Aquarium Ticket Flow

Eye tracking study and website redesign

goal

Use eye tracking to locate tensions when purchasing a ticket from the Shedd Aquarium Program and Events page.

client

Shedd Aquarium
DX Center @ Pratt

tools

Figma
Tobii Lab Pro

The shedd aquarium reached out to

Improve the “Programs & Events” checkout flow to reduce call center issues. Our strategy was to resolve points of friction and reduce user confusion using eye tracking during the checkout process.

After eye-tracking tests, we identified key user pain points by evaluating how well participants could find important information and navigate the checkout flow with clear understanding.

Users are confused by the terms “Programs,” “Events,” and “Experiences,” making it hard to understand the differences and choose the right offering.

Most participants spent extra time reading both the Program & Events page description and the component description, yet still missed the key distinction between the two: programs include general admission, while events do not. This misunderstanding is one of the main issues reported by the Shedd call center.

The current cart progress bar does not clearly indicate where users are in the checkout process, nor does it provide visibility into the cost of each selected add-on.

As participants moved through the checkout process, eye-tracking showed low awareness of the cart. Many reported frustration after completing checkout, noting they didn’t know when the process would end, from selecting a visit date, add-ons, programs, and events, and felt confused by the final total. They reported that the cart provided no clear indication of how much each addition increased the final price.

Research Strategy

TIMELINE

4 Weeks @ Pratt Institute

DEvice

7:6 Desktop to mobile tests

method

Eye Tracking using Tobii Lab Pro

Supplementary method

Questionnaire

participant demographics

tests conducted

13 sessions

age

18 - 35 years

eligibility criteria

Moderate technological literacy
Previous experience purchasing tickets online for public cultural institutions

Location

Reside in NYC for in-person testing

after user research, Our main insights were to

Make offerings clearer with better text and labels

Improved text helps users understand programs and navigate more easily.

Show clear checkout steps and break down costs transparently

Transparent checkout pricing boosts confidence and satisfaction while reducing support calls.

Based on the key pain points we created the following solutions to the issues in the program and events checkout flow:

Clarified Program offerings and highlighted extra perks with badges.

Updated the hero text to clearly showcase what’s included in each Program, helping users quickly understand the offerings. Added standout badges to Program and Event titles to draw attention to additional financial incentives, making it easier for users to see value and make informed decisions.

Make checkout clear with step-by-step guidance and a transparent cost breakdown.

Clarifying the user’s current stage in checkout reduces confusion about navigation and timing. Redesigning the cart progress sidebar also helps users see how each selection impacts the total cost.

Takeaways

We made checkout clearer and more transparent, with updated pricing, a progress bar, and real-time totals, reducing confusion, building trust, and helping prevent cart abandonment.

We improved the checkout experience by making pricing transparent, helping users feel confident and reducing support requests. A clearer text hierarchy provides context and makes navigation intuitive, while a visible progress bar keeps users informed and builds trust throughout the booking process. Adding a live-updating price component ensures users always see the impact of their selections, helping prevent cart abandonment and creating a smoother, more satisfying experience overall.

Aquarium Ticket Flow 10,000 Cents Exhibit GenAI Human-Centered Research