Design Thinking is all about putting the user at the center of every solution, designing an end-product that caters to their needs. While this sometimes means developing a project from its inception to its materialization, it can also mean re-examining the effectiveness of a pre-existing “product”.
For example, there is a new monthly subscription service is looking to shake up the entertainment industry. Moviepass is a service that allows the user to see as many films as they want for a flat rate of $9.95 a month. Considering the average cost of a movie ticket in the U.S. is around $9.00, this is a shockingly low price point. Moviepass can maintain this offering because their business is built on so much more than ticket sales.
Moviepass is also in the business of selling data. They use the location of the movie theatre you purchased a ticket to, and coordinate with surrounding businesses to make suggestions that could be valuable to the user. This may mean the app suggests a restaurant down the street from the theatre that will give you a free appetizer if you show them your ticket. These small perks will enhance the experience around going to the movies.
The Moviepass model is not the first mobile based ticket delivery system, nor is it the first flat rate subscription “all you can use” service model. However, Moviepass looked at the current “experience” around a night out at the theatre, and worked to make it more cohesive. They identified two key elements of a movie night that they could enhance: the actual cost of the movie and the entertainment value of the evening. They then worked to actively address those two components and deliver an improved experience.
There have been some reports with customer service issues since membership has skyrocketed, however, Moviepass has said they are actively working to resolve these problems. The purpose of this example is to focus on the methodology and the innovative idea, not necessarily endorse the delivery.
Design Thinking challenges you to think about why a service exists in its current format, what about that delivery is less than satisfactory, and how you can work to enhance the end solution. Our team at ClearObject is dedicated to helping your organization examine their processes and products to ensure end user engagement and satisfaction. Contact our team today to learn more.