As Lead Mobility Design consultant through Telstra Purple, I led my team in developing native iOS and Android apps for Marvel Stadium's 2 million+ annual visitors. The goal was to smooth out the entire event-day experience, from arrival to departure.
The challenge
The stadium hosts a diverse range of events, from sporting matches to concerts, each presenting unique logistical challenges. Through our initial research, we identified that visitors struggled with three main areas: planning their visit, navigating the venue, and accessing services during events. This impacted overall fan satisfaction and operational flow.
My role and design approach
I drove the design strategy, execution and delivery with a human-centred, iterative approach.
I ran user research and usability testing with diverse visitor segments to identify pain points in parking, wayfinding, and in-stadium services. From there, I set up a virtual design-studio space, a compressed version of a design sprint - to bring product, engineering, and stakeholders together. This let us rapidly explore solutions, prototype concepts, and align on designs while balancing user needs, technical feasibility, and business goals.
I also worked closely with Apple and Google teams to take advantage of platform-specific features like notifications, geofencing, and mobile payments. Coordinating with stadium vendors was equally important to make sure services were properly integrated. Alongside this, I led the development of a design system covering both iOS and Android, which kept the experience consistent and sped up development.
Outcomes
At launch, the apps gave visitors a way to plan visits, pre-book parking, navigate the venue, access offers, and use a digital wallet for vouchers, all in one place.
The project also laid groundwork for future digital work at the stadium, including early explorations of AI chatbots and AR wayfinding. My team helped define this roadmap, positioning the apps at the centre of the stadium's digital strategy. Strong adoption and positive feedback from the stadium team led to Telstra Purple securing further work in the sports and entertainment space.
Testimonials
"Working with Telstra Purple as our development partner, we delivered these features while maintaining a focus on user experience and technical reliability. The app has helped create a more connected stadium experience, serving visitors across Melbourne and other Australian states." - Alex K, Stadium Manager, Digital.
"The app has been a value add for our visitors, making it easier for them to plan their visit, navigate the stadium, and access services during events. We've seen a significant increase in app downloads and usage since its launch." - Mel C, Marketing Manager.