Overview
Founded in 1974, Landmark Theatres is a U.S. movie chain known for its diverse film selection, from mainstream releases to independent and foreign cinema. With 35 theaters and 178 screens in 24 markets, it has carved out a unique niche in the industry.
Problem
Despite its rich legacy, Landmark struggles to compete with larger chains like AMC and Regal due to its smaller scale, limited marketing, and outdated digital presence, especially its non-functional website and app. This weakens customer engagement and reduces visit frequency.
Role
Product Designer
Skills
User Research
Interaction Design
Visual Design
Design Systems
Prototype
01
What is wrong with Landmark's mobile app?
The outdated, impractical, and confusing mobile app, which frequently doesn't work, makes it challenging for customers to buy tickets and enjoy their experience, discouraging them from choosing Landmark over other theaters.
40%
of customers purchased movie tickets online via websites or mobile apps.
30%
of AMC's total online sales were through mobile.
45%
of Atom's ticket purchases were made though mobile.
Landmark's mobile app before
The mobile version of the website
Key issues
02
Market research
Based on this competitor audit, Landmark Theatre should develop a user-friendly mobile app with easy ticketing, loyalty integration, and personalized recommendations. Improving app performance and stability can also set it apart from competitors.
03
Who is our customer?
By understanding Landmark's target audience, we can tailor its mobile app to meet the specific needs and preferences of these user groups. This includes offering a user-friendly interface, personalized movie recommendations, and exclusive content.
04
Why aren’t they buying tickets?
Misleading information, inefficient navigation, the need for external sources for movie ratings, a very complex purchase process, and outdated payment options all annoy our customers and degrade the user experience. Existing user journey:
01
Defining key changes
After researching competitors, the market, and users, we identified and prioritized key changes. The discovery phase revealed gaps in Landmark Theatres’ app, and addressing these issues will improve the user experience across their app.
02
Creating a user flow
Providing a logical progression of steps and offering essential features at each stage.
03
Exploring homepage layouts
My goal was to create a unique and innovative homepage design by experimenting with unusual layouts and testing them with five design partners.
04
Low-fidelity prototypes
Exploring ways for users to easily select a movie, theater, and showtime from the main page. To streamline booking, the second page combines the seating map with showtimes, reducing back-and-forth navigation.
05
Testing and iteration
After completing the low-fidelity wireframes for the main user flow, I conducted a second round of user testing with the same five participants.
Most users know their movie and showtime in advance
4/5 already know when they want to go;
2/5 just want quick ticket access.
Speed matters
3/5 want a faster checkout but missed the "Today" button, which was changed to "SHOW MORE" for clarity.
Positive feedback on design
4/5 liked the homepage layout and larger movie posters.
Seat map usability concerns
Some found scrolling cumbersome.
Feature requests:
Saved payment info, iCalendar integration, accessibility details, and actor images.
The solution
A sleek, modern interface with neon accents to make browsing movies more engaging.
Users can create accounts to save payment details, set notifications, and access theater information.
Digital tickets eliminate the need for printing, with easy refunds available. Plus, a free birthday ticket adds a special touch.
NEW MENU
Main flow
A new, direct, and simple ticket purchasing process will guide our movie enthusiasts through the steps without discouraging them from visiting the cinema. Meanwhile, we upgraded functionality and added features like Wallet and Calendar ticket integration, Venmo, PayPal, ApplePay support, and a more eye-catching design.
Reflections
Mobile application development can be complex and overwhelming. That is why I took into consideration the input of engineers to maintain a balance between functionality and aesthetics. I ensured that the design was both visually appealing and technically feasible.
The Landmark Theatres redesign was done for study purposes only and was not intended for implementation. The redesign contains ideas that I would like Landmark Theatres to consider to make their mobile app more interesting, beautiful, and easy to use.