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A new smartphone app rectifying a ‘mismatch in information' is helping Perth nightlife patrons avoid waiting in long queues outside popular venues.

NightGuy , a crowd-sourced project created by UWA Economics /Law student Nick Ainsworth, UWA Commerce student Anthony Maher and collaborator Dan Preston, allows patrons to share queue lengths in real-time while waiting to gain entry to popular Perth nightspots.

The idea for the app was born after Nick and Anthony gained first-hand experience of European culture while on exchange, and a desire to help Perth patrons enjoy hassle-free nights out.

"It frustrated me when we would catch up with old friends for drinks and there would always be this rush to go out ‘because the lines might be really long.' The rest of the night was often just a series of lining up for entry, for drinks, for taxis and most of the time it didn't seem to be worth it," Nick explained.

"So we realised there was a mismatch in information that really only the venues were benefiting from: those people at home considering going out could benefit greatly from those people who were already out, in the lines."

Taking the app from conception to reality, however, posed its own challenges.

"For this project to be viable, Anthony, Dan and I had to complete basically everything ourselves so we naturally designated tasks according to who had skills in that area. It's a really dynamic team as everyone has a different background, so I really enjoy working with them," Nick said.

"Prior to executing NightGuy I think most of the team was of a view that conception of a good idea would take you halfway to success; but now I see a good idea only as a multiplier subject completely to the way you execute the project.

"I also came to realise that the reason potential markets still exist is because there is some natural barrier to a start-up in that industry. In that sense I now see the job of an entrepreneur as overcoming barriers to entry be they economic, social, or political."

Luckily, the group's university studies helped them overcome these challenges.

"Since Anthony and I both studied Economics at UWA we were able to easily assess the potential success of entering this market and quantify the value of entering the market if successful," Nick said.

"Further, the school I attended while on exchange, Copenhagen Business School, was very entrepreneurial and was certainly inspiring. We worked with a lot of start-up case studies and I know that Anthony did the same in Amsterdam. It has also been beneficial in unexpected ways; we have been discussing with two interested parties in Sweden about adapting the idea to Sweden where I spent a lot of time on my exchange."

And the app isn't just on its way across the world; it's also expanding its presence in Perth.

"We have found that perhaps people don't want just information on line length for specific bars in an area, but would prefer more generalised information: is the Perth central business district overall quiet or busy or overcrowded? We're considering implementing a text format report which discusses the activity of areas such as Perth, Subiaco or Leederville in general and mentions which areas and bars are particularly busy," Nick said.

"We're also now aiming to assist people with project development and technical development of their ideas - merging that divide between those with great ideas and those who can execute them. We won't be limiting ourselves to apps, however; recently we've been working on website projects too."

If the success of NightGuy is anything to go by, these young entrepreneurs have a bright future ahead.

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)                      (+61 8) 6488 8538
Verity Chia (UWA Business School)                               (+61 8) 6488 1346