One Foot Productions' teams can be as large as 150 people, encompassing a wide range of roles, from desk-bound to constantly mobile. In event production, there is an immense amount of information (both live and stored) that needs to be collected, connected, and easily accessed. Event details change up until the last second and performance of the software is crucial. The platform must seamlessly handle travel details, talent management, technical specifications, site documentation, requests, to-dos, communications, and lead tracking.

Our design process started by interviewing users with various roles in event production. These interviews revealed the importance of accessing data, seeing it in relation to other data sets, and navigating quickly between them. This and other insights informed a set of design principles that guided our ideation phase. We developed dozens of ideas and explored different metaphors to anchor the entire experience. Finally, we tested three concepts with users in the production industry to refine our final metaphor and solution.

The core metaphor of the app is a relational map. A relational map visually represents connections between different entities. Our dynamic layout prioritizes illustrating nested relationships and allows users to zoom in and out between the big picture and small details. Moving information out of bullet points and spreadsheets and into visual connections enables free and natural navigation. This ease of navigation is crucial for producers and team members who must rapidly manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

dBocl’s commenting and tagging features encourage collaboration. Even as team members use other documentation tools, dBocl serves as the central access point and primary platform for discussing and requesting information. This ensures task assignment and progression remain transparent for the entire team.

Designing for moments of delight in a platform dedicated to organizing intense and complicated cultural events, such as the VMAs, was important to us. Including small celebratory animations, and gentle reminders for users to take a breath, dBocl strives to create more efficient event production, and recognize the accomplishments and struggles of team members. Incorporating delightful moments makes using dBocl an enjoyable experience amidst the intricacies of event planning.

After implementing dBocl, our client experienced a significant increase in efficiency, cost reduction, and renewed user excitement. For a recent music festival, they managed to reduce their event staff by half due to the streamlined processes enabled by the new software. dBocl seamlessly supported the transition to hybrid production, allowing event planners to coordinate and execute events effortlessly, regardless of their physical location. The platform also enabled faster onboarding of new team members, with virtually no questions about how to use it.