Challenge

The biggest challenge was to convince users to leave their existing app model. Utilize low weight design and a UI that quickly informs the user of games they’re interested in playing.
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This study asks if a fast and convenient interface is important enough to change user behavior? 

Proposed Solution

After conducting a competitive audit and a sample survey, to better understand the challenges and potential pitfalls, the proposed solution was to develop a subscription based gaming app that would allow users to download and play games with increased frequency.

What I did

User Research, Persona Journey Mapping, Unmoderated Usability Study, UI Redesign, Lo-fi & Hi-fi Prototyping

Initially, I designed a layout similar to many popular streaming services. Users spend a large portion of their time searching for content, but when it comes to gaming, I learned users want to start playing as soon as possible.

Outcome

A Figma Prototype designed to heighten app usability, with quick navigation tools, to help deliver intuitive UI for onboarding new users.

Additional findings indicated that a subscription based model would have to offer privacy and ease of use.  Despite providing unique and targeted search tools, users are more inclined to play games that are popular among other users.

Table of Contents

1. Research Questions

• Primary, interview questions
• Secondary - Competitive Audit
• Research Summary
  
  

2. USER PERSONA & JOURNEY MAP
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3. SKETCHES & PROTOTYPES

• Sketches
• Wireframes
• Lo-fi & Hi-fi prototypes
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4. INTERACTIVE PROTOTYPES
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5. KEY TAKEAWAYS

Research Questions

Primary Research

At the start of this project, I assumed users would be deterred or overwhelmed by the ever growing number of game titles in the marketplace. Additionally, I found that users are willing to endure their current app store offering because of its low impact and convenience.

Admittedly when I began this project I utilized a rather small and inconsistent testing group. My idea was to simply blast this survey across twitter and discord and rely on the generosity and time of others.

After filtering through some (a lot) of nonsense responses, I received a few responses from users interested in providing valuable feedback. Upon my next iteration, I developed a more controlled process for obtaining feedback. I reused previous contributors while also narrowing my target audience. I reached out to design, tech, and video game specific channels and the data was significantly more useful.

Reducing the overwhelming amount of information on the landing page allowed users to find the games they were looking for faster. A streaming style layout when users spend a large portion of their time looking for content, but when it comes to gaming, I discovered users want to start playing as soon as possible.

Interview Questions

1. Which App Store do you currently use to download new mobile games?
2. Who is your cellular provider?
3. Are you willing to purchase a new mobile game?
4. Do you currently pay a monthly fee for subscription based gaming?
5. How much time per day / month do you spend playing mobile games?
6. How long do you take when deciding which new game to play?
7. Do you expect your games to keep your data safe and secure while playing?
8. Do you trust the current app you use to download new mobile games?

Secondary Research

Competitive Audit

The great thing about mobile operating systems is that there is usually a ​vetting process to ensure a new app meets the provider's security and usability standards before the app is released to the marketplace. This means that there is a multi-step process that ensures all available apps / games are secure, ultimately reducing the number of legitimate, viable competitors.

Given this information, I was able to quickly test many of the available Arcade apps in the marketplace. I focused on their landing page, onboarding process, and UX navigation from discovery to check out.

Research Challenges

1. It's tough to know if the downloaded game is going to be good without having high conversions rates. Without fabricating details, how can I realistically know what games the subscription based app will offer?
   
   
2. Users are overwhelmed when given too much information and are inclined to close the app. What is this threshold?
   
   
3. Users want discovery tools that are easy to use and provide quicker results... A search-bar reduced excess "noise".
   
   
4. Users don’t want another social media app, but do want a low impact way of knowing what games their friends are playing. (Think Spotify with better discovery tools)

Research Summary

Through exploring the various App Store offerings and after conducting interviews with users who play mobile games, it became apparent that users were interested in selecting from a variety of indie titles. Yes, the majority of users are inclined to play the most popular titles, but with a subscription based platform, users feel there is more leeway to take risks with new indie titles.
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The largest frustrations arose when users wanted to find recommended games that were cheap, safe, and fun. However, given the multi-step security of most mobile providers, and considering a low-barrier price point, it seems the cost advantages of a subscription based model would be attractive to new and old mobile gamers.

User persona & Journey map

Personas

Based on my user research and competitive audits, I designed numerous personas which I referred to throughout the entire process.

Included in each user persona are Age, Education, Hometown, and Occupation. Additionally, it provides context for app needs, personal goals, and family life.

The desired intent was to provide a wide look at users with different life demands and a varied approach to personal preference when it comes to playing mobile games.

Gabriella

Gabi is a young, competitive gamer, but babysitting her little brothers and trying to graduate are consuming all of the available time she would like to devote to gaming.

James

James is married and celebrating the birth of his first child. Unfortunately, James is exhausted and looking for games that allow him to relax, but don't take too much time to play.

Victoria

Victoria is a UX designer for a video game company, and is looking for a service that highlights games from Indie developers (like her).

Costumer Journey

For a better understanding of how users interface with this app, I've outlined the steps users took to download a game from the app and then their resulting thoughts based on these actions.

Sketches & Prototypes

Sketches, Wireframes, Prototypes

The easiest way to get ideas on paper, without focusing too much on perfecting the end result, was to use pen and paper. 

Early iterations were found to be too congested. After receiving user feedback, the concept was trimmed down to reduce excess "noise". 

Additional user feedback helped to condense this even further in the final prototype.

Interactive Prototype

Interactive
​Figma Prototype

Features I changed:

• “Side scrolling” feature was removed.
  • User testing determined that games were buried at end of carousel. Limited discoverability.
    
    
• Landing page updated to simplify genre selection and increase user engagement.

• App "language" cleaned up to reduce confusing terminology.
  • User testing was concerned that unnecessary language is used. Why does “My account” take me to create account?
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• Navigation is familiar to users.
  • User testing confirmed preference to steam rather than Netflix. Enjoyed that navigation was simply and easy.

 

• Bottom Banner improved to add quick navigation tools.

Click the screen above to navigate the prototype. Interactive elements will be highlighted briefly in blue on each screen.

key takeaways

Moving Forward

From the start of this project the goal was to determine how users decide which apps they want to download. Based off historical practices, users are comfortable doing that which is easiest to them, however if you're able to offer an alternative, then users care most about price point and whatever reducers the barrier to entry.

Price point and App security are high value points that users will take into consideration when navigating towards something new.

Wanna know more?
Drop me a line

Email:  [email protected]