UNFINISHED: Crafting a Virtual Festival Experience
Introduction
UNFINISHED is a unique community event that combines elements of festivals, talks, and art. It's a platform for ongoing learning and connection, bringing together diverse people to share ideas, embrace risks, and foster curiosity across various fields and generations.
In 2020, amid the challenges of COVID-19, the UNFINISHED team approached us at Sessions. With traditional in-person events halted, they faced the challenge of shifting to a virtual format. Our task was to leverage this ethos and our digital expertise to recreate UNFINISHED's vibrant, community-focused gatherings in an engaging online environment, ensuring the continuity of its rich, interactive experience in the new virtual landscape.
My role in this project was leading and executing the design of the platform bridging the gap between my creative team, the festival founders and our development team at Sessions.
Research and Analysis
The transition of UNFINISHED to a virtual format presented several challenges, compounded by the organisers' specific requirements. Key among these was the replication of the festival's intimate and interactive atmosphere in an online setting. We faced the task of understanding and maintaining the festival's core elements—community engagement, cultural richness, and interactive experiences—within the constraints of a digital platform.
Our guiding principles centred around three essential points:
- Authenticity: Preserving the festival's true essence and fostering a sense of community and shared experience.
- Interactivity: Maintaining high participant engagement, essential for a festival celebrated for its dynamic and interactive sessions.
- Connection: Crafting a virtual space that not only mirrors the festival's creative spirit but also nurtures the connections and dialogues that define the UNFINISHED experience.
Concept Development
In the concept development phase, we focused on figuring out a sustainable way to create a truly imersive experience. The festival founders' vision of a virtual map mirroring the real-life venue laid the groundwork for our design strategy. This concept was central to creating a sense of familiarity and continuity for the attendees in the new virtual format.
We began exploring how to translate the festival's physical elements and interactions into the digital realm, while also considering the opportunities to enhance the festival experience with new virtual features. The challenge was to find the right balance between replicating the physical festival atmosphere and leveraging the possibilities of digital innovation.
This phase set the stage for the detailed design work that would follow, where we would bring these concepts to life in three distinct design areas: the virtual map, the live event interface, and enhancing personal connections.
Design
Virtual Map
In designing the virtual map for the UNFINISHED festival, we focused on it serving not just as a replica of the physical venue but also as the main navigation tool for the virtual event.
Our goal was to keep the user interface minimalistic, allowing users to focus primarily on the content and activities of the festival. This approach necessitated a design that was intuitive and easy to navigate, ensuring that attendees could effortlessly explore different areas and events within the virtual space.
The map, therefore, was crafted to be both a visual guide and a functional element, enhancing the overall user experience by guiding participants through the virtual festival's diverse offerings.
Live Event
One of the goals for the live event page was to replicate the idea of a seated audience. Building on the same theme as the map, we wanted to make this page feeling like you would literally enter a room on the festival venue.
Our solution was a horizontal split-screen interface balancing the speaker’s video stream with attendee interaction. This design aimed to foster a sense of community and participation among users, replicating the feeling of being part of a live, engaged audience.
A critical component of this interface was the integration of real-time reactions. This feature allowed attendees to interact and respond to the event as it unfolded, further enhancing the communal and interactive essence of the festival. By prioritising attendee engagement and interaction, this interface played a crucial role in bringing the dynamic and collaborative spirit of the UNFINISHED festival into the virtual domain. Also confirmed by the engagement rates we saw during the festival and the feedback we received afterwards.
Enhancing Personal Connections
The design challenge of enhancing personal connections in the virtual UNFINISHED festival led to innovative features aimed at replicating the intimate and communal atmosphere of the live event. Central to this was the onboarding process, where we introduced a mandatory selfie requirement. This decision, while bold, was aimed at bringing a more personal and real-life element to the virtual interactions. The approach was well-received by attendees, fostering a sense of familiarity and community.
Beyond the onboarding, we designed the app to allow attendees to see who else was watching the same content, from any page, fostering a feeling of shared experience and encouraging interactions. Additionally, we integrated a 'networking room' where participants could engage in spontaneous conversations with up to three others, mimicking the serendipitous social interactions of a physical festival. These features collectively enhanced the sense of community and personal connection, key aspects of the UNFINISHED festival's ethos.
Development
The development phase presented significant challenges, particularly in integrating the intricate graphic elements and ensuring their responsiveness across various devices. A major focus was the virtual map, which we developed layer by layer in close collaboration with the development team. This meticulous process involved translating the static map design into a dynamic, interactive experience, adaptable to different screen sizes and user interactions.
In addition to the technical complexities of the map, each page of the app was meticulously designed to serve a specific purpose, catering to the diverse range of content that the festival offered. This included interactive live events, experimental art exhibitions, and live workshops. The unique nature of these offerings meant that the app had to be tailored around the existing content, ensuring that each feature enhanced the user's experience of these diverse activities.
Outcome
Our transition of the UNFINISHED festival to a virtual platform not only preserved its essence but also marked several concrete successes. Firstly, we saw a surge in attendance, surpassing the numbers from the in-person events. This wider reach brought together a global audience, creating a space for connection during a time when physical meet-ups were no longer feasible.
Both speakers and attendees provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, appreciating the platform's ability to foster genuine interactions. This success was echoed in extensive press coverage, highlighting the festival's innovative approach to virtual gatherings.
Originally envisioned as a one-time solution, the platform has since evolved into a continually used space, attracting thousands of users annually. The decision by the festival founders to maintain this virtual version has extended the festival's reach and impact in the subsequent years, making it a lasting testament to adaptability and community connection.
Press articles:
Reflection and Learnings
Reflecting on the transformation of the UNFINISHED festival into a virtual experience, I've gathered some key insights that were particularly impactful:
- The Power of Team Collaboration: This project reinforced the importance of teamwork. The success we achieved was a direct result of the collective effort and trust within our team. It highlighted that when you have a reliable team, pushing boundaries becomes not just feasible but rewarding.
- Embracing Digital Possibilities: The project was a testament to the potential of digital platforms in transcending physical limitations. It taught us that while technology is a tool, its effective use can create experiences that are deeply human and connective.
- Human-Centric Approach: Despite the digital format, the core of our success lay in maintaining the human element. This experience underscored the importance of designing with empathy and a focus on fostering genuine human connections.
- Learning Through Challenges: The technical hurdles we encountered, while daunting, were invaluable learning opportunities. They pushed us to think creatively and develop solutions that were not just functional but also enriched the user experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the UNFINISHED festival project was more than a design and development challenge; it was a journey in understanding the evolving nature of events and community engagement. It reinforced the idea that the essence of any gathering, physical or digital, is inherently human.