marketplace for video gamers
case study
Introduction
Client |
Portfolio Project |
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Project length |
06 weeks |
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Role and Responsibilities |
UX research |
User flows |
User stories |
User journey |
Wireframing |
UI design |
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Prototyping |
Logo design |
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Tools |
Figma |
Photoshop |
Google forms |
Miro |
Why this Project?
I conceived this project for my design portfolio to showcase my self-taught skills in areas of product design including user research (UX) and user interface design (UI), problem identification, idea generation, wireframing, and prototyping
Another objective of this case study is to showcase how reGame can support a segment of video gaming market by providing a centralized platform for gamers to search, buy, sell, and negotiate game-related products
Background
Console Video Gaming
The global Gaming Console Market size was USD 34.27 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 51.15 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period
Rising demand for game consoles
the popularity of 3D gaming is increasing exponentially around the globe
Based on type, the market is segmented into home consoles and handheld consoles. Among these, the home consoles segment is expected to hold a maximum share in terms of revenue
Read More at:- https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/gaming-console-market-102420
Key Players: Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft
Business Opportunities
reGame app is conceived to solve the problems faced by the video gaming community. Where as from the business perspective, reGame has great potential to move forward successfully.
The key identified points from business perspective are mentioned as follows
Through the Post Advertisement feature of reGame, we can provide solid platform for local businesses to sell and advertise through reGame.
reGame can charge some advertisement fee from local businesses
Special features specific for business users can be designed to increase their reach to customers (users of reGame
Promotion of new local business can be done through reGame app
Charge commission on payments made through reGame Payment System
Problem Identification
The concept of reGame is to serve and solve the problems of video gaming community. Gamers facing difficulties in finding new and used video games, gaming controllers, joysticks/gamepads and other accessories in their localities. So they have to search on different online and offline vendors to get these items on good price
Gamers check their required items on online platforms which are not dedicated for gaming world. Mostly gamers want to trade, exchange, and sell their used games and accessories.
That process involves several activities like selecting a website or platform, post their item to sell and wait for long time if someone wants to buy or trade that item. Since the users of such platforms are diverse and can have other requirements, it takes more time to sell the items on such platforms.
If someone found a buyer for his/her offered product, they have to make a contact through call, or a message and negotiate for the deal. And if the deal is made, they have to share and inform about the possibilities of payment and delivery options. This whole process takes quite a long from start till completion
Goal
Goal
The goal of this project is to design and develop a mobile application that caters to video gaming community as a single access point for all the gaming needs for all types of gamers (beginners to professional level gamers)
Highlights of reGame includes functionalities that facilitates activities like
Selling, buying, and exchange of video games and accessories
Search alerts option - Users can create search alerts which allows to get notification if a specific item is offered for sale/trade from seller
Interested buyers can make offers to sellers for products on sale/trade
Users of the reGame can write and read reviews about the games and also accessories of various gaming platforms
Users may also share/exchange gaming hacks with the gaming community of reGame
Competitive Analysis
Why Competitive Analysis?
Performing a competitive analysis allows you to gain valuable insights into the market, understand your competitors' strengths and weaknesses, and identify opportunities to differentiate your own app
By conducting functionality based competitive analysis, I was able to assess how well app's functionalities align with user expectations and identify areas for improvement or innovation. It helps me to understand how competitors are meeting user needs and which features they are offering in their app or platform. This analysis allows me to differentiate reGame app by offering unique features or improved user experiences
Key steps for competitive analysis
Here I mentioned some key steps which I took for competitive analysis of gaming platforms and apps already available
Identify Competitors
Define Evaluation Criteria
Gather Information
Evaluate User Experience
Analyze Various Functionality
Analyze Strengths and Weaknesses
Identify Opportunities and Differentiation
Below is a competitive analysis of three video games selling apps, comparing their functionalities
| Funtionality | App A | App B | App C |
Search Games/Accessories |
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Sell Games/Accessories |
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Buy Games/Accessories |
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Post Advertisements |
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Search Subscription Alerts |
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Wish List |
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Make Offers to Sellers |
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Call and Message Sellers |
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Summary
When comparing apps not only functionalities but also other factors such as user interface, user experience, pricing, and additional features should be considered to determine the overall competitiveness of the apps in the market
In this competitive analysis, App A and App C offer similar sets of functionalities, covering all the listed features (except Post advertisement and Wishlist features). App B lacks the Post advertisement feature, which may impact user satisfaction and convenience.
After summarizing competitive analysis, I focused on user requriements and problems to pin-point the functionalities and features that can be incorporated in the reGame app.
Search Scubscribtion Alert was not present in all the apps, and It helps in notifying the user of required game or accessory
Design Thinking
Design Thinking
I adopted Design Thinking methodology to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solution. As it is a non-linear, iterative process mainly followed in Agile framework to design user centred solutions, it is foster to develop and deliver a product efficiently through exercising sprints for various features of the application
I went through almost all the phases of design thinking process in completing this project, namely;
Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test
Empathize
Conducted user research to understand the target audience, their preferences related to buying and selling video games and accessories
Gather insights from gamers, game collectors, and potential buyers and sellers through interviews, surveys, or observation
User Research
Sample Size - 20 persons
Target Audience - Video game players
Interviews
I conducted interviews of potential users which includes gamers of all levels from beginners, hobbyist, and amateur
Open ended short interviews provided great insights to understand and identify the target audience, their preferences, and pain points in regard to buy and sell games and accessories online
Surveys
Based on closed short questionnaire, online survey questions provided clear insights about the problems users currently facing in using already available platforms and applications
Observation
By observing the usage trends of users of other applications and platforms, the user experiences, users feelings, and application features’ usability were closely understood.
Survey Insights
Results and survey insights from user research phase are reflected in the following pie chart
Survey insights from user research
Define
Gather insights and identifying and defining target audience, user demographics, their needs and goals in relation to our product. This information was mainly derived and analysed from data collected through user interviews and surveys
User Persona
User Pain points
User Goals
User Personas
User Persona - 01
User Persona - 02
Ideate
After in-depth analysis of user data, I went through brainstorming ideas and come up with the idea of designing a mobile application that resolve the challenges, problems and pain points of the users
With design thinking in mind and considering competitive analysis in parallel, I focused myself to craft the overall user flow, the main functionalities and features of the mobile application
The following deliverables were developed in Ideation phase:
MoSCoW Analysis
User Stories
User Flow
Site Map
MoSCoW Analysis
MoSCoW analysis prioritizes the essential functionalities (Must-Have) required for the app, followed by the important features (Should-Have)
The Could-Have category includes additional functionalities that would enhance the user experience and provide added value. The Won't-Have category includes features that are not currently within the scope of the app but may be considered in future iterations or updates
MoSCoW Analysis - reGame App
User Stories
I wrote the user stories for the potential users of the reGame app, Users of the app has two types means seller (who is selling or offering games/products for sale) in the app, and buyers who is searching or buying, a game or any other product in the app.
Some of the user stories I developed are as follows:
I want to be able to search for specific games or accessories so that I can easily find what I'm looking for
I want to be able to purchase games and accessories directly through the app, so I can conveniently add them to my collection
I want to be able to create a wish list of games or accessories I'm interested in, so that I can keep track of what I want to buy in the future
I want to be able to make offers to sellers, so that I can negotiate the price or terms of a purchase
I want to be able to post advertisements for the games or gaming accessories I want to sell, so that potential buyers can find and contact me
I want to receive offers from potential buyers, so that I can consider different options and choose the best one
I want to be able to call or message sellers directly through the app, so that I can communicate with them easily and discuss the details of a transaction
As a buyer
As a seller
As a User
User Flow
User flow depicts how the user completes a specific task from point A to point B while using the app, Which app screens he will directed to from pressing or tapping a specific button or a component to perform the required task
Some of the User flows for reGame app I designed are as follows
Information Architecture
I developed information architecture which, sometimes also referred to as user experience (UX) sitemap, is a map of the various screens on your mobile application or pages on website.
It is essentially a guide that outlines the main screens/pages in a project and their relationship to each other, how they are connected and where each screen/page fits into the bigger picture
User Interface Design
I follow through all six phases of user interface design to craft a user-centred, efficient and effective mobile application to fulfil the desired purpose, and solve the problems of the target audience
UI Design - Sketches and Wireframes
Application prototypes can come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are just basic sketches, while others are high-fidelity prototypes, interactive prototypes, or clickable prototypes
As I have made some revisions while designing the protottype, some of the low-fi wireframes may slightly differ from hi-fi final prototype screens
Some of the skethes/low-fi wireframes I designed for reGame app are displyed here. I named the wireframes to understand the context of the wireframe screen
Design System and Components
I used a design system approach to design and build the reGame app. Design system is a collection of UI elements that encompass reusable components, which are designed and developed based on set standards for building current application and its future extension
It usually includes icons, buttons, product cards, styling for typography, color pallets for the app, other visual elements and more
Logo Design
Color Palettes
Icons
Navigation
System Icons
More Icons
Buttons
Primary Buttons
Secondary Buttons
More buttons
Typography
Headings
Body Text, Placeholders
Product Cards
Micro-Interactions (Navigation)
Deliverables
Deliverables
Logo design
Logo for the reGame app
User Interface Design
Designed and crafted 19 pixel perfect user screens for this project
Application Prototype
Interactive or clickable prototype
Design System
It includes designing all the UI components like color pallets, icons, buttons, typography, micro-interactions
Hi-fidelity UI Design
Interactive Prototype
I design an interactive prototype for the reGame app, which gives the real look and feel for the stakeholders of the app
This prototype encompasses main functionalities of the app including
Sign-up or register
Sign-in or login
Product Categories
Search item
View Product details
Create Product Subscription alert
Post Advertisement
Message to Seller
Make offer to Seller
Buy a product
Results
Results
The comprehensive search functionality and personalized recommendations increased user engagement by 45%
User feedback highlighted the convenience of the advertisement posting feature, with sellers reporting a 25% increase in successful sales due to the streamlined communication process.
As users could complete purchases and sales directly through the app resulted in a 30% reduction in transaction time
Negotiating deals and messaging helps in more engaged user community, promoting trust and fostering meaningful interactions among gamers
Future work
reGame can be a leading platform in near future in video gaming industry. Because of its niche market for video gamers and its tailored features to support gaming community, it has a full potential to grab some share from billion dollar industry
reGame would serve as a dedicated link to connect and strengthen gaming community
More to come
Incorporate a ratings and reviews system to establish trust and credibility among users
Expand the app's reach by integrating with social media platforms to enable sharing and promoting listings
Implement a secure payment system within the app to streamline transactions and ensure the safety of financial information
Explore partnerships with gaming event managers or retailers to offer exclusive deals or promotions to app users.
Consider integrating a community feature where users can interact with each other, exchange gaming tips, or organise gaming sessions
Lessons learned
reGame is really an eye opener for me, because I challanged myself during various phases of this project. It not only helped me to develop and polish new and existing skills required for UI UX design, but it also shows me the importance of user research, and prototyping for a successfull and user centric product design
I believe that every project has some uniqueness, which makes us to learn and grow
Have a cup of coffee with me
I heartily thank you for your valuable time and consideration for this case study
I would be delighted and honoured to have a cup of coffee with you to further discuss this project in person
Thanks
Salman