Lincoln Center Mobile App for Lincoln Center
New York City’s Lincoln Center, the world’s leading performing arts center, hosts 5 million visitors a year. In 2011, Lincoln Center completed a massive $1.2 billion redesign and renovation project to expand its community reach in new ways. To complement this physical transformation, the center approached IDEO to design its first digital application for mobile devices. Lincoln Center would need to launch the new app in time for the fall 2011 season—only eight weeks away—under a very tight budget.
The resulting free app, released in July 2011, is available for download in the iTunes Store. On The New York Times ArtsBeat blog, Patricia Cohen wrote that the new app would “make it easier to navigate the smorgasbord of events and venues.” An enthusiastic iTunes reviewer from Easton, Pa. wrote, “I love it! I’ve been waiting for an easier, more intuitive way to find out what’s going on at Lincoln Center, and this app has it all.”
What made success possible in eight weeks was IDEO’s unique pairing of human-centered design and agile software development principles from project beginning to end. Through IDEO’s partnership with Pivotal Labs, a New York based software development firm, programmers and designers were able to work side-by-side from day one, enabling maximum efficiency.
The new iPhone and iTouch app highlights compelling Lincoln Center event artwork in interactive cards and encourages users to explore upcoming Lincoln Center programs every day of the year. Through the app, Lincoln Center patrons are also able to purchase tickets, create a personal calendar, and share events they’re attending with friends via Facebook and email. Further exploration uncovers convenient dining options, an interactive map that includes nearby box offices, restrooms, parking, and subways, and twenty-five little-known facts about Lincoln Center.
Located on 16.3 acres on the Upper West Side, Lincoln Center houses a dozen resident organizations, including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, and the New York Philharmonic. Download the Lincoln Center app for free in the iTunes store.
Designing the first iPhone app for the world's leading performance arts center
New York City’s Lincoln Center, the world’s leading performing arts center, hosts 5 million visitors a year. In 2011, Lincoln Center completed a massive $1.2 billion redesign and renovation project to expand its community reach in new ways. To complement this physical transformation, the center approached IDEO to design its first digital application for mobile devices. Lincoln Center would need to launch the new app in time for the fall 2011 season—only eight weeks away—under a very tight budget.
The resulting free app, released in July 2011, is available for download in the iTunes Store. On The New York Times ArtsBeat blog, Patricia Cohen wrote that the new app would “make it easier to navigate the smorgasbord of events and venues.” An enthusiastic iTunes reviewer from Easton, Pa. wrote, “I love it! I’ve been waiting for an easier, more intuitive way to find out what’s going on at Lincoln Center, and this app has it all.”
What made success possible in eight weeks was IDEO’s unique pairing of human-centered design and agile software development principles from project beginning to end. Through IDEO’s partnership with Pivotal Labs, a New York based software development firm, programmers and designers were able to work side-by-side from day one, enabling maximum efficiency.
Project date: 2011
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