Fantasy Sports: Modernized
UX/UI mobile design improving engagement and learnability of fantasy sports, a market that hasn’t increased since 2015.
OVERVIEW
Fantasy Sports needs innovations to engage connected fans. I implemented new features into a Fantasy Sports App that improves competitive satisfaction, time efficiency, and creates a sports narrative for users to follow.
ROLE
Product Designer who conducted extensive research to create a user-centered mobile app design.
METHODS AND TOOLS
Competitive and Comparative Analysis
User Interviews
Persona
User Flow
Wireframe and Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools: Figma, Pen + Paper
DURATION
2 week sprint
CHALLENGE
Why change Fantasy Sports Apps?
Fantasy Sports is the biggest fan engagement tool for sports leagues like the NBA, but the number of nationwide players has plateaued since 2015. Through intentional design, how can I improve Fantasy Sports platforms to draw and sustain new users?
SOLUTION OVERVIEW
A redesigned Fantasy Sports App that maintains the simplicity that users love, but with new resources and features. Sports fans are missing competitive satisfaction, an engaging sports narrative, and time efficiency on Fantasy Sports Apps.
Auto Set Lineup
Save users time: Pick Up App highlights features such as “Auto Set Lineup.”
Sustain simplicity and easy to digest learnability. Users love simple layouts of the most popular fantasy app, ESPN.
Research and Improve
Matchup Summary using new Matchup Wrapped
Keep users informed and satisfied with their performance: This Fantasy Sports App highlights top performers on your team to boost users’ satisfaction, and save time on analysis. Players of the month, etc.
Create a story to entertain users: In addition, Pick Up App implements a matchup summary that showcases the impactful performers in your matchup.This creates a narrative and storyline for users to quickly follow. Sports fans love drama, and it should be showcased in Fantasy Apps.
In order to fuel players’ competitive spirits, I’ve implemented a “Research” process to improve players’ teams. This walk through helps users, especially new users, learn strategies to win their weekly matchups.
CONTEXT
Fantasy Sports connects the most fans to the NBA, NFL, etc.
The phenomenon of Fantasy Sports connects millions of NBA, NFL, and MLB fans nationwide. It is an ever growing “game” where people create and manage their own “fantasy” team of real players. Your team then competes against other teams every week, using the statistics from their actual games.
In the past 7 years, Fantasy Sports has plateaued in participation and popularity. To speculate, I think it’s because of the rising popularity and accessibility of sports betting, and also slowed innovation. ESPN has the nation’s biggest platform for Fantasy, but the design and features has not been updated since 2013.
As an avid fan, I want to innovate Fantasy Sports platforms to encourage new users to join, and sustain current players.
After a meteoric rise of Fantasy Sports players from 2005-2015, there has not been significant growth in the past 7 years.
COMPETITIVE & COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Learning from competitors
I examined 4 of the top Fantasy Sports Apps by ESPN, Yahoo, DraftKings, and Sleeper.
Overall:
ESPN has simple information structure that is easy to learn
Needs improvement in efficiency and memorability
Every platform offers non-traditional modes
Onboarding process for new users is brief
PERSONA
Who are the users
Based on my target audience from my research, I developed a user persona to refer to throughout the design process. Fantasy Sports players are a niche audience, so it is important to understand how they think and feel. Active Andy allows me to brainstorm design solutions for someone, rather than imagining and assuming an audience.
USER INTERVIEWS
Gathering insights from NBA enthusiasts
I conducted user interviews with 5 Fantasy Sports players to understand the motivations and frustrations of using various Fantasy Sports Apps. The players’ pain points overlapped, and affinity mapping led to 4 strong takeaways.
Summarized Insights:
Users are used to and enjoy a simple interface
Sports fans love drama and highlights
Users want a more time efficient experience
People play Fantasy Sports to win and beat their friends
“I like how simple ESPN is, I’m just used to it.”
“NBA twitter is amazing. I honestly think it’s my favorite thing about sports, keeping up with the drama and trades and who popped off each night.”
“The first thing I check [in the fantasy app] is if I’m winning. Then I check my teams stats.”
“Checking the most added player is a bit of a hassle.”
“Setting my lineup is annoying, but you have to do it to win.”
USER FLOW
Mapping out users ideal path
With my persona in mind, I brainstormed the process that users take while playing Fantasy. Based on my user research, I incorporated the main goals players have: to win their weekly matchup and catch up on player news. Users want to win and be entertained, so I envisioned two paths they would ideally take. The finalized flow helped me break down the key steps that were necessary for the new features.
User flow “happy path” that is time efficient but also informs and entertains users.
DESIGN PROCESS: BRAINSTORMING AND SKETCHING
Brainstorming with the target audience in mind
Sketching was the beginning of the design process and this allowed me to explore my early ideas with low-stakes.
USABILITY TESTS
Testing and Iterations
Feedback is incredibly valuable and insightful in the design process. I conducted mid-fidelity usability testing with 4 users to locate and improve pain points in my design.
FINAL PROTOTYPE
Solutions that can be adopted by any Fantasy Sports App
1. Maintaining a simple user interface
Home, My Team, and Matchup pages: Users spend most of their time checking these pages
2. Creating a narrative for engagement and entertainment
3. Research and improve
Matchup Wrapped is a place where users easily catch up on their matchup. The “story” like format allows users to save time while getting their NBA news.
The Research flow is carefully crafted to touch on areas where new users, and experienced users, can improve their team week-to-week.
The best elements from all the sketches were implemented in mid-fidelity wireframes in Figma.
Conclusion, What I learned, Next Steps