SafeTickets for Concert Fans: The Masterpiece That Emerged from a Blank Canvas
This is a story about inspiration, doubt, and a product born not just from need, but from a vision—a vision that began blurry but turned into a masterpiece
Every artist knows the fear of a blank canvas—a space full of potential and the weight of expectation. For us, building SafeTickets, as a part of our mobile app scope, was like staring at that canvas, brush in hand, wondering: What should we create to truly matter?
The Creative Block: When Good Ideas Aren’t Enough
Picture this: Our team, a mix of engineers, designers, and dreamers, sat staring at the metaphorical canvas. The problem was clear: ticket fraud was a growing stain on the events industry. Fake tickets, fake websites and fake promises.
But solving the problem with tech alone felt... uninspiring. Sure, we could slap on a digital bandage and call it a day. But would it mean anything? Would it truly elevate user experience and trust, or just be another tool in the tech stack?
The Muse: A Vision Beyond Security
Inspiration struck our team not in a brainstorming session or a user interview, but in an unexpected place: the COP Climate Change Conference 28, where we participated as a tech provider and ticketing partner of Dubai Expo City. We were was taking a break to learn something new, mingling among people passionately discussing sustainability and global impact. At that moment, we realized something profound: technology should serve higher goals. Snap!
The challenge of fighting ticket fraud wasn’t just about locking scammers out; it was about creating something bigger—a platform of trust, responsibility, and shared values.
The experience reshaped our thinking:
Security alone wasn't a sufficient reason to completely change how users receive tickets after purchase. Our product had to align with the growing demand for sustainability.
User behavior mattered. Could attending a concert feel not only fun but also meaningful? Could we create something that left people inspired, even outside the event?
Energised, we returned to the drawing board. The team created a mood board inspired by everything from Coldplay's eco-friendly tours and Billie Eilish's environmental ambassadorship to futuristic ideas about technology supporting societal good. Suddenly, SafeTickets was no longer just a product; it was a mission and the reason to make users feel twice as good—after their purchase and after the show.
The Rough Draft: The Beauty of Ugly First Strokes
Every masterpiece starts with messy brushstrokes, and SafeTickets was no exception. Our beta version, frankly, felt like those awkward doodles you hide in a drawer. Users got confused by the new system, showing up to events with confirmation emails instead of tickets.
It was a bit chaos. And it was humbling.
Great art isn't born from perfection—our project was born from iteration. We took our first strokes and refined them:
Clearer communication in confirmation emails.
Proactive reminders nudging users to download tickets ahead of events.
Backup options like web-view tickets for those who couldn’t or wouldn’t use the app.
And yet, something was missing.
The Turning Point: From Functional to Inspirational
That missing piece? We were lacking a deeper connection to why we are doing this.
The sustainability lessons from COP28 transformed how we approached the product. Yes, dynamic QR codes and fraud prevention were important, but what if we could redefine the ticket itself as a symbol of responsibility?
We embedded sustainability into every layer:
Mobile-first tickets reduced the need for paper.
Offline functionality empowered users without extra digital waste.
Inclusive options ensured accessibility for everyone, regardless of tech literacy.
The team even created a motto that guided our work through message to enduser: “Don’t print. Download. Save the paper”
It wasn’t just technology; it was purpose. And that purpose started inspiring not just users but us, the creators.
The Breakthrough: A Canvas Comes to Life
Our defining moment came at the Diljit Dosanjh LIVE concert in Abu Dhabi, where 30,000 fans put SafeTickets to the ultimate test.
Watching the crowd move seamlessly through the gates, tickets glowing on their phones like modern-day access keys, felt like seeing our masterpiece finally framed. Fraudsters? Shut out. Entry delays? Vanished. Environmental impact? Reduced.
For the first time, the system felt alive. It wasn’t just working—it was working beautifully. It was a moment to be proud of what we were doing 40 hours a week. The foot print? Left.
The Details That Made the Difference
Like any great painting, the devil was in the details:
Dynamic QR Codes refreshed every few seconds, making screenshots useless.
Offline Functionality ensured fans weren’t stranded when their Wi-Fi was.
Accessibility Features catered to everyone, even those without apps.
And perhaps most importantly, we built the feature scope with empathy. We learned that some users—like older generations—needed alternative solutions. Instead of forcing them into a mold, we created a path that felt inclusive and respectful.
The Critique: What We Learned About Ourselves
It’s fair to say that, as a product lead, I often orbit at odd angles to the rest of the planet. Outside of work, I look to art for answers—art, the mirror of eternity, where you see the soul. The more you stare into it, the more you love and understand what’s reflected back.
I see my team as artists, too, crafting something new with each sprint. And like any artist, we’ve faced moments of doubt—the fear that our work might not resonate. But with SafeTickets, we learned this: when you create with purpose, people feel it.
The proof wasn’t in loud praise but in quiet moments—a fan saying they didn’t stress about their ticket for once, or an organizer calling the process effortless. These small, unpolished truths showed us something profound: SafeTickets wasn’t just a solution. It was a reflection of what we value—trust, connection, and meaning.
And as we stood back, we didn’t just see a product. We saw a canvas transformed, a piece of work we were proud to call our own.
The Final Stroke: A Masterpiece in Progress
SafeTickets is a living work of art—one we’ll keep refining as the world evolves.
For now, it stands as a testament to what’s possible when a team dares to dream beyond the problem at hand. Fraud prevention? Check. Sustainability? Check. A deeper connection between users, events, and the world? Double-check.
As we look at our canvas now, we don’t see the end of a project. We see the beginning of a gallery—where every feature, every improvement, and every idea builds toward something greater.
Because the best masterpieces don’t just solve problems—they inspire. 🎨