roles
I was tasked with designing a community-based platform.
methods
User Research, UX/UI, Graphic Design,
Illustration
timeline
feb - may 2023
tools
Figma, Illustrator, InDesign, Miro, Photoshop
In the very beginning,
The task assigned to me involved creating wireframes for a community interface. The initial approach focused on design rather than research, which came as a surprise. The first wireframe I developed followed the Discord model but highlighted areas for improvement. However, I realized that this approach reflected my own design bias.
So my first wireframe looked like Discord’s platform.
I took into consideration my own personal pain points on Discord’s platform and implemented it. However, I realized that this approach reflected my own design bias. I needed to conduct extensive research to remove this bias. Recognizing the need for extensive research, I delved into understanding the market, which was relatively unfamiliar to me.
From the preliminary drafts, I began to restart with a new problem and solutions to get to the goal.
Problem
Create a communication platform that is unique to the guild and not a Discord look-a-like.
Goal
Create a distinctive community-based platform, backed by research and testing, with a video-game style design and guild-like features, ensuring it stands out as a unique offering, rather than being similar to existing platforms.
From the start, I realized there were some challenges I had to overcome.
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Gamified Interface - Guild Gaming's unique proposition lies in its game-like interface, incorporating quests, tasks, and tailored goals for each user. Achieving the right balance between aesthetics and functionality requires meticulous design choices to engage and captivate users.
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Community-Focused - While aiming for a gamified interface, visual distinctiveness from traditional Discord was crucial, prioritizing seamless user interactions and emphasizing community-oriented features. Remaining open to alternative interface designs was also essential.
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Adventurous - On top of the gamified interface, it was important to include features that provide a simulated experience as if one were to be playing a game.
I overcame many of the challenges with the necessary research to understand other competitors to learn must-haves and pain points for the current market to create the designs effectively.
shown on left:
Competitor Analysis
Swot Analysis
With rudimentary research completed, it was time to understand the informational architecture and user flows to grasp a better idea of the structure.
With all the extra necessary research, I was able to turn my lo-fi wireframe into a stronger prototype backed by research.
The integration of system structuring was prioritized in the transition from mid to high-fidelity mockups. Valuable input from stakeholders was effectively communicated and incorporated into the design. Drawing inspiration from futuristic video game styles, HUD interfaces were seamlessly incorporated to create a distinctive and visually engaging platform.
With this new design, I worked with stakeholders and project managers to refine it for the target user and focused on specific attributes.
Community Focused
To ensure the user experienced a genuine connection with their friends as if they were physically present, We provided easy accessibility to guilds, rooms, and private messages.
Gamified Interface
Setting it apart from competitors, the design focuses on seamlessly immersing the user in a video game-like experience while messaging friends.
Adventurous
To maintain guild members' excitement and engagement, we incorporated game-like features such as quests. Completing quests rewards items that can be stored in your inventory and used to create a personalized avatar.
With that, the design is still being iterated alongside stakeholders since it's still in the early stages and will be shipped in later phases.
Hi-Fi Prototype
After numerous rounds of testing with stakeholders, I played a pivotal role in refining the design to the current iteration, which incorporates a game-like interface in line with the new community platform design. However, the platform remains in its early stages, and we are currently seeking feedback from stakeholders and other company members for user testing.
With strong colors in the brand guidelines, I realized it was important to create the style guide through the lens of 60-30-10.
Thoughts & Challenges
During the design process, I encountered some thoughts that are worth noting.
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Design Bias: It can be challenging to eliminate all biases, especially when creating a game-like interface, as everyone has their own preferences for games. Looking back, I believe that conducting more user testing in the beginning to understand people's game preferences would have been beneficial to incorporate that into the design. While I tried to minimize bias in my game choices, more testing and surveys would have been ideal.
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Secondary Research: This project was a valuable learning experience for me in the realm of UX design. I initially struggled with the temptation to jump straight into User Interface design, which resulted in earlier models that were similar to Discord's interface. It is essential to continually conduct research and play video games to explore other possibilities and create a platform that is intuitive for the user.
