Static and rotating codes
| Static code | Rotating code | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A fixed image that links to one place. | A code that changes every few minutes. |
| Good for | Posters, invitations and print. | Proving someone’s actually in the room. |
| Weakness | Works anywhere, so it proves nothing. | Needs a live screen. |
Flare uses both, for different jobs. A static poster tells people about your event and gets them the app. The rotating code is what lets them join, and it changes every five minutes, so everyone you could be matched with is actually there.
Making codes scan
- Size. A common rule of thumb is that a code should be about a tenth as wide as the distance it’s scanned from. At 2 meters, make it 20 cm or larger.
- Contrast. Dark code, light background. Inverted and colored codes fail more often.
- Quiet space. Keep a clear margin around the code. Don’t let a frame or logo touch it.
- Brightness. On a screen, turn the brightness all the way up. Watch for glare from nearby lights.
- Test it in the real place, with a few different phones, at the actual brightness.
Where to put them
Put the code where people have stopped moving and have a hand free. That’s often just past the door, not right at it, where a crowd would block the entrance. If there’s a line, put a sign along it so people can get ready. Put more than one sign up at bigger events. Bathroom doors and bar tops are underrated.
Always have a fallback
Some people’s cameras won’t cooperate, and some don’t want to use the camera at all. Have a short code that a person can type, and have someone who can read it out. Flare’s six-digit code does this. It rotates at the same moment as the QR.
Plan for the app
If guests have to install something, the slowest part of check-in is the install. Tell them beforehand, and make sure there’s signal or Wi-Fi at the door. A code that opens an event page should explain exactly what to do next, and it shouldn’t present a scan as a finished check-in when there’s more to do.
How to set up the door at a Flare event.