Project - Application that connects gamers
In this thesis project at YRGO, our goal was to design an intuitive mobile application that seamlessly connects gamers with like-minded individuals. Faced with Tilly’s practical difficulties in finding reliable gaming companions, we conducted comprehensive research. This research aimed to understand the market's demand and pinpoint what virtual gamers specifically seek. We employed a mix of surveys, interviews, and interactive workshops as our primary research methodologies.
The design phase included sketching, wireframing, touchpoints, and user testing, culminating in the development of a click-through mid-fidelity prototype.
In this thesis project at YRGO, our goal was to design an intuitive mobile application that seamlessly connects gamers with like-minded individuals. Faced with Tilly’s practical difficulties in finding reliable gaming companions, we conducted comprehensive research. This research aimed to understand the market's demand and pinpoint what virtual gamers specifically seek. We employed a mix of surveys, interviews, and interactive workshops as our primary research methodologies.
The design phase included sketching, wireframing, touchpoints, and user testing, culminating in the development of a click-through mid-fidelity prototype.
In this thesis project at YRGO, our goal was to design an intuitive mobile application that seamlessly connects gamers with like-minded individuals. Faced with Tilly’s practical difficulties in finding reliable gaming companions, we conducted comprehensive research. This research aimed to understand the market's demand and pinpoint what virtual gamers specifically seek. We employed a mix of surveys, interviews, and interactive workshops as our primary research methodologies.
The design phase included sketching, wireframing, touchpoints, and user testing, culminating in the development of a click-through mid-fidelity prototype.
Visual Design
UI & UX Design
Initiating our Approach
To identify our target audience, we crafted a survey targeting an online audience eager to find gaming companions. We meticulously designed the survey to capture the desired data while paying careful attention to detail, framing pertinent questions to ensure the acquisition of factual data.
Reaching Out
To ensure a broad reach, we identified digital platforms popular with our target audience, such as gaming forums and dedicated user websites. Despite potential biases, our survey distribution through these channels yielded an overwhelmingly positive response, garnering a total of 50 responses.
Interviews
We invited 70 respondents for in-depth interviews. Fifteen responded positively, and we successfully conducted interviews with 15 participants. This experience highlighted the challenges of reaching our broad, gaming audience.
Workshop
Our workshop employed the "Rose Bud Thorn" method to evaluate our concept. Participants categorized their thoughts, and through "Brainwriting," they built upon each other's ideas, fostering potential concepts for our service.
Survey Results
For feedback purposes, the survey's objectives were clear: determine the need for finding people to play digital games with, understand why and how people currently find gaming companions, and what improvements can be made to this process. The survey also evaluated the ideas for the service, how it should be structured, and what is important to users.
Key findings that influenced our design included challenges in finding and contacting people, social entry barriers, and the importance of knowing details about other players.
Sketching & Wireframes
Sketching is a vital step in our design process, allowing us to visualize solutions quickly. It's an exploratory phase where we gauge the usability and functionality of concepts. This phase was instrumental in shaping the navigation, features, and interactions of our app.
During this phase, we alternated between sketching and wireframing, refining our ideas and translating them into organized digital blueprints. This iterative process was crucial in identifying feature sets and interactions tailored to distinct user needs.
Our sketching efforts fostered reevaluation and refinement. By employing connection diagrams and flowcharts, we aimed to align our team around a unified vision, enhancing our understanding of the user journey. The creation of a "persona post" for our app's user profile, representing Tilly, helped us internalize the user's perspective, influencing our design decisions.
Clarification of usability, viability, and functionality was essential before moving on to wireframing. Once we established these elements, our confidence grew, enabling us to craft a coherent and user-friendly design.
Workflow & Prototyping
Continuing with our design process, we defined the core components needed for our wireframes and the first prototype. Even as we realized the need for refinement, our goal remained clear: to craft workflows and functionalities that felt intuitive and seamless. The Minimum Viable Product concept guided our focus, allowing us to distill our design to its essence.
We based our wireframe color scheme on the preferences gleaned from our surveys, opting for a black background to emphasize the gaming environment and a gender-neutral green as the primary color, augmented with multiple hues to denote tags and categories.
Wireframes & First Prototype
Our work progressed to refining the essential components and buttons for the wireframes. As we delved deeper, we were reminded of the importance of iteration. Our initial goals focused on workflow and functionality rather than on aesthetics. By keeping the design simple, we aimed to achieve our MVP, emphasizing function over form.
Preparations for testing were made using our flowcharts, leading to the successful creation of our prototype. This allowed us to engage testers in the evaluation process, gaining valuable feedback for further refinement.
Key Reflections and Findings
Reflecting on our discussions and outcomes, we've identified key insights:
Design Impact: The influence of color and shape on user experience is profound. Our simple wireframe approach scored better on the SUS scale compared to the mid-fi prototype. This suggests the potential distractions of color and design elements, underscoring the importance of usability over aesthetic complexity.
Design Improvements: Our trials highlighted areas for improvement, such as refining the "Start to Simplify" approach to design. This will involve focusing on clear and consistent interface elements and user preferences, prioritizing accessibility and color contrast for clarity.
Project Outcomes
Reflecting on our discussions and outcomes, we've identified key insights:
Design Impact: The influence of color and shape on user experience is profound. Our simple wireframe approach scored better on the SUS scale compared to the mid-fi prototype. This suggests the potential distractions of color and design elements, underscoring the importance of usability over aesthetic complexity.
Design Improvements: Our trials highlighted areas for improvement, such as refining the "Start to Simplify" approach to design. This will involve focusing on clear and consistent interface elements and user preferences, prioritizing accessibility and color contrast for clarity.
Checkout one of my other projects.
Checkout one of my other projects.
Checkout one of my other projects.
Let's connect
Get in touch for opportunities or just to say hi! 👋
Let's connect
Get in touch for opportunities or just to say hi! 👋
Let's connect
Get in touch for opportunities or just to say hi!👋
