Houston Philharmonic
My team and I designed a companion app for the Houston Philharmonic with the intention of providing a seamless journey at the symphony and creating an unforgettable experience. Among other pages, I designed and prototyped the seat map with a meetup function and the simulated flower picking experience.
Overview
Timeline
Two and a Half Weeks
Role
Project Manager - Research, Synthesis, Ideation, Wireframing, Visual Design, Branding, Prototyping
Tools
Figma, Figjam
overview
The Houston Philharmonic sought to broaden its audience base by developing a companion app that would engage visitors—particularly younger, first-time attendees—before, during, and after the performance. As part of a cross-functional, globally distributed design team, I was responsible for translating research insights into key features that supported discovery, community building, and delight.
research and synthesis
We conducted comparative analysis of companion apps from other philharmonics such as Los Angeles and St. Louis. We noted significant shortcomings in navigation design and lack of critical information such as seat maps or program guides. In contrast, immersive experience apps geared toward younger demographics showcased step-by-step onboarding and encouraged user interaction with physical spaces, which we sought to incorporate.
Comparative Analysis
Competitive Analysis
We conducted interviews with individuals who had minimal to no experience attending the symphony.. Key takeaways included:
A desire for events that felt inclusive and familiar
Preference for recognizable music (e.g., film/game soundtracks)
A strong emphasis on social interaction and shareability
From these findings, we were able to create the persona of Jane.
Persona of Jane, age 24
problem statement
Jane wants to go to a unique immersive event with her friends (and wants to be sure to get great pictures) but feels intimidated by the symphony and is worried she will feel out of place. Her previous experience at the symphony left her feeling exhausted and bored, so she needs a new and better way of interacting with music.
This problem statement led to three key How Might We’s (HMW) that guided our ideation process:
HMW incorporate social media tie-ins for Frankie’s experience so that she feels like part of a community?
HMW design an interactive feature for Frankie such that she feels engaged and included in the symphony experience?
HMW create a space for Frankie so that she feels welcome at the symphony?
ideation
We then began the process of ideating and developing task flows that addressed user pain points with navigation, accessibility, and interactivity. I wanted to make sure that our users would feel confident knowing how to navigate the symphony, and would be able to easily find any information they want to know about programming.
Key concepts included:
A map page with personalized seat navigation and group meetup coordination
A creative interaction feature allowing users to design bouquets for display
A social feed with themed photo filters and custom emoji reactions
Task Flow for Houston Symphony App
We then individually drew sketches for core functionalities and interactive elements of the app. I drew from personal experience attending immersive exhibits such as TeamLabs in Singapore, I proposed incorporating a creative AR-style element that allowed users to design digital bouquets inspired by the fantasy flower fields of Howl’s Moving Castle. This feature became a pivotal design decision that bridged the classical world with user imagination and play.
Sketches
design
Given the wide scope of the app, our team divided up design responsibilities across time zones (Houston, Saratoga, Hyderabad, London). I designed and prototyped the following core components:
Map Navigation Page: Simulated interactive seat-finding and pin-drop meetup functionality using smart variants in Figma
Interactive Flower Garden: Created tappable flower elements that “animated” into bouquet
Social Media Feed: Styled similar to Instagram, with an added bar of custom emoji reactions to reinforce community participation
In addition to designing and prototyping these features, I helped troubleshoot team collaboration issues by clarifying design expectations and supporting teammates with less Figma experience. Balancing time zone constraints and varying levels of technical fluency required patience, adaptability, and clear communication.
Low-Fi Wireframes
usability testing
We began usability testing by prompting users to report their current interest level in going to a symphony out of 10, with 10 being extremely interested. We then asked to go through the user flow with prompts for each step, and asked them to rate the ease of navigation and intuitiveness of the app out of 10. Finally, we asked for feedback about the design and layout, and asked about their interest level in going to a symphony after using the app.
Initial Findings:
Strong positive response to visual design and interaction concept
Users found the bouquet-building and map features intuitive and enjoyable
However, many reported navigation confusion and uncertainty around next steps
Solutions Implemented:
Added a persistent bottom navigation bar with accent color to indicate the current screen
Integrated written guidance on interactive screens to clarify task completion
Improved hierarchy and visibility of interactive elements
Impact:
After using the app, participants reported a 20% increase in interest in attending a symphony. This result indicates success in addressing the core goal of making the symphony feel accessible and appealing to new audiences.
Hi-Fi Wireframes
key achievements
Translated abstract user desires into tangible, interactive elements that enhance the physical experience of attending a concert
Designed and prototyped three high-impact features with emphasis on accessibility, delight, and community
Improved task clarity and user satisfaction through rapid iteration based on usability testing
Takeaways
Inclusive design requires deep empathy and a willingness to challenge traditional formats
Cross-time-zone collaboration can thrive with structured ownership, clear communication, and flexible support
AR-like experiences can be effectively simulated with Figma’s component system when real-time development isn't feasible
This project demonstrated the power of user-centered design in making high art more inclusive. Through thoughtful research, creative ideation, and persistent collaboration, we were able to reimagine how symphonic experiences can be both culturally rich and joyfully accessible.
