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Service / Product : LEARN WITH KWS

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Role : UX Strategy, Prototype Designer

Duration : 12 Weeks

Client : Kitchener - Waterloo Symphony (KWS)

PROJECT CONTEXT

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The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (KWS) is a cultural institution known for its powerful orchestral performances and deep community roots. Amid financial challenges and the need to rebuild engagement, KWS sought new ways to connect with youth and diverse audiences.

As part of a semester-long client project, my team ( X-PHONY Team) was tasked with reimagining KWS’s digital presence, focusing specifically on enhancing engagement, simplifying content discovery, and supporting new and returning audience members.

THE CHALLENGE

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Ada is a 20-year-old student who loves music but has never attended an orchestra performance. Why? Because to her, the Orchestra feels formal, unfamiliar and unrelatable. Deeper research revealed that young people aren't actually uninterested, they are just disconnected from the experience. 

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"How might we redesign the KW Symphony experience beyond the traditional concert hall and to help younger audience feel more connected"

MY ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES​

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On this project, I contributed as both a UX strategist and prototyper, responsible for:​​

01

Designing and prototyping mobile-first UI flows

02

Leading the setup of an unmoderated usability test

03

Synthesizing insights into refined design decisions

04

Supporting ideation and facilitating early concept generation

04

Developing visual layout and storytelling

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

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To ground our design decisions, we conducted both secondary and primary research, that informed multiple rounds of design solution iterations.​​

Primary Research

Client Interviews

Via Microsoft Teams

User Survey

Via Google form

Secondary Research

We analyzed KWS competitors (Vancouver, Toronto, Guelph, Cambridge).
Although competitors had strong digital presence, none effectively bridged education, engagement personalization for younger audiences.

Research Insights

Client Insights

  • Strong desire to attract younger audiences

  • Large opportunity in education and youth programming

Survey Findings

  • 49% feel symphony is too formal/unfamiliar

  • 78% want personalized recommendation

  • 91% interested in educational experiences

  • 71% want redeemable points

Competitor Analysis

  • Competitors have strong digital engagement

  • None connect education, loyalty & personalization

DESIGN PROCESS - IDEATION & CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Methods Used:

  • Crazy 8s

  • Brainstorming Workshops

  • Prioritization Matrix

  • Low-fi to Mid-fi Testing

​​​After brainstorming, our prioritization matrix surfaced six feasible features:

Personalized recommendation system

Loyalty system

Educational/workshop content pages

Community forum

Activity dashboard

"Ask a Musician" feature

​​​From these, we validated desirability through a low-fidelity usability test which informed the development our Mid-fi prototype.

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Top-performing features were:

  • Personalized recommendation system

  • Activity dashboard

  • Education/workshop pages

  • Loyalty system

LOW TO MID-FI PROTOTYPE ITERATION

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USABILITY TESTING & ITERATION

​​​Using usability testing, we validated our mid-fidelity prototype which went on to inform our High-fidelity prototype.

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Test Method:

  • Unmoderated online survey

  • 19 Participants

  • Task-based evaluation

Finding
Iteration Made
Users tested primarily on mobile

Adopted mobile-first approach

Client concern about community chat form moderation

Removed community chat form and "Ask the Musician feature"

Interest in rewards

Expanded reward activities

Confusing interaction

Refined hierarchy and touch targets

Navigation Confusion

Simplified menu, clearer labels

FINAL SOLUTION - "LEARN WITH KWS"

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Dashboard​​​​

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Recommendation

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Education Page

PROTOTYPE

  • Flow 1 - Mid-Fidelity Prototype

  • Flow 2 - High-Fidelity Prototype

IMPACT

For KWS

  • Increase engagement beyond concerts

  • Attract & retain younger audiences

  • Open new revenue pathways

For Users

  • Symphony becomes relatable

  • Clear learning pathway

  • Rewarding journey increases motivation

FEASIBILITY & NEXT STEPS

  • Content production: 5–10 hrs/week

  • Development timeline: 8–12 weeks

  • Budget: Grants, donors, sponsorship

  • Scalable: Can evolve with KWS needs

REFLECTION

What I Learned:

  • Designing for cultural institutions with limited resources

  • Balancing modern UX expectations with classical branding

  • Structuring research into actionable insights

 

Skills Strengthened :

  • Mobile-first UI

  • Interaction design

  • Testing strategy

  • Client communication

 

If I had more time:

  • Accessibility improvements

  • End-to-end ticketing redesign

  • Personalized onboarding flow

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