Redesign for a global creative community.
In 2022, Soho House faced a critical challenge. Members who heavily rely on the Soho House app expressed dissatisfaction, calling the app bloated and complex to use in the annual engagement survey. The app failed to deliver the premium experience members expected.
I led a transformational redesign, simplifying core features, clever UX improvements, and aligning the app with members’ needs, resulting in hundreds of 5-star reviews.
Evaluating the current experiance
Despite strong editorial content, the app’s core functionalities, event discovery, making and managing bookings, and networking, were being overshadowed, causing a decline in engagement.
To address this, I conducted a thorough app evaluation, analysed user data, ran internal workshops, and spoke directly with members globally to better understand their challenges and the business context.
Core insights from members
Uninspiring content
"Unexciting, I prefer to just go to a House and see whats happening, but sometimes miss out on good events" - Member Feedback
Feedback like this highlighted that the app failed to engage and inspire members, often leading them to rely only on physical visits, missing out on unique events.
No personalisation
"The app's very generic, show me the events I'm interested in, you know my interests and history." - Member Feedback
Feedback like the above supported internal views that there was a critical need for a more tailored experience.
Hard to manage
"Too difficult to cancel events or change room bookings; I just emailed in, and they are very friendly" - Member Feedback
This feedback indicated that the app’s complex processes drove members to seek assistance outside the digital platform.
New design
I redesigned the app to enhance discoverability and relevance for Soho House members by dynamically populating the home screen content based on location and by interests and surfacing upcoming bookings for easier access.
By tailoring events, screenings, and classes to individual members, we ensured they saw exciting, relevant experiences, reducing missed opportunities and creating meaningful interactions every time a member logged in.
Spotlight module
I created a new Spotlight module to tackle feedback that the app had become uninspiring and to fully leverage Soho House’s rich editorial and curated content. Inspired by threaded social stories, it showcases exclusive short-form content in a stylish lookbook format, creating a more exploratory experience for members.
This innovative feature engages users with content from various aspects of the business, from large-scale events like the Soho House Festival to the launch of the new Soho Home collection and everything in between.
The Spotlight module has been a resounding success, with the ability to target different regions and demographics, with immediate positive impacts on key business KPIs.
25 Years of Babington House
Checked In experience
Supporting the new home design, I successfully pitched and designed the Checked-In Experience, transforming the app’s home screen when members check into a Soho House. This design immerses members in the house’s specific offerings, streamlining Events, Where to eat and access to house info.
The design Improves the process for settling tabs, allowing members to pay directly through the app and highlights connections members have in common while suggesting new connections, reinforcing the creative, network-driven spirit of Soho House.
House Profiles
Members often found it frustrating not knowing key details about each location, such examples things as knowing if a home has a gym, operating hours, laptop-friendly spaces, or parking info.
To address this, I designed the House Profile Page, a dedicated space that provides members with quick access to location-specific information, including operating hours, amenities, high-quality photos, and practical updates.
