For today’s performance, we implemented a change in text message behavior.
Previously we were pushing via text message the voting options to each phone, reinforcing the options made available on the screens in the performance (and for some of the votes via spoken lines).
We found that for last night’s full-to-bursting audience, that:
- the information appeared redundant owing to the other methods we present the options
- the volume of messages produced was contributing to a general slow down of message arrival
While the voting numbers indicate that inbound voting messages were recieved and counted accurately, the delayed delivery of the options and various confirmation messages was likely to produce confusion.
So in stepped Tim, our intrepid programmer to eliminate those outbound messages. For today’s performance, message delivery is much more timely.
We intend to keep a careful eye on learned lessons, making subtle tweaks to the technology to streamline and make for a good audience “user” experience.