Accessible Booking Enhancements for a Bespoke Ticketing Platform

Project Summary


Product: BAFTA Events

Client: British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)

Delivery Timeframe: 2024

Technology Stack: Front-End: Svelte, JavaScript, API Integration, Back-End: PHP, MySQL

Project Tools: Jira, Confluence, Slack

Approach: Agile Development

Project Overview

As Product Manager for BAFTA Events, I led the inclusive booking enhancement that positions BAFTA as an accessibility leader whilst creating competitive differentiation for the platform’s commercial white-labelling potential. Feedback from BAFTA’s accessibility advisory committee revealed that guests with accessibility needs often felt like an inconvenience when arranging support, witnessing seats being rearranged upon arrival rather than having requirements seamlessly integrated into the booking process.

My strategic approach focused on designing dignified, self-service accessibility options that could serve both allocated seating events at BAFTA’s Princess Anne Theatre and general admission formats across diverse venue requirements. Rather than building toggle-based systems that could segregate accessible options, I worked with the LIT team stakeholder to create flexible seat categorisation where accessibility features were visible to all users, maximising utilisation whilst enabling informed choice.

Working with the development team, we delivered comprehensive booking workflows that integrate accessibility requirements directly into ticket selection, provide automated staff notifications for arrangements requiring coordination, and establish administrative tools for venue-specific accessibility management. The enhancement demonstrates BAFTA’s commitment to inclusive design whilst creating a differentiating feature that strengthens the platform’s competitive positioning for external clients seeking accessible event management capabilities.

Project Background

BAFTA’s commitment to accessibility extends beyond awards eligibility criteria to encompass the entire member and guest experience, including event attendance and venue access. However, the existing booking process required guests with accessibility needs to coordinate requirements through separate email or phone communication, creating potential friction and positioning accessibility as an add-on consideration rather than integrated service design.

BAFTA’s Princess Anne Theatre, refurbished in 2022 with enhanced accessibility features including flexible wheelchair spaces compliant with the 2010 Equality Act, represented the organisation’s investment in inclusive venue design. However, the booking platform hadn’t evolved to reflect these capabilities, missing opportunities to demonstrate accessibility leadership whilst potentially creating barriers for guests requiring accommodations.

The challenge extended beyond BAFTA’s internal operations to commercial platform positioning. As BAFTA Events developed white-labelling potential for external clients, comprehensive accessibility features became a competitive differentiator. Organisations evaluating event management platforms increasingly prioritised inclusive design capabilities, and accessible booking functionality could distinguish BAFTA Events from competitors offering more basic accommodation workflows.

The strategic opportunity was designing inclusive booking experiences that would advance BAFTA’s accessibility commitments whilst creating commercial value through platform differentiation. The solution required balancing inclusive design principles with practical venue management needs, ensuring accessibility features enhanced rather than complicated the booking experience for all users.

Project Objectives

Advance BAFTA’s Accessibility Leadership Through Product Design+–

Integrate comprehensive accessibility features directly into booking workflows, positioning BAFTA as an industry leader in inclusive event management whilst demonstrating organisational values through platform capabilities.

Design Dignified Self-Service Accessibility Options+–

Enable guests to specify accessibility requirements during booking without requiring separate coordination, eliminating the perception of inconvenience whilst ensuring appropriate arrangements are communicated to venue teams.

Create Flexible Architecture for Diverse Venue Requirements+–

Develop accessibility workflows that could accommodate both BAFTA’s allocated seating events and general admission formats, ensuring the solution would serve varied client venue configurations for white-labelling success.

Establish Competitive Differentiation for Commercial Growth+–

Position comprehensive accessibility features as a platform differentiator that could strengthen BAFTA Events’ competitive appeal to external clients prioritising inclusive design capabilities.

Integrate Accessibility Without Segregating Options+–

Design inclusive booking experiences where accessible seats remained visible to all users, maximising utilisation whilst enabling informed choice and avoiding segregation that could reduce accessibility awareness.

Automate Administrative Coordination for Complex Requirements+–

Create notification systems that alert venue teams when bookings require specific arrangements (BSL interpretation, flexible wheelchair spaces), enabling proactive coordination without manual oversight requirements.

Development Process

Phase 1 – Inclusive Design Research & Stakeholder Collaboration

Understanding accessibility requirements and industry best practices.

Accessibility Advisory Consultation
Collaborated with BAFTA’s LIT team stakeholder who provided extensive industry insight into booking challenges and accessibility requirements across UK event venues.
Industry Research & Best Practice Analysis
Researched accessible booking implementations across UK cinema chains and venues to understand effective approaches whilst identifying opportunities for innovation.
Venue Capability Assessment
Analysed BAFTA’s Princess Anne Theatre accessibility features and operational requirements to ensure booking workflows aligned with physical venue capabilities.

Phase 2: User Experience Design & Workflow Architecture

Creating inclusive booking experiences and administrative coordination systems.

Inclusive Booking Workflow Design
Designed accessibility requirement collection integrated into ticket selection, ensuring dignified self-service options without creating booking friction or segregated experiences.
Flexible Seat Categorisation System
Specified accessibility feature visibility for all users whilst enabling informed selection, maximising seat utilisation without compromising inclusive design principles.
Administrative Notification Architecture
Created automated alert systems for venue teams when bookings required coordination (BSL interpretation, flexible arrangements), enabling proactive staff preparation.

Phase 3: Technical Implementation & API Integration

Coordinating complex technical integration across booking systems.

Svelte Application Development Coordination
Worked with development teams to implement accessibility features within the existing API-layered architecture, ensuring seamless integration with booking workflows.
Database Architecture Enhancement
Coordinated database modifications to support accessibility requirement storage, venue-specific feature mapping, and administrative reporting capabilities.
Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing
Ensured accessibility booking workflows functioned effectively across allocated seating and general admission formats, supporting diverse venue requirements.

Phase 4: Administrative Tools & Launch Preparation

Establishing venue management capabilities and deployment readiness.

Administrative Interface Development
Specified admin tools for managing venue-specific accessibility features, updating availability, and coordinating guest requirements with operational teams.
Staff Training & Process Integration
Prepared comprehensive documentation and training materials for venue teams whilst establishing processes for accessibility requirement coordination.
Commercial Positioning & Feature Documentation
Documented accessibility capabilities for commercial white-labelling discussions, positioning inclusive booking as platform differentiator for external clients.

Key Features and Innovations

The accessible booking enhancement focused on delivering inclusive design leadership through thoughtful user experience architecture rather than building segregated accessibility options. Working closely with LIT team stakeholders and development teams, I prioritised decisions that would advance BAFTA’s accessibility commitments whilst creating commercial differentiation:

I designed accessibility requirement specification directly within ticket selection workflows, ensuring dignified self-service options that eliminated the separate coordination processes that had positioned accessibility as an inconvenience. This integration demonstrated accessibility as fundamental service design rather than add-on accommodation.
Rather than creating toggle-based systems that could segregate accessible options, I specified accessibility features as visible to all users whilst providing clear guidance about their purpose. This approach maximised seat utilisation whilst promoting accessibility awareness and enabling informed choice without creating barriers.
Working with venue operations requirements, I designed notification systems that automatically alert staff when bookings require specific coordination—BSL interpretation, flexible wheelchair spaces, dietary accommodations—enabling proactive preparation without manual oversight or guest follow-up requirements.
I ensured accessibility workflows could accommodate both BAFTA’s allocated seating events and general admission formats, recognising that white-labelling success required solutions that served varied client venue configurations without requiring custom development for each implementation.
Working with the LIT team stakeholder’s industry expertise, I prioritised accessibility booking experiences that positioned requirements as routine service options rather than special accommodations, ensuring guests felt welcomed rather than potentially burdensome when specifying needs.
I positioned comprehensive accessibility features as competitive differentiators that could strengthen BAFTA Events’ appeal to external clients prioritising inclusive event management, demonstrating how accessibility leadership could create commercial value alongside social impact.
I specified admin interfaces that enabled venue teams to manage accessibility feature availability, update capacity, and coordinate guest requirements efficiently, ensuring operational tools matched the sophistication of guest-facing accessibility options.

Challenges and Solutions

Balancing Inclusive Design with Operational Complexity

  1. Accessibility requirements vary significantly across venues and event types—wheelchair access, hearing loops, sight line considerations, BSL interpretation—whilst operational teams needed clear guidance about arrangements requiring coordination versus those handled automatically. The challenge was creating comprehensive booking options without overwhelming users or creating administrative burden. I worked with the LIT team stakeholder to prioritise common accessibility features whilst designing notification systems that automatically identified requirements needing staff coordination, ensuring dignified user choice whilst enabling efficient operational management.

Designing Universal Accessibility Without Segregation

  1. Making accessibility features visible to all users risked reducing availability for guests who specifically required accommodations, whilst segregating accessible options could create barriers and reduce accessibility awareness among general attendees. The solution required balancing inclusive design principles with practical availability management. I specified accessibility features as universally visible with clear guidance about their purpose, enabling informed choice whilst including booking alerts that reminded users when their selections might not match initially specified requirements, preserving choice whilst promoting accessibility awareness.

Integrating Complex Booking Logic Into Existing Architecture

  1. The seat selector operated as a Svelte application layered over the main booking system, requiring API redesign to support real-time accessibility feature data whilst maintaining performance across allocated seating and general admission formats. Technical integration needed to preserve existing booking functionality whilst adding sophisticated accessibility logic. Working with the development team, I coordinated API enhancements that supported accessibility feature mapping, availability tracking, and administrative notification systems whilst ensuring seamless integration with existing booking workflows and maintaining system performance.

Conclusion

The accessible booking enhancement demonstrates how inclusive design leadership can advance organisational values whilst creating commercial competitive advantage through thoughtful product development. By integrating comprehensive accessibility features directly into booking workflows rather than treating accommodation as separate processes, we established BAFTA as an industry leader in inclusive event management whilst differentiating the platform for commercial white-labelling success.
The project’s strategic value extends beyond immediate accessibility improvements to encompass broader competitive positioning for external client discussions. As organisations increasingly prioritise inclusive design capabilities, comprehensive accessibility features distinguish BAFTA Events from competitors offering basic accommodation workflows, creating commercial appeal alongside social impact.

Working with LIT team stakeholders and development teams, we proved that accessibility features could enhance rather than complicate user experiences when designed with inclusive principles from the foundation. The automated coordination systems, universal feature visibility, and dignified self-service options established accessibility as integrated service design rather than add-on accommodation, demonstrating how product development can embody organisational values whilst supporting business objectives.

This project reinforced my conviction that inclusive design requires strategic product leadership that balances user experience sophistication with operational efficiency requirements. The accessible booking enhancement created both immediate accessibility improvements and commercial differentiation opportunities, validating the approach of advancing organisational values through product capabilities that strengthen competitive positioning.

The comprehensive accessibility architecture established through this enhancement provides foundation capabilities for ongoing inclusive design leadership, positioning BAFTA Events to continue demonstrating accessibility innovation whilst supporting commercial growth through differentiated platform capabilities that serve diverse client requirements effectively.

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