The Infatuation’s EEEEEATSCON Presented by Chase Sapphire® Gated Ticketing Platform
Client
Chase + The Infatuation
1.
My Role
End-to-End Design, Strategy, Systems Thinking, Prototyping, Delivery
2.
Team
Product Manager, Developer, Client Stakeholders
1. Problem
As EEEEEATSCON expanded to new cities, Chase Sapphire and The Infatuation needed a secure, cardholder-only ticketing system that could manage high traffic, verify eligibility, and maintain strict brand standards. Existing tools could not validate Chase cardholders at scale or support the seamless experience users expected across mobile and desktop.
The challenge was to design a premium, frictionless ticketing platform that reflected Chase Sapphire’s trusted identity while staying secure, intuitive, and scalable across multiple festivals and cities.
Built for speed, exclusivity, and compliance, the platform verified Chase cardholder eligibility in real time, supported multi-tier ticketing, and delivered a fully branded checkout flow aligned with The Infatuation’s tone and Chase Sapphire’s design system. The result had to feel effortless for users while managing complex logic in the background.
The platform had to:
1.
Verify Chase cardholders via secure, API-driven validation at the start of the journey
Manage gated access and ticket eligibility with tiered ticketing, perks, limits, and access rules for verified users
2. Discovery
To guide design decisions, I combined qualitative interviews, attendee survey data, and behavioral analytics from previous EEEEEATSCON events. The goal was to understand how Chase Sapphire cardholders, early access guests, and general attendees interacted with the ticketing experience and where friction emerged.
Insights showed that Chase users prioritized speed, clarity, and trust, while Chase and The Infatuation emphasized security, compliance, and brand alignment. These findings shaped the foundation for a scalable system that could support verification logic, edge cases, and mobile-first purchasing.
Opportunities Ven Diagram
User needs, business goals, and technical feasibility overlapped to define the central opportunity.
• Users wanted clear access, understanding, and exclusive cardholder perks
Business goals focused on brand visibility, measurable engagement, and strong KPIs
Technical feasibility was supported through a ZippyReg gated flow, Google Analytics, and a custom-built experience
Their intersection created space for a fast, gated, and frictionless purchase journey
These aligned priorities established a scalable direction with clarity and long-term impact
3. Define & Refine
Research findings informed a unified framework that connected user needs, security requirements, and technical feasibility. I mapped the complete ticketing journey, from Chase verification through confirmation, to illustrate how each system interacted across Chase APIs, The Infatuation’s CMS, and event registration tools.
The Information Architecture diagram below visualizes this journey and highlights how users move through verification, payment, and confirmation. It also includes alternate paths for expired cards, invalid codes, and non-member access, which helped identify points of friction and guided improvements to validation and messaging.
Building on these foundations, the Digital Ecosystem map expanded the view to show how Chase, The Infatuation, and vendor platforms worked together across the entire ticketing experience. By visualizing every touchpoint from discovery to post-event engagement, it ensured alignment across teams, clarified system dependencies, and supported future scalability.
This phase focused on information architecture, edge case planning, and cross-team alignment. Visualizing these systems early helped uncover dependencies between teams and ensured that logic, error handling, and messaging remained consistent across all platforms and devices.
Iterating & Reframing
As we tested early versions of the gated ticketing flow, user behavior showed that security and ease of use were not yet aligned. Real Chase cardholders struggled with multiple verification steps and unclear error states, which surfaced opportunities to simplify validation and reduce cognitive load. Feedback from product, legal, and engineering helped reshape messaging to ensure both compliance and clarity.
Each iteration focused on removing friction without compromising exclusivity. By reframing the challenge around trust and speed, we evolved the flow into a more intuitive and secure experience for every cardholder.
Entry Access Code
We tested placing the Chase access code at the very beginning of the flow. Users felt blocked before they could even see tickets, which created early uncertainty. We moved validation deeper into the journey so users first discovered presale access benefits, which strengthened exclusivity and reduced early drop-off.
Voluntary Survey
We explored a short survey before checkout to better understand users. Testing showed it caused friction and felt like a required step. We moved optional questions to the confirmation page where intent was clearer and better aligned with user expectations.
4. Shipped Design
The design phase translated research insights into a cohesive, scalable system that balanced clarity, security, and brand alignment. Using a modular design approach, I created flexible, component-based layouts supporting ticketing, verification, and checkout flows while maintaining cross-platform consistency across mobile and desktop.
Each screen was designed to feel fast and intuitive, guiding users from verification to purchase with minimal friction. Layouts prioritized information hierarchy, legibility, and validation logic, surfacing essential details like event selection, card verification, and confirmation at a glance. Consistent interaction patterns reinforced system reliability, accessibility, and performance.
Ticketing
Gated ticketing
Payments
Purhcase confirmation
Confirmation
5. Delivered & Validated
1.
Usability Feedback
Internal and external testing highlighted friction points from fresh perspectives. Updates to hierarchy, labels, and timing increased clarity, confidence, and overall flow efficiency.
Version 1: Code required before viewing tickets
3.
3.
2.
2.
Turning secure access into a seamless ticketing experience.
Access Validation
Interactive prototypes validated the secure access flow, confirming how users entered and verified Chase codes. Iterations improved error handling, clarified field behavior, and prevented failed or duplicate submissions.
Repeated access code attempts
Early abandonment due to eligibility confusion
Users were asked to enter an access code before seeing ticket tiers or event details. With no visible context or value, many hesitated or abandoned early, especially after invalid attempts.
Result:
Early gating reduced motivation and created uncertainty about what the code would unlock, ultimately lowering overall user confidence and clarity.
Ticket Details Visibility: Improving decision speed and confidence
Version 1: Minimal Ticket Information
Sparse labels and limited detail made it difficult for users to compare options, increasing uncertainty. This led to hesitation and slower progression across multiple decision points.
Result:
Lack of clarity created friction and made users second-guess their selections during key steps, adding unnecessary cognitive load.
Funnel Analysis: Identified major friction points in validation, selection, and checkout.
Information Architecture (Ticket Path)
Outlines the gated ticketing flow for Chase Sapphire cardholders. It shows how users move from entry through verification, payment, and confirmation while capturing key error states. Mapping these paths clarified system logic and ensured a secure, reliable, and intuitive purchase experience.
Digital Ecosystem
Maps how users interact across the full ticketing ecosystem. It connects The Infatuation, Chase systems, and vendor platforms into one unified flow, showing how data and communication move from discovery to post-event engagement. Visualizing these touchpoints aligned teams, supported compliance, and created a scalable framework for future EEEEEATSCON activations.
Ticket tiers
We tested placing the Chase access code at the very beginning of the flow. Users felt blocked before they could even see tickets, which created early uncertainty. We moved validation deeper into the journey so users first discovered presale access benefits, which strengthened exclusivity and reduced early drop-off.
Editorial Promotion
We explored a short survey before checkout to better understand users. Testing showed it caused friction and felt like a required step. We moved optional questions to the confirmation page where intent was clearer and better aligned with user expectations.
Payment Details + Basket
Can’t find your ticket + Digital ticket
6. Measured Impact
The gated platform proved its impact across devices, improving validation success rates, reducing drop-offs, and minimizing support requests.
The result was a seamless, trustworthy purchase experience for users and a secure, scalable system for Chase and The Infatuation.
60% fewer customer service inquiries
Order summary exits
Second-guessing before payment
3.
Handle errors and exceptions gracefully through clear, on-brand messaging across all states
6. Final Reflection
EEEEEATSCON continues to grow across New York, LA, Chicago, and Miami, with international expansion on the horizon. The gated platform now supports all Chase Sapphire ticketed experiences for The Infatuation’s EEEEEATSCON festivals and is built to scale.
This project reinforced how designing for trust and exclusivity requires balancing security, clarity, and performance. Creating a system that felt effortless for users while maintaining strict validation and compliance standards showed that scalable UX is not only about accessibility but also about confidence. Every interaction, from access to checkout, became an opportunity to turn complexity into clarity and strengthen the brand’s credibility.
Stakeholders said “Confident but invisible”
Defined three user personas by combining qualitative interviews, attendee survey data, and behavioral analytics from past EEEEEATSCON events. Each persona captured distinct motivations, pain points, and purchasing behaviors, from early access enthusiasts to last-minute planners. These insights shaped the site architecture, content strategy, and feature prioritization across mobile and desktop, ensuring the experience supported the needs of every audience segment.
Chase Member – The Access-Oriented Planner
Market Positioning
Shows where the Gated Ticketing Platform sits within the broader ticketing landscape.
Positioned within the premium national category for exclusive credit card access
Delivers national reach paired with a gated, secure purchase experience
Stands apart from local or open platforms that offer minimal exclusivity
Integrates loyalty, brand activation, and security at scale
Strengthens Chase Sapphire’s position as a provider of exclusive, high-value experiences
User Personas
Early Access Seeker – The Drop Chaser
Tech Savviness: Very high, familiar with drops, flash sales, and mobile-first experiences
Goals: Secure limited tickets the moment they go live
Pain Points: Delays, unclear countdowns, or confusing entry flows
Needs from Platform: A fast, reliable experience with real-time updates and clear, timed access
Motivation: Craves the thrill of exclusivity and hates missing out on Chase exclusives.
Reusable design system for multi-city launches
Insights from these personas shaped the ticketing platform’s structure and design. Each user’s goals informed the flow hierarchy, validation logic, and interface behavior, ensuring a fast, intuitive experience that balanced exclusivity, clarity, and trust across both Chase and The Infatuation teams.
Timeline
4 months
To ensure exclusivity and security for Chase Sapphire cardholders, we designed a streamlined gated ticketing flow for EEEEEATSCON. Users entered a unique access code from their Chase card, with inline errors preventing access if the code was invalid or missing. Once verified, eligible users unlocked ticket options with expanded event details and could proceed to checkout, balancing exclusivity with a clean, fast, and secure experience.
QA and usability testing were conducted with internal teams, Chase stakeholders, and external candidates to gather diverse perspectives. Testing confirmed that the gated ticketing flow was secure, intuitive, and consistent across devices. Sessions validated access logic, error messaging, and purchase clarity while strengthening overall user trust.
Research sessions observed how participants entered access codes, responded to inline errors, and progressed through checkout. Insights guided adjustments to copy, form behavior, and confirmation patterns, improving responsiveness and ensuring a smooth, accessible end-to-end experience.
Post-Launch Refinement
After launch, ongoing sprints incorporated user feedback, support insights, and performance data. Enhancements improved checkout clarity, accessibility, and interaction consistency, ensuring the platform evolved with Chase Sapphire requirements.
A/B Testing & Validation
A/B testing examined variations of the live ticketing experience to measure real-world behavior and conversion. Each version of the gated flow was evaluated to determine which structure supported faster decisions and stronger follow-through.
These findings informed ongoing improvements across later EEEEEATSCON launches.
Access Code Entry Placement: Identifying drop-off through iterative user testing
Version 2: General Admission visible, perks unlocked by access code
General Admission details were visible upfront, while the code field unlocked Chase-exclusive tiers and perks. The value of upgrading was clear from the start, increasing trust.
Result:
Completion improved meaningfully. Visibility of GA reduced anxiety, and perk-based unlocking encouraged users to continue with greater assurance.
Version 2: Expandable Ticket Details
Lack of clarity created friction and made users second-guess their selections during key steps, adding unnecessary cognitive load.
Result:
Users selected tiers more confidently, hesitation decreased, and upgraded tiers sold out more consistently across cities.
Post-Launch Optimization
Users selected tiers more confidently, hesitation decreased, and upgraded tiers sold out more consistently across cities.
Decision delays during tier selection
Uncertainty comparing ticket options
Key Metrics: Quantifying behavior that informed iterative improvements.
Guided by these insights, we refined validation clarity, streamlined ticket hierarchy, and improved checkout messaging to build trust and accelerate decisions. Tracking across additional city launches confirmed higher conversion and a more consistent cardholder experience across devices.
We measured what mattered.
We found friction.
We improved experience and conversion.
These insights continue to shape optimization across new rollouts, improving speed, confidence, and secure access for Chase cardholders.
Tech Savviness: High, uses mobile banking apps and Chase channels for benefits
Goals: Quick, seamless checkout with clear instructions
Pain Points: Confusion around eligibility, card verification, and access steps
Needs from Platform: Instantly verify status, surface perks clearly, and show real-time availability
Motivation: Wants to feel rewarded for loyalty and avoid friction tied to card use
Tech Savviness: Moderate, joins through a friend, not for the Chase specific perks
Goals: Attend smoothly without dealing with Chase-steps
Pain Points: Gets stuck during cardholder validation or group checkout
Needs from Platform: A clear, guest-friendly flow that supports group access without friction
Motivation: Wants a simple, seamless experience without overthinking it
94% validation success rate for secure ticketing
22% increase in mobile purchase completions
Chill Confused Plus-One – The Tagalong Guest
Hey, I’m Mario
A UX designer actively looking for new opportunities. I’m excited to bring thoughtful, research-driven design driven by purpose, creativity, and meaningful impact.
Reach me at mfp181@gmail.com.