not. As a result, they ended up messaging connections who were not at the conference to meet up.
Users / Audience
• Delegates
• Sponsors and Vendors
• Conference Producers
• Conference Marketing Managers
• Sponsors and Vendors
• Conference Producers
• Conference Marketing Managers
Roles and Responsibilities
As the Lead UI/UX Designer on this project, my role was to work with the Product Owner and 3rd Party App Software Developers to gather and understand the overall project requirements, objectives, goals and expectations. Based on my research and understanding of user goals and challenges, using an iterative process, I was then required to create wireframes, interactive prototypes and eventually final, finished and approved prototypes, ready for the 3rd party development team to work with.
UI/UX Design Process / Workflow
Research
Based on user interviews performed by the Product Manager and feedback provided by conference stakeholders from a live event, I tested, analyzed and identified the apps’ primary user experience (UX) issue – delegates were not able to identify who within their networks was actually attending the conference and who was not, leading to delegates sending erroneous meet-up messages to connections who were not in attendance.
I researched and tested other conference apps to determine how they handled this issue. I was unable to find an app with similar functionality and features to those of IQPC’s portal apps – the closest app I found was the Attendify event app which incorporates the ability to manage multiple events, but does not include industry-related content like IQPC’s portal apps. Based on this research, however, I was able to propose solutions to the primary UX issue.
The screenshots below demonstrate the user flow issue – the user is able to access the community portal network from an individual event’s navigation, leading to user confusion since it incorrectly appears that the connection is attending the event.
Brainstorming & Prototyping
On this project, there was no need for me to create wireframes since I already had a working prototype provided by the app developers. After hours spent analyzing the working app, I began designing a prototype that addressed the primary navigation and user journey issue.
End Result
The solution I ultimately proposed to the Product Manager was to give the user a different user experience when in an event versus the community portal experience. The solution I proposed was that, when the user is in the event experience, a different navigation menu should be presented. The user would not have access to the community portal until he/she exits the event section of the app.
Final App Screens
Below are Community Portal Screens
Below are Conference Screens
