SAFE SPACE
A secure platform for buying and selling tickets within a trusted EDM community
Free from fraud, scammers & scalpers
My Role
UX Designer
Project Type
Case Study
Background
The electronic dance music community faces a worldwide growing challenge with ticket fraud and scalping, where scammers and bots exploit social media platforms to target unsuspecting fans. This not only creates financial loss but also robs fans of the chance to attend their favourite events, causing frustration and mistrust within the community
The Problem
Event attendees often fall victim to scams during ticket transfers, resulting in financial losses, missed experiences, and mistrust in transactions
The Vision
SafeSpace reduces scams by verifying transactions to ensure a seamless and
worry-free ticketing experience
Research Phase 🧐
What are other platforms doing right? … and wrong?
SWOT Analysis
Who We’re Designing For
I’ve created two main users that SafeSpace would be tailored towards. Although slightly different personas, they share one goal: to fully immerse themselves in the event experience without the fear of ticket scams or fraud
A Google Form survey was created and shared with members of the Toronto Rave Community Facebook Group, including local DJs, event organizers, event attendees and friends. 11 responses were collected which offered valuable insights into the most significant pain points and desires within this niche
User Surveys
The survey touched on more general aspects of this niche, such as event discovery & community building—areas I was originally interested in exploring… However, after receiving a pattern of responses highlighting challenges with ticket transfers, I knew I had to shift my project's vision to address this pressing issue
Ticket-related difficulties (6/11) emerged as the top pain point for EDM fans when it comes to finding and attending events
While artist lineup is the main motivator, venue (5/11) and ticket price (5/11) are significant factors influencing event attendance
Scammers and fraud are a consistent complaint when it comes to using existing ticketing platforms and social media
User Interviews
To gain more insight on the ticket transfer dilemma, I conducted open-ended remote interviews with 11 event goers within the community, gathering more insights around ticketing challenges and emotional experiences. My top findings included:
100% of users rely on social media for event discovery, but many lack trust in secondary ticket markets
64% reported feeling anxious about ticket transfers, which affected their overall excitement for event
45% of users have been scammed in the past from an online ticket transfer
The main pain points identified were ticket fraud & difficulties with ticket transfers, primarily occurring in WhatsApp group chats. Participants frequently encounter scams and counterfeit tickets, highlighting the need for a secure ticket transfer platform
What Event Goers Are Saying
“I’ve been scammed twice in the past — they would take my e-transfer and then just disappear when I ask them to send the ticket. It’s the most heart-wrenching feeling when you realize you’ve been ghosted and there’s nothing you can do”
- Participant #4 Facebook Page Member)
“If I buy a ticket from somebody else, I don’t feel fully excited for the event until I’ve scanned my ticket at the door. Until then, there’s always this anxiety leading up to the event that it won’t work”
- Participant #9 (Whatsapp Group Chat Member)
Let’s put it in a story…
To put this research into some context, I visualized two main situations in which SafeSpace could be used by the user
Scenario 1: THE BUYER" Jen had last minute plans to attend a show, however it is now sold out. She pulls out her new SafeSpace app, verifies her profile and joins her local community group. She finds someone selling a ticket, and seamlessly makes a transfer with a verified user. She successfully secures her ticket and is now excited to attend!
Scenario 2: THE SELLER: Gordon spent $150 on a ticket to a show that he can no longer attend, as he travels for work quite frequently. He needs to sell his ticket, so he he finds the new platform through a quick Google search, creates a verified profile and puts the ticket up for grabs. Someone bought his ticket and he successfully got his money back while also joining a local community chat that he can now connect with in the future
Turning Problems
into Solutions
I conducted a brainstorming activity starting from my core problem statement to help me develop an impactful HMW statement. Breaking the process into steps allowed me to analyze the problem in depth and incrementally refine potential solutions. The goal was to ensure the HMW statement was not only specific but also actionable, to serve as a strong foundation for ideation
How might we eliminate the risk of ticket scams in the buy/resale process to create a secure and safe place for event-goers?
Project Roadmapping 📍
What AI features do we prioritize?
There is a need for safe and trusted transactions within the community
… But where do we start?!
With a flood of ideas and endless possibilities, the most strategic approach was to apply the DVF Framework. By evaluating the 3 key pillars of a successful product—desirability, viability, and feasibility—I identified which features would have the most significant impact
User Flows
Let’s walk through a first-time user’s journey with SafeSpace…
Wireframe Time!
Sketching unlocks creative insights
While the main focus of this project is account creation and verification flow, I lightly explored the buy and sell flows to provide broader context and align with my overall vision for the app
These sketches served as the foundation for refining and iterating the design
Low Fidelity Wireframes 📝
Low-fidelity: sign-up and account creation
Low-fidelity: posting a ticket listing (buy)
Low-fidelity: posting a ticket listing (sell)
Medium Fidelity Wireframes 📝
After exploring multiple screens, I narrowed my focus to design for what’s currently my top priority (the app’s primary value proposition):
Creating a verified account where the face scan matches the uploaded government-issued ID(s)
User Testing 👥
Some quick tweaks were made…
After conducting testing on 9 users and gathering insightful feedback, I decided to make the following minor changes:
Combine email & password input fields into 1 single screen
Why? To improve task efficiency by reducing unnecessary clicks
2. Simplify selection lists to automatically progress to face scan
Why? To create a more intuitive user flow by eliminating redundant actions & cognitive load
Polishing
High Fidelity Screens
Usability Testing 📊
What the results tell us…
I conducted testing with 9 users to evaluate the efficiency and ease of SafeSpace's account verification process. Users were guided through two key steps of the flow:
Account Creation: Users were asked to sign up using the app's onboarding flow. I observed their interactions during the sign-up flow, noting any hesitations or confusion
Verification Process: Users had to upload a government ID followed by performing a Face ID scan. I monitored how easily they navigated these steps, identifying any technical difficulties or misclicks
User Task Success Metrics
88%
of users felt confident in account security measures
77%
of users successfully created a verified account
88%
of users rate the sign up process as easy
Iterations 🛠️
Some room for improvements
The 33% error rate observed in the graph above during user testing was relatively low but highlighted opportunities to enhance the account creation process for a more seamless and intuitive experience. Most missteps occurred on the Face Scan and ID upload screens due to insufficient user feedback
To address this, I introduced real-time guidance during the ID and face scans, shown in the mockup below. These small but impactful additions are designed to reduce error and provide users with feedback for a smoother, more confident verification process
Prototype 📱
Safe Space in action
Walk through of the polished account creation flow with iterations and revisions
What’s next for the design of Safe Space?
Now that the main user flow is tackled, I’ve briefly envisioned future design directions to continue building on SafeSpace’s mission
Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come…
A “Create a Listing” screen for users to seamlessly list their tickets, ensuring all transactions are verified and transparent
A “User Profile” screen showcasing verification badges and transaction history, reinforcing trust among community members
Potentially broadening the niche to all genres and events (concerts, sports games, festivals, etc.)
This case study was a reminder that design is not linear. What started as my vision for a community-based EDM app with event ratings and reviews completely shifted once I dove deeper into my research. After conducting surveys and interviews, I realized the real issue wasn’t event discovery—it was ticketing challenges. That insight led me to redefine the problem and pivot toward solving what users actually needed
By embracing the back-and-forth nature of UX design—jumping between research, ideation, and testing—I learned how important it is to prioritize. While community features could be valuable down the line, focusing on secure ticket transactions felt like the right move for right now
This project drove home that user needs should always guide design decisions, even if it means rethinking your original vision. Staying flexible and open to new insights allowed me to create something with real potential to make a difference for event-goers!
The power of staying flexible
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