DESCRIPTION
An app developed for those weekend warriors all over the world who can still run, shoot, pass, and are always eager to get out on courts to showcase their skills.
When
April 2023 - June 2023
My Role
I assumed the following roles in designing this app:
• User Experience (UX) Designer
• Interaction (IxD) Designer
• User Interface (UI) Designer
• Visual Designer

Deliverables

Interaction Design:
• High-fidelity interactive prototyped UX/UI
Design:
• Competitive analysis
• User surveys
• One-on-one interviews
• Personas
• User journeys and task flows
• Site map
• Low-fidelity wireframes
• High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
• Design system and UI kit
• Usability tests and findings

Designing a Basketball App for Passionate Players
‍
Game! An emphatic proclamation heard after every intense and competitive contest between two teams eager to claim victory on every blacktop or hardwood court from New York’s Rucker Park to Sunset Dongdan aka “The Holy Land” Beijing China. Every basketball enthusiast is familiar with its meaning, and every spectator has wondered why it has so much power in its delivery. It can be a sign of validation for some, and a rite of passage for others.

That's why so many find it hard to walk away from it even after living the dream or for those whose dreams may have evaded them. Game! the app was developed for those weekend warriors who can still run, shoot, and pass and are always eager to get out to courts all over the world to showcase their skills.

Situation:

My task was to design a basketball app allowing players to find courts, schedule games, organize tournaments, and invite other players. I also needed to include a way for users to share and record game stats over a complete season.

Task:

I decided to use a "Lean UX" approach, which focuses on early and frequent feedback from users rather than on deliverables. I also focused on quick iterative cycles and usability testing.

Action:

I began by conducting a competitive analysis to understand the current apps on the market. I also conducted user surveys and one-on-one interviews to identify the target market and their needs.

Results:

I found that many players were using Google to find courts to play on and needed a way to organize games, create recurring runs, and connect with other players. I also found that none of the existing apps were international. I created a series of low-fi iterations to test different design ideas with users. I then made changes based on their feedback. Once I had a working prototype, I conducted usability testing to identify any remaining usability issues. I also made changes based on this feedback.

•••

The Research

My research included competitive analysis to better understand the current apps on the market. User surveys helped me identify the right target market, and their motivating factors. Lastly, one-on-one interviews provided qualitative and emotional insight into key points of users’ journeys.

Key Insights:

• Players wanted a way to organize their games, create recurring runs, and connect with other players.
• Players wanted a "Real World" system that spoke their language and followed familiar conventions.
• Players were looking for effective features, not just a lot of bells and whistles.

How did the comp measure up?

After interviewing players I decided to conduct further research into what the competitor’s were actually doing. How well they were doing it, and if they were really valuing the basketball enthusiast experience.

Key Insights
• All had a feature to search courts and players.
• Most has a feature to your create games/tournaments.
• Very few could make reservations, keep stats, or set a rosters.
• None were international.

•••

Meet the Players

Kristi is a financial advisor for Lehman Brothers. She played four years at Rutgers as a shooting guard, and still loves the game. She looks forward to the weekends so she can drop buckets on her friends.

Kyle spent the last three years playing overseas for Saski Baskonia. Every time he’s back in the states he’s looking for a pickup game or a run to stay sharp. His passion for the game is his primary motivation.

•••

Micro Iterations

Low-fi iterations helped us get a feel for how we might display pertinent information for our sponsors.  We allowed our imagination to flow, we weren’t concerned with details. We wanted as many ideas as we could generate to see if we could improve on the original idea.

•••

What the players said

My goal was to get a product into the hands of the players as soon as I could. It was important so I could make iterations quickly, and their feedback was invaluable. It was the players input that really shaped the design of the product in the end.

•••

Lessons Learned

• Don't overthink or over-design the product. Focus on the features that players want the most.
• Listen to your users and make changes based on their feedback.
• Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things.

•••

Key Takeaways

By focusing on the problem that players were trying to solve and listening to their feedback, the UX designer was able to create a successful product that met the needs of the target market.

•••

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates how a UX designer can use a Lean UX approach to create a successful product that meets the needs of the target market. By focusing on the problem that players were trying to solve and listening to their feedback, the designer was able to create an app that was both simple and easy to use, and that met the specific needs of passionate basketball players.

Designs that connect, inspire, and empower.
Embrace the moment to build the business you've always envisioned. Share your mission with the world, leaving your customers in awe.
let's talk
design by imajedesignco