Los Angeles
the challenge
Why was it critical to solve this issue now?
The 2026 Inaugural Car Show presented on April 25th hosted over 100+ registered participants, staged musical performances, vendor activations, multi-zone parking spaces, volunteer staff, and over 2,000 attendees from the broader campus community. With no room for failure, every aspect of registration, confirmation, surveying, check-in, and voting needed to be fully functional and implemented weeks before event day.
"I'VE LEARNED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS TO BE YOURSELF & TO SPEAK YOUR TRUTH."
Abbey Lincoln
What problem was the client facing?
Cal State LA had registration data exported from the industry lead application, Transact, with no workflow to fully implement it. Reaching 100+ participants with personalized check-in instructions meant either doing it manually or using a blunt mail merge with no safeguards. On event day, check-in was going to be a clipboard, paper surveys were going to be distributed, and voting results for “Best in Show” and other categories would only be known after the fact. The tools didn’t exist yet, but the concept did.
Los Angeles
our objective
Build an event management platform that automates personalized registration confirmations, implement a survey for attendees, and develop a QR-based check-in and voting mechanism for Cal State LA’s car show, while giving staff a single live view of attendance and real-time community voting across all award categories.
Our Goals:
Develop a personalized QR mechanism
Create a unique (university logo) QR-based workflow that streamlined participant communication, event-day check-in, survey, and voting.
Develop a successful marketing campaign
Promote the event through targeted physical & digital communications that informed participants and increased engagement.
Increase University outreach in community area
Strengthen connections between Cal State LA and the local community by creating an accessible, engaging campus event.
Los Angeles
our solution
Delivering a seamless, community-ready event consisted of criteria for a unified management dashboard connecting every stage of the participant journey, a mobile-first check-in, full survey and voting flow accessible to attendees through a single QR code scan, as well as a live leaderboard visible to the entire event floor from arrival to final award.
"THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ROLE OF THE LOVER. IF I LOVE YOU, I HAVE TO MAKE YOU CONSCIOUS OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T SEE."
James Baldwin
Approach Used:
Web development
Redesign the Cal State LA departmental website to reflect the branding and marketing of the Inaugural Car Show as well as implementing the Transact registration.
Full UI/UX design
Design an intuitive platform that simplified event management for organizers and participants alike.
Mobile-first layout
Ensure every attendee could access check-in and voting seamlessly from any mobile device.
Speed Optimization
Optimize system performance to deliver fast, reliable interactions during high-traffic event operations.
Los Angeles
our process
Utilizing exports from Transact System to retrieve raw spreadsheets to then develop a fully operational event platform, the process required four distinct phases. Building the communication infrastructure, integrating personalized QR-code, engineering safeguards, and the attendee-facing check-in, survey and live voting experience.
"HOLD FAST TO DREAMS, FOR IF DREAMS DIE, LIFE IS A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD THAT CANNOT FLY."
Langston Hughes
Ideation
Define user needs and map the complete participant journey from registration to awards.
Development
Build and integrate the platform's core features, automation, and event workflows.
Implementation
Deploy the system for live event operations, including QR check-in, survey and real-time voting.
Analytic Review
Evaluate engagement and operational metrics to measure performance and identify opportunities for future improvements.
Los Angeles
our
deliverables
"THERE ARE TIMES IN LIFE WHEN, INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING, YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR COMPLAINTS."
Rita Dove
Deliverables include the following:
| Deliverable | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Website Development | Advertise event & implement Transact registration |
| Event Management Dashboard | Centralize registration, attendance, & event operations |
| Personalized Email Campaign | Communicate details & deliver participant QR codes |
| QR Check-In System | Streamline event-day registration & attendee check-in |
| Attendee Survey System & Tracking | Track community needs & foot traffic |
| Live Voting Platform | Enable real-time community voting & award tracking |
| Mobile Participant Experience | A seamless check-in & voting experience on device |
| Analytics & Reporting | Monitor attendance, engagement, & event performance |
Los Angeles
skills
& tools
Successfully delivering the platform required a combination of skillsets. From software development, user experience design, and event operations, all these were required to establish a fully functional platform. By integrating backend development, automation, and data management, the system proved a successful solution for departmental needs.
"NEVER BE LIMITED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S LIMITED IMAGINATIONS."
Dr. Mae Jemison
Los Angeles
key results
Outcomes After Launch:
- 35% increase in vendor catalog
- 3000% increase in departmental social media accounts
- Key donation from university established the event in local print and digital news
- Generate profitable revenue
"IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, ASK FOR IT. AND BE SPECIFIC—YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT."
Elaine Welteroth
Los Angeles
client testimonial
More than an event management tool, this platform unified communication, surveying, check-in, and live engagement, all while showcasing how technology can assist both operational needs and community participation.
“We’ve preformed now at a few of these and for this to be you all’s first one, you’re going to make the other groups have to step it up!”
CSLA Afro Latin Music Salsa Club
Band Performance Member
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