Overview

Austin City Limits (ACL) is one of the largest music festivals in the U.S., attracting over 450,000 attendees annually. While the experience is centered around music and culture, first-time attendees often arrive unprepared, leading to confusion, stress, and a diminished experience.

This conceptual project explores how Spotify could extend its platform to support users beyond music discovery, helping them plan and prepare for live events. I led research, concept development, and end-to-end design.

Problem

First-time ACL attendees feel unprepared due to scattered and inaccessible information, leading to negative first experiences and low return rates.

Users

First-time Austin City Limits attendees are typically:

• Younger (16–21 years old)

• Music listeners

• Generally unfamiliar with the festival logistics

Goal

Create a lightweight, engaging way to prepare users for ACL.

Opportunities

• Information is fragmented across multiple sources (festival site, blogs, social media)

• Preparation is overwhelming, especially for first-time attendees

• Low engagement with traditional guides due to length and format

Design Principals

Before designing, I identified 3 principals to keep in mind throughout the design process

• Meet users where they are - Integrate into an existing platform instead of creating a new app

• Keep it lightweight - Deliver essential information in digestible, quick formats

• Drive action, not just awareness - Help users take meaningful steps

Ideation

I explored different ways to deliver high-value information without overwhelming users.

Early directions included:

• A standalone festival planning app

• A downloadable checklist/guide

• A Spotify-integrated experience

Users are already spending time in Spotify leading up to festivals, making it the most natural and high-traffic entry point.

Design

A Spotify-integrated, story-based festival guide that prepares users in minutes.

Home Page ACL Widget

In the months leading up to the festival, users in relevant locations see an ACL module on their Spotify home screen.

• Contextual and timely

• Discoverable without being intrusive

• Also accessible via search

Story-Based Preparation Flow

Users tap into a short, story-like experience (inspired by Spotify Wrapped and Instagram Stories).

• Tap-through navigation

• Bite-sized tips (hydration, timing, what to wear, budgeting)

• Designed to be completed in under 2–3 minutes

This format reduces friction and increases completion rates compared to traditional guides.

Personalized Planning

At the end of the experience:

• Users receive artist recommendations based on listening history

• Option to generate a personalized ACL playlist

• Encourages immediate engagement and planning

This bridges the gap between viewing information and taking action.