FestiFlow
UX Research Case Study
The Project
UX for getting lost – on purpose.
FestiFlow is a mobile first experience designed to help festival-goers stay oriented and grounded during large, overwhelming events.
Designed for large-scale festivals with multiple stages, workshops, and activities.
Balances real-time orientation and flow-state planning, informed by emotional and cognitive user needs.
Platform
App Development
Tools
Xd | Ps | Ai | Miro
Timline
2021
Festival-goers are often overwhelmed by the size, noise, and overload of information at multi-day events
Create a fun, supportive app that helps people plan, orient, and discover without
missing the moment
• Interactive map with live updates
• Personalized lineup builder + real-time reminders
• “Falop Mode” for when users need a break
• Discover feed for spontaneous adventures
The app helped users move through the festival with ease, follow their personal schedule, and stay focused on what mattered most. It reduced stress and distractions, making it easier to enjoy the moment and connect with the experience
Problems
Where am I
Festival-goers felt lost and disoriented in large, crowded environments
Too much happening
The overload of performances, workshops, and offers made it hard to choose what to do
I keep missing things I care about
Users often missed favorite shows or sessions due to poor time tracking
Too much happening
The overload of performances, workshops, and offers made it hard to choose what to do
Insights & Solutions
A real-time interactive map
live location, clear zones, and intuitive orientation features
Algorithms and machine learning
Personalized daily schedules and filters to highlight only what interests the user
Stay on Track, Effortlessly
Smart notifications and reminders synced to the user’s custom plan
Designed to Let Go
Subtle nudges to put the phone down once users arrive, plus a calm “soft mode” for when things feel a little too much.
Research Methods
The Survey
The survey was conducted on Google Forms and answered by 65 people and measured in percentages.
Quotes from the survey
“I don’t know how much using the phone would have helped because I want to disconnect
At the same time, I would like to try using it, it is useful to know when the lineups and events are that is interesting to me are happening”
Personas
Alice| 26 | Berlin
Digital nomad on her first summer of travel; coming with friends, but loves solo exploration.
Feels excited and overstimulated at large festivals, easily gets lost in the crowd.
Wants to experience as much as possible without constantly checking her phone.
Jane | 34 | Tel Aviv
Busy marketing manager who uses festivals to recharge.
Loves to plan her day in advance but often struggles to stay oriented on-site.
Tech-savvy, organized, and looking for a seamless way to enjoy without logistical stress.
User Scenario 1 - Alice’s Journey with FestiFlow
Downloads FestiFlow to stay oriented and create a personal schedule.
Builds a custom plan with her favorite performances and workshops.
Receives real-time reminders and directions when it’s time to move.
Uses “Explore Mode” to discover spontaneous activities throughout the day.
Arrives at a stage, gets a pop-up nudge to disconnect, and dives into the moment.
User Scenario 2 - Jane’s Planned Yet Playful Experience
Downloads the app to pre-plan her full schedule and explore workshops.
Uses the live map to locate key spots like her tent and preferred stages.
Follows smart navigation based on her customized route.
Gets curated suggestions and reminders to explore or unwind.
Stays fully present, with prompts that help her step back from the screen and into the moment.
Usability Testing & Feedback Analysis
To validate early concepts, we used hand-drawn sketches and storyboards to simulate core moments: finding a stage, taking a break, or meeting a friend.
We tested these with 12 potential users through short interviews and guided tasks.
What We Tested:
Navigating a large festival map and locating friends
Creating and managing a personalized event schedule
Handling overstimulation and searching for quiet zones
Discovering spontaneous opportunities during downtime
Key Findings:
- Users gravitated toward personalization and peace-of-mind features, such as scheduled reminders and chill-zone prompts
- Several participants expressed difficulty understanding the concept of “soft mode” without a clear trigger or context
People were excited about the “Inspire Me” idea, but didn’t naturally know when or why to use it
Post-Test Improvements:
- Developed clearer onboarding explanations for “soft mode” and inspiration prompts
- Refined event flow structure to better align with how users mentally map their festival experience (arrival > planning > wandering > downtime > regroup)
Simplified language in all feature descriptions to reduce friction in decision-making moments
Impact:
- Participants reported feeling more in control and less overwhelmed, even with only sketches and verbal cues
- Several users mentioned the emotional comfort of a tool that “understands the festival from a human perspective”
Early validation of concept-market fit before investing in full UI
Wireframes
Manual screen drawing
Flow 1 - Build Your Festival Schedule
Objective: Help users create a personalized daily lineup that syncs with live event times.
Festival Selection – User selects the festival they’re attending from a list or search.
Explore Events – Browses performances, workshops, and talks by interest or category.
Add to My Flow – Taps “Add to Schedule” to build their daily plan.
Live Syncing – App tracks time and location, updating users on what’s next.
Smart Reminders – Sends push notifications shortly before each selected event starts.
Flow 2 - Navigate to a Stage or Activity
Objective: Provide smooth spatial orientation across the festival site while helping users decide where to go.
Tap a Stage or Activity – From the map or schedule, user taps the desired location.
View Now & Next – Sees who’s playing now and upcoming acts.
Live Video Preview – User can tap to see a short live feed of the stage to gauge the vibe.
Route Displayed – App shows the walking route from user’s current location.
Live Map View – Map updates in real time as the user moves.
Arrival Popup – Once nearby, a pop-up gently invites the user to put away the phone and enjoy the show.
Flow 3 - Reset with Falup Mode
Objective: Help users cope with overstimulation and find grounding.
Activate Falup Mode – User taps a calming icon on the home or map screen.
Visual Shift – App switches to a softer color palette and minimalist layout.
Self-Regulation Tips – Short, supportive advice is displayed (breathing, hydration, etc).
Chill Zone Locator – Map highlights quiet spaces and shade areas nearby.
Exit Anytime – User can switch back to full mode when ready.
UX Architecture & Feature Strategy
A mobile-first tool designed to reduce friction, support orientation, and create calm in chaotic environments.
mobile Application
Spatial Awareness Support: A map-based experience combining live positioning with contextual overlays (lineups, chill zones, offers).
Personalized Scheduling: Pre-plan your day with favorites, reminders, and area-based filtering to reduce overwhelm.
Live Stage Preview: See what’s happening now (and next), view live video, and navigate directly there.
Explore & Inspire Mode: Tap “Inspire Me” to discover spontaneous options nearby.
Overstimulation Relief: A low-stimulation “Soft Mode” allowed users to down-regulate when needed, supporting emotional well-being.
Impact & Outcomes
Helped users orient themselves and confidently navigate large, often confusing festival grounds.
Supported pre-event planning, reducing cognitive overload and decision fatigue during the festival.
Encouraged mindful participation through gentle nudges and calming features.
Increased user satisfaction and word-of-mouth engagement due to smoother, more intentional experiences.
Conclusion
FestiFlow wasn’t built just to digitize the festival – it was designed to help people feel less lost and more present.
FestiFlow’s design was driven by emotional and situational needs uncovered in early research.
By testing real-life scenarios and refining based on user behavior and feedback, we shaped a system that reduces cognitive load, improves orientation, and supports users through overstimulating environments.
