Globalising Smart Queue

Reskinning and globalising Ticketmaster’s flagship virtual queuing system to improve fan transparency and prepare for record-breaking onsales.

Design Systems Globalisation Interaction Design

A Fair, Secure, and Scalable Queue

Ticketmaster’s Smart Queue handles millions of fans during the world’s biggest ticket onsales. In 2024, I led a reskin to align the experience with the evolving brand and design system, transforming the product for a major global rollout. The update improved queue transparency and prepared the system for record-breaking events, including the Oasis 2025 tour. The launch reduced fan confusion, unified the experience across markets, and made the system fair, secure, and scalable.

Pushing Beyond a Simple Reskin

What began as a modest reskin quickly evolved into a more ambitious effort. The original scope limited us to minor visual updates and small interaction changes, but I pushed for improvements that would elevate the product across the end-to-end ticketing journey. Building on my work with the Event Details Page (EDP) and Checkout redesign, I drove consistency across the entire flow, ensuring Smart Queue felt like a natural part of the ecosystem rather than a standalone utility.

Company

Ticketmaster (In-house)

Timeline

Jan 2024 – Jul 2024

Role

Lead Product Designer

Focus

UX improvements, global rollout, and design system integration

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Markets rolled out in rapid succession across UK, NA & Europe

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Fans managed in queues during Oasis’ reunion onsales

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Record for highest amount of SQ 2.0 queues running in one day

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Increase in queue tip exposure after Smart Queue 2.0

Guiding Fans with Dynamic Queue Tips

Improving transparency meant giving fans clearer guidance throughout their journey. Working closely with the fan marketing team, we designed dynamic, stage-specific tips for the lobby, waiting room, and active queue. Instead of static copy, we introduced a scrolling carousel that adapted as fans progressed. We also compressed the UI so tips always remained above the fold, a simple but impactful change that helped fans stay informed without friction.

Designing for Global Scale

To prepare Smart Queue for worldwide rollout, we aligned it closely with the global design system, standardising typography, colour, and spacing while consolidating custom components through rigorous stress testing, including multi-language scenarios. We also solved accessibility and flexibility challenges around hero imagery, where event artwork was often unpredictable. By refining gradients, positioning, and overlays, we balanced bold visuals with AAA text and icon standards. The result was a system that not only scaled globally but could also adapt seamlessly to rebranding for partners like Live Nation.

Shape vision

Align goals

Frame scope

Design

Map flows

Stress test

Refine language

Build

Dev partnership

Launch UK/IE

Track outcomes

Scale

21 markets

Measure impact

Strengthen systems

Oasis: The Ultimate Stress Test

The first release coincided with Oasis’ long-awaited reunion onsales — the biggest in UK and Irish history. The new Smart Queue supported 17 simultaneous high-demand events, managing over 10 million fans in line, nearly a third of them from abroad. In the first three hours of presale alone, 362,800 tickets were sold, contributing to more than 956,000 across the full sale windows. The rollout proved the system’s strength, with improved stability, stronger abuse detection, and record-breaking throughput powered by the debut of Checkout 2.0.

From UK to the World

Following Oasis’ record-breaking onsales, the new Smart Queue rolled out across 21 markets — first the UK and Ireland, then North America, and finally Europe. The release didn’t just support one historic moment; it laid the groundwork for a fairer, more consistent, and scalable queueing experience for fans worldwide.

What I Learnt

Smart Queue 2.0 showed me how pushing beyond a simple reskin, and aligning design vision with product strategy, can unlock far greater impact. It also reinforced that small, well-placed changes can shift fan trust at scale, and that true simplicity comes from design consistency across the entire journey, not just isolated screens.