A bespoke CRM platform designed to serve the relationship-driven workflows of cultural organizations across New York’s Broadway and nonprofit performing arts sectors.
Client: QED Software / Playtime (New York)
Industry: Arts & Culture, CRM SaaS
Overview
The project aimed to modernize and centralize how theaters, arts nonprofits, and cultural producers manage institutional contacts, donor engagement, and partnership histories. Unlike traditional sales CRMs, this platform focused on nuance, memory, and long-term relationship-building.
Scope of Work
- UX research and user journey mapping
- Interaction and interface design
- Modular design system for future scalability
- Ongoing design support during Agile sprints
Approach
Through stakeholder workshops and interviews with program managers, development directors, and communications teams, we identified core needs that existing tools failed to address — including contextual histories of collaborations, grant timelines, and audience engagement strategies.
The design process prioritized clarity, accessibility, and adaptability. The resulting interface introduced customizable contact tagging, timeline-based interaction views, and robust filtering options, all within a UI aligned to the tone and aesthetics of the cultural sector.
Impact
The platform enabled Playtime to offer a focused, user-centered alternative to generic CRM tools. Early feedback from pilot users highlighted significant improvements in visibility, collaboration, and overall trust in the system. The CRM continues to support leading NYC institutions in building and maintaining strategic partnerships.
Tools & Methods
Figma, FigJam, Notion, Zeplin, Agile collaboration with distributed product and engineering teams.
