Riot Buddy
Upgraded user-centric and meaningful design solutions to a personal software enginnering project of mine during my time as a fullstack engineer.
The Problem
As passionate gamers, we've all felt the frustration of queuing solo in team-based games such as League of Legends, Valorant, and Teamfight Tactics. The struggle to find dependable teammates online often results in fragmented gaming experiences for many of us.
The Solution
Overhauled a comprehensive matchmaking platform with a focus on user experience, tailored to unite gamers with similar interests for both casual and competitive play.
Role
UI Designer
UX Researcher
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
FigJam
Google Docs
Google Sheets
Google Forms
Methodologies
Directed Storytelling
Research Deep Dive
Competitive Analysis
Kano Analysis
Usability Testing
User Group
My target audience consisted of gamers who are engaged with Riot-related games, chosen specifically with the project’s goals of becoming a sub-website to the Riot Games franchise. These dedicated user groups served as a North Star, guiding every decision to ensure focus in the user group for the design process.
Generative Research
Directed Storytelling
To gain deeper insights into my users' needs and pain points, I facilitated a directed storytelling session, allowing users to articulate their current challenges. Additionally, I conducted a thorough walkthrough of the existing product, to uncover valuable insights into its current state. Through this meticulous research process, I successfully uncovered the answers to my inquiries, laying the groundwork for innovative feature ideation:
Key Findings
1.
Users primarily forge connections through in-game interactions and Discord communities.
2.
Many users struggle to locate new gaming companions with similar skill levels, especially when their existing friends are unavailable.
3.
While users often seek gaming partners based on genre preferences, they are generally flexible and open to partnering with others.
4.
While users often seek gaming partners based on genre preferences, they are generally flexible and open to partnering with others.
Generative Research
Research Deep Dive
Utilizing insights gathered from the directed storytelling research, I had several questions regarding the gaming landscape to validate any of my assumptions. Subsequently, I conducted a research deep dive to gain deeper insights on these questions. These findings helped show that the gaming landscape is complex and it offers me new ideas to explore and improve.
The Dynamics of Online Relationships
Safety concerns, heightened population density, and dwindling urban spaces are driving individuals towards online platforms for social connection. The absence of traditional outdoor socialization avenues has prompted people to seek friendships in virtual spaces.
The Appeal of Co-Op Gaming
Humans inherently crave social recognition for their well-being maintenance. Co-op gaming serves this need by providing a social environment, albeit not always conducive to elevated well-being.
What Makes Matchmaking Platforms Successful
The successes of a matchmaking platform depends greatly on the onboarding process and the profiles users create on the platform. These elements are crucial because they directly influence users’ first impressions and experiences, ultimately shaping their decision to continue using the platform.
How Gamers Currently
Find Gaming Buddies
Gamers predominantly forge connections through in-game interactions, Discord servers, local gaming establishments, gaming conventions, and streaming communities.
Generative Research
Competitive Analysis
After compiling insights from directed storytelling and in-depth research, I conducted a thorough competitive analysis of five similar platforms. I observed and noted potential functionalities and features that effectively addressed user pain points.
Here are the highlights of my observations:
Duoo
User profiles exhibit rank, top champions, spoken languages, and time zones
Incorporates a rating system for user reviews post-match
Offers genre-specific queue selection and customizable communication preferences in profiles
Utilizes Riot OAuth sign-in for display user Riot IDs
Noobly
Introduces profile badges for user achievements.
Implements in-game currency for profile customization and decoration.
Plink
Sends notifications when friends start playing new games.
Allows users to display preferred communication methods on their profiles.
Features an advanced matchmaking loader.
GameTree
Enables users to take personality, gamer DNA, and values tests to personalize their profiles.
Offers profile achievement badges.
GamerLink LFG
Provides options during profile creation to specify the gaming device used.
Incorporates a filtering system that prioritizes game, skill level, communication preferences, playstyle, and region.
Generative Research
User Goal Statement
Following my generative research, I synthesized my findings to formulate a clear user goal statement:
My target users are millennials and Gen Z individuals aged 18 and above, seeking quick connections with similar-minded peers for both casual and competitive gaming experiences. The aim is to cultivate a sense of companionship and address feelings of loneliness during gaming sessions.
This user goal served as my compass, ensuring that my design efforts remained focused on delivering meaningful experiences for my users.
Prototyping
Low-Fidelity Prototypes
I developed nine low-fidelity feature and functionality frames derived from my synthesis of generative research findings, intending to employ them for a Kano analysis.
These particular nine features and functionalities were carefully selected based on their alignment with my users' objectives and their prevalence in existing platforms. My objective was to assess their desirability and ascertain their potential for enhancing Riot Buddy’s user experience.
Desirability Testing
Kano Analysis
I distributed a Kano analysis survey of my nine low-fidelity prototypes to a sample of 10 users, aiming to gauge the desirability of each feature.
Each feature had high satisfaction from users, categorizing them as either performance features, which enhance product enjoyment, or attractive features, which evoke excitement and differentiate the product from competitors.
Given the positive response to each feature, I resolved to develop all of them further for my high-fidelity prototypes, ensuring they precisely catered to users' needs.
Prototyping
High-Fidelity Prototypes
Drawing from the insights gathered from the desirability test, I crafted high-fidelity prototypes showcasing the user journey within Riot Buddy based on usability testing results. The usability test evaluated efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction.
Signing In
The journey begins with users signing into their riot account and proceeding to provide personal information and gaming preferences
Matchmaking
The central hub of the platform is the matchmaking page, where users can peruse potential teammates, applying filters and engaging with matches of interest.
Usability Test Implementation
Added more stats in match cards like what role they play and who they main because users desired to further assess what a gamer’s playstyle is before matching with them.
Added more filters to further refine matches by specific ranks and age
Requests
For users whose profiles attract the attention of others, a dedicated "Requests" tab allows them to review pending matches and make decisions on each.
Usability Test Implementation
Renamed the word “Awaiting” to “Requests” due to users having confusion about its verbiage. I changed it to enhance coherence and clarity throughout the site.
Messages
Upon confirming a match, users seamlessly transition to the messaging tab, facilitating easy communication with their newfound gaming companion. After an hour of inactivity from the initial conversation, users receive an optional buddy endorsement popup where their buddy can receive endorsement points and ultimately showcase their endorsement level as banners for their profile.
Usability Test Implementation
Implemented an endorsement feature to foster a culture of positivity and encouragement due to users having concerns with the potential toxicity of a rating system, in which it refrained them from using the website.
