OS: Event Hosting

Removing barriers to hosting quality events by simplifying event setup, venue coordination through direct host-to-venue connections.

problem

At the time, OS was fulfilling its goal of connecting like-minded people over shared meals and meaningful connections, however, as the platform grew, user feedback and analytics revealed a consistent pain point for hosts during the event creation process. This presented an opportunity to improve the experience by allowing hosts to connect venues directly to their events, reducing friction and supporting a more seamless planning flow.

solution

This was a rewarding project to contribute to, and I believe it has the potential to become a global player. The features and journey refinements we introduced improved the overall experience of the initial release and were met with positive feedback from users. (Ongoing updates and bug fixes are still in progress).

Certain areas were identified to enhance the platform’s overall experience, communication, verification, and growth.

RESEARCH

1-on-1 user interviews we noticed that our primary user (Hosts) were encountering certain pain points in relation to event creation.
Feedback from key external stakeholders within the OS ecosystem highlighted an opportunity to include their services onto
the platform.
Business requirements focused our attention on new revenue streams by providing additional payment structures for first-time & aspiring hosts.

Outcome 01a

Reducing cognitive load by guiding hosts through a clearer event setup.

Feedback from hosts and an internal design audit revealed that the event creation process felt overwhelming, that made the overall experience and process tiresome.
Using the principle of progressive disclosure, we broke the process into smaller, related steps and introduced a clear status indicator to help hosts track their progress.

You can tap any of the screens to view the full animated journey.

Outcome 01b

Empowering hosting through business connections

Based on the data accumulated we aimed to alleviate task-heavy responsibilities by introducing venues to the platform. This allows hosts to focus on the core aspects of a gathering, thereby reducing any friction caused by lack of support.

Outcome 02

Created opportunities for venue adoption into the ecosystem.

Adding official venue profiles doesn’t only benefit ‘hosts’ but allows new business opportunities for venues looking to either enter into the marketplace or expand their current foot print.

More importantly, for the platform in general, by adding official venues an additional layer of security allows peace of mind for all users involved.

Important to note:
The platform still allows hosts to use off-platform venues to allow for greater autonomy.

Outcome 03

Explored new payment options for when hosts get paid.

Whilst not initially a primary feature, adding an option for ‘partial payments’ became more obvious as the idea developed.
This new feature is double edged, allowing for growth opportunities to an existing revenue stream, as well as promoting equitable business practices that empower entrepreneurs.