Case Study
The Room Website: Transforming Cult Film Chaos into User-Friendly Experience
1 | The Challenge
The Room (2003) has achieved legendary status as the "Citizen Kane of bad movies," attracting devoted fans to theatrical screenings worldwide. Yet its official website was failing the very community it meant to serve. When users couldn't find screening information, purchase merchandise, or learn about the film's notorious history, the site was actively damaging the brand's relationship with its audience.
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My Role: UX Researcher
Methods: Moderated usability testing, task-based evaluation, heuristic analysis, persona development and user journey map creation
Duration: 3 weeks
Context: Solo research project for the MS in UX program at Arizona State University
2 | The Story Behind the Research
Setting the Scene
Imagine you've just heard about The Room phenomenon on social media. Friends are throwing plastic spoons at midnight screenings, shouting iconic lines, and you want in. You visit the official website to find a screening near you. Instead, you encounter:
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Screening information from 2019
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Links that open in unexpected windows
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A map that looks interactive but isn't
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Grammar errors that make you question the site's legitimacy
This was the reality for every participant in my usability study.
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Research Process
1. Defining Success
Before diving into testing, I established clear criteria based on the site's intended purpose:
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Users should be able to easily find current screening information
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The merchandise purchase flow should be straightforward and logical
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New fans should be able to discover what makes The Room special
2. Persona Creation
Prior to testing and based on my criteria, I created a persona in order to help define the site's target users, ensure I'd be recruiting participants who reflect real usage patterns, and frame tasks and scenarios in usability testing to feel more authentic and relevant.​
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3. Recruiting the Right Participants
I recruited 3 participants representing different audience segments:
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Cari (25-34): Occasionally looks up movie screenings, had heard of The Room
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Karyn (18-24): Frequently searches for screenings, familiar with the film
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Jonah (35-44): New to The Room but comfortable with online shopping
[NOTE: Ages/names are from the report but demographic details are limited - you may want to add more participant background if available]
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4. Task-Based Testing Approach
I designed three realistic scenarios that reflected actual user goals:
Task 1: Find a Screening
"You saw a social media post about The Room screenings and want to experience one."
Task 2: Purchase Merchandise
"You and your partner are fans wanting to buy an official script and matching The Room t-shirts."
Task 3: Learn About the Film
"You've heard about this bizarre film and want to understand its culture."
The Research in Action
I conducted face-to-face moderated sessions, recording both screen activity and participant reactions. Using think-aloud protocol, participants narrated their journey through the chaos.
The sessions revealed not just usability issues, but emotional responses that ranged from confusion to genuine distress.
3 | Key Findings: Where Chaos Met Reality
Finding 1: Navigation Broke Mental Models
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The Evidence:
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100% task failure rate for finding current screenings
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Average time on screening task: 5:20
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All participants clicked non-interactive elements expecting functionality
What Participants Said:
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"Why are things not clickable that should be and why are things that are clickable not take you anywhere useful?"
The Impact: Users couldn't accomplish their primary goal of finding a screening, leading to immediate abandonment and lost ticket sales.
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Finding 2: Visual Design Caused Emotional Distress
The Evidence:
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Participants physically recoiled from the screen
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Multiple comments about lasting negative impressions
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Users questioned site legitimacy due to design quality
What Participants Said:
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"Aesthetically traumatic. Just unpleasant. I might think back about it throughout the day and not in a good way."
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The Impact: Poor visual design didn't just frustrate users—it actively damaged brand perception and trust.
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Finding 3: Forced Product Bundling Created Purchase Barriers
The Evidence:
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Users forced to select sizes in (non-selected and undesired) underwear when buying unrelated items like scripts
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Unable to choose individual sizes in t-shirts for combo packages, forcing buyers to get multiple items in one size only
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100% task failure for merchandise purchase
The Challenge: The store's logic defied e-commerce conventions, forcing users through unnecessary steps and preventing straightforward purchases.
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Finding 4: Content Archaeology Required for Basic Information
The Evidence:
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Current 2025 screening dates buried below outdated 2019 information
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Press page contained single release from 2004
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No accessible "About" section for newcomers
What Participants Said:
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"There doesn't appear to be any organization whatsoever here. Very off-putting."
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User Journey Map
After the usability testing, I created a user journey map to better visualize how users actually interacted with the site and to define key pain points.
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4 | My Recommendations: From Chaos to Clarity
Immediate Fixes (Quick Wins!)
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Create persistent top navigation - Implement standard navigation patterns users expect to align with mental models
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Update screening information - Surface current dates, organize in logical order, and archive old ones
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Fix forced bundling - Allow individual item selection in combo packages for merchandise, and don't bundle unrelated items
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Add "About The Room" section - Onboard new fans more effectively with the film's rich history and culture
Structural Improvements
Information Architecture Overhaul
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Separate content by user goal (Watch, Shop, Learn)
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Create logical content groupings
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Implement proper labeling conventions
Visual Design System
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Establish consistent and aesthetically appealing color palette and typography (while also adhering to accessibility considerations)
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Left-align body text for enhanced readability
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Create clear visual hierarchy
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Use whitespace and drastic reduction of unnecessary graphics to reduce cognitive load
Navigation Standardization
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Keep users in same tab/window
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Add breadcrumbs for orientation
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Include persistent home/logo link
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Make interactive elements obvious
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Use appropriate labels (e.g., with main menu items) to meet user expectations
Measuring Success
While this was a graduate academic project, I proposed these metrics for measuring improvement:
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Task Completion Rate: Target 80%+ for core tasks
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Time on Task: Reduce by 50% for screening/purchase flows
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User Satisfaction: Achieve 4+ rating (currently estimated at 1-2)
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Business Metrics: Track screening ticket sales and merchandise conversions
5 | Reflection
​What I Learned
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It's About Balance: The Room's appeal lies partly in its largely unintentional absurdity. The website could maintain that eccentric charm while still being functional. Good UX doesn't mean sacrificing personality; it means ensuring users can achieve their goals while experiencing that personality.
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Documentation Builds Credibility: Recording sessions, transcribing audio, and maintaining detailed notes allowed me to better identify patterns and clearly support my findings with evidence.
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Emotional Responses Matter: Users' visceral reactions to poor design can have lasting brand impact.
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Convention Has Value: When every interaction defies expectations, cognitive load becomes overwhelming and users become non-users.
Tools and Methods Used
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Testing Setup: MacBook Pro, iPhone 14 for recording, Dovetail for transcriptions
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Frameworks: Nielsen's 10 Heuristics, Krug's usability principles from Don't Make Me Think
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Analysis: Affinity mapping, task success metrics, qualitative coding
6 | Had enough or are you thirsty for more?
View the Usability Test Report: The Room