Tracy F.

Works About Resume

RKD Game

RKD Game is a game review app that provides a brand new experience to arcade gamers:
1. Expert game reviews on thousands of arcade games.
2. Found out what the hottest game the world is playing.
3. Explore the new game based on the game played.
4. Communication between gamers through the gaming community.

Scope

Problem Framing
Concept development
Validation

Client

Course Project

Duration

November 2021 - February 2022

My Role

UI/UX design
User research
Prototype
Service design

What's the problem?

Arcade gamers often can't find people who have similar interests in the real life. Unlike online games, they are able to communicate with each other through voice chat that builds into the game. The arcade games are more like offline, face-to-face games. Therefore, arcade gamers are looking for a platform that can provide information and news about arcade games and find their own unique gamer community.

The Challenge

Designing a new application based on game reviews that help arcade gamers to find their own community online.

Outcome

Persona

Interviewing 10 people aged 18-35 who spend 2 hours on games daily, I identified 2 personas with different consumption habits and barriers and examining their pain points.

Key Finding

User Needs:

User Goals:

Opportunity

How might we create an online arcade gaming community with engaging game reviews that can help connect gamers all over the world?

Solution Found Here
↓

Easy onboarding Process

  • Easy to log in with username and password.
  • Choose your own unique avatar.
  • Connect with people who have same interest through RKD Game.

Easy Navigation & Accessible Search

  • Anywhere & Anytime.
  • Find all the features at the bottom of the screen at all times.
  • Access to search all the time.
  • More quickly search with hot search and hot tag.

Find Your Game

  • There are multiple ways to find your game review.
  • Browse the game review from professional reviewers.
  • Leave your thoughts and share with other players.

Explore More with Community

  • Join an online game community.
  • Unique game community just build for the game you loved.
  • Discover interesting topics for gameplay.

Prototype

View the live prototype here

Final Thoughts

RKD Game App is my first UX design project in my study journey. While designing the RKD Game App, I started to understand the process of a full UX design cycle. Along the way, I learned that the initial ideas for the app are just a start point. The final product is not what I as a designer want, it is about what users want and need.

At the beginning of the design, I assumed that I was a user who doesn't really into arcade games but wants to find some new game. Therefore, as a new gamer, I assumed that users want to the app tell them what to play instead of helping them find what are they looking for. Moreover, my initial research was off-topic a little bit, it is more focused on what kind of game reviews users want instead of what kind of features they are looking for in a game review app.

As a result, the first usability study shows that a lot of participants can't find game reviews as they want because I ignored the importance of search. In addition, I also learned that usability studies are the key element in the process through the design.

It is an exciting and confusing process, but I eventually get over the difficulty and call it a success.

Last Updated: July 2022