LocalHop Events Redesign
This was the redesigned the entire event management experience for LocalHop. I combined multiple fragmented workflows into one intuitive dashboard, introduced a clean new UI, and used iterative testing to ensure it met the needs of librarians, event coordinators, and admins.
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
2023 — 2025
Outcome
Rolled out to all LocalHop clients, helping secure new contracts and reduce user confusion.
Redesigning LocalHop’s event management to be clearer, faster, and easier for every library.
Timeframe
July 2023 — September 2023
Context
LocalHop’s event management tools had become messy and fragmented. Core features such as event creation, guest tracking, attendance, and registration were scattered across outdated screens. Libraries varied in technical skill and event needs, from quick headcounts to detailed reporting. To stay competitive and attract new clients, we reimagined the entire experience: consolidating workflows, simplifying the UI, and supporting both simple and complex events with care.
Solution
I redesigned LocalHop’s event features into a flexible, mobile friendly experience, that could adapt to the structure of each event. Libraries could now manage guest lists, check in attendees, register groups, and export data from a single, intuitive interface. The redesign also included a full UI refresh, improved accessibility, and design system updates. Prototypes were tested with real users and refined through multiple iterations. The results made for a much cleaner, faster experience tailored to how librarians actually work.
Thanks to
Courtney Bordeaux for research support and user insights. Steve Moore, Shawn Chapiewski, and Brian Davidson for dev collaboration. And last but not least, every librarian who tested early versions and shared candid feedback.
What Librarians Told Us
Not every library runs events the same way. Some just needed a quick way to add events to their calendars. Others needed full registration, group check-ins, and clean exports for monthly reporting.
But across the board, librarians shared the same frustration: managing their events in real-time was difficult and required too many clicks.
Testing & Iteration
To guide design decisions, I built and maintained a user pool to track interviews, feedback, and feature interest across multiple libraries. This helped me prioritize real needs and continuously test changes with the right people. Insights from this pool shaped everything from dashboard layout to how check-ins were streamlined.
✅ Prioritize key tools like attendance tracking and custom registration in the event dashboard hierarchy.
✅ Design a flexible dashboard that adapts to event types, supporting both simple and complex programs without added clutter.
✅ Streamline check-ins with quick-edit guest counts and fewer steps to let staff manage live events without disruption.
Event Creation
The original event creation reused the same screen as event management, causing confusion and clutter. I redesigned it to focus on essentials, enabling quick publishing, with advanced settings available later for fine-tuning.
Progressive Disclosure
I kept the event creation flow streamlined by showing only essential settings first. Advanced options open in focused modals, helping users move forward confidently without feeling overwhelmed.
Event Dashboard
I used tabs to separate key event management tasks, helping users stay focused by showing only what’s relevant to the job at hand. This structure improves clarity by reducing visual noise and making it easier to find and complete tasks quickly.
Mobile Experience
A lot of librarians aren’t lugging around laptops for smaller programs like Story Time or knitting groups. I wanted to make sure the redesign worked just as well on mobile, especially for managing events as they happen. That meant focusing on the essentials— fast check-ins, guest tracking, and basic edits; without cramming in every advanced feature.
🏁Conclusion🏁
Redesigning LocalHop’s event management tools was about more than just cleaning up UI. It meant rethinking how librarians work in real time, across devices, and under pressure. By simplifying complex workflows, prioritizing essential tasks, and optimizing for mobile, I helped turn a cluttered system into a tool that better supports the people using it every day. This project reinforced the value of designing for flexibility without overwhelming the user, something I’ll continue carrying into every design challenge I take on.
🧪 Measuring Success
While LocalHop doesn’t currently support embedded analytics, success for this project was measured by outcome-based feedback. After launch, support tickets related to event creation dropped, and active users stopped requesting features that this redesign introduced. These are strong signals that the redesign resolved core usability pain points. Moving forward, I’d love to advocate for lightweight analytics to better track engagement and adoption.
🤝 Collaborating Across Constraints
LocalHop’s outdated Simplr JS stack made modern UX tough to deliver. I pushed for a move to React to support scalable design and tighter dev alignment. While a full migration wasn’t yet possible, I partnered with devs to scope solutions within the existing system; building flexible component specs and leading Dev Mode walkthroughs to smooth handoff and set the stage for future upgrades.
Interested in working together?
Shoot me an email!
Copy email
© 2025 Matt Girardi. Thanks for scrolling. All rights reserved.