From problem to prom: How I built TicketingNest overnight

The Problem

In May 2024, Jason Murphy-Thomas, the Associated Student Body (ASB) Advisor at George Washington High School, approached me with a challenge. The ASB needed a system to sell event tickets exclusively to their students. The system required barcode scanning of student IDs for ticket sales and the ability for students to add a guest to their ticket after purchase.

Project context:

• Team Size: 1 (solo developer)
• Timeline: Initially developed overnight, with ongoing iterations

The Challenge

The requirements included:

• Restrict ticket sales exclusively to George Washington High School students
• Allow students to add a guest to their ticket after purchase
• Facilitate check-in for students and their guests
• Enable fast scanning of student IDs for ticket sales
• Develop and deploy the solution in time for the upcoming prom (within days)
• Be user-friendly for the ASB team

The Approach

Rapid Requirement Gathering

Understanding needs clearly was crucial given the tight timeline. We identified core features: ticket sales, student verification, and guest management.

Overnight Development

With the prom scheduled that weekend, there was no time for lengthy development cycles. I focused on core functionalities to deliver a working solution quickly.

Immediate Deployment and Testing

Real-world usage provided the most effective feedback for enhancements. Users quickly highlighted areas for improvement and additional features.

The Solution

I developed TicketingNest, a web-based ticketing platform including:

• A secure login system for the ASB team
• Ticket sales restricted to George Washington High School students only
• A feature to add a guest to an existing ticket
• Check-in capability for students and their guests
• An admin panel for the ASB Advisor to manage ticket sales and attendee information

The Tech Stack

Creating a cost-effective and easily updatable solution was vital:

• Platform: Built on Bubble for quick iteration and deployment
• Email: Postmark

The Results

The initial alpha version of TicketingNest was successfully deployed for the prom that weekend:

• Streamlined the ticket sales process for the ASB
• Streamlined the check-in process for the ASB
• Simplified the process of adding guests to tickets
• Received positive feedback from both students and staff

Lessons Learned

• Rapid prototyping can deliver immense value in time-sensitive situations
• Direct collaboration with end-users leads to more targeted solutions
• Post-launch iterations based on real-world feedback are essential for refining the product

Conclusion

By developing TicketingNest quickly, I not only solved George Washington High School's immediate problem but also created a platform with potential applications for other schools and events. This experience underscores the power of agile development and the importance of close collaboration with stakeholders.