Role:
I am the ux designer for the project. I explored the pain-points and gaps in the user experience in board-game industry by conducting user research, competitive analysis and user-interviews. I explored solutions for the identified problems with help of wireframing, multiple usability study, high-fid design and prototyping.
Problem Statement Analysis and Summary:
The board game market had been experiencing significant growth globally, driven by a surge in interest in tabletop gaming. This growth was attributed to factors such as a desire for social interaction, the rise of board game cafes, and a renewed interest in analog gaming experiences.
The target audience for board games expanded to include not only traditional enthusiasts but also a broader demographic, including families, casual gamers, and young adults. Below are some challenges faced by the users:
*Source: tacitgames survey on Insights of Boardgames in India, 2021
Goal of the project
Target Audience Summary
The demographic of users who play and buy board games in recent years has become increasingly diverse. The age group with the highest participation in board games is adults aged 18-34, accounting for 44% of the players globally. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including the fact that this age group is more likely to have disposable income to spend on board games and that they are also more likely to be interested in new and innovative games. Board games are a popular activity for families with children of all ages. This is because board games offer a variety of different gaming experiences, from simple party games to complex strategy games.
In India, 76.5% of respondents fall within the 21-40 age range, the core audience is between 31-40 age group remains the most substantial, constituting nearly half of all respondents*
(*Souce: tacitgames survey on Insights from a Boardgamer in India survey (200 participants)
User Personas |
Theo is management graduate and works at an IT firm as a project manager with a small team. She enjoys playing board games it is her way on unwinding with her friends. She finds exploring new games challenging and would like a simpler way to understand them. She is often relying on word of mouth to find out about new games, its availability in the country is an issue, but she also is often unsure if she will enjoy the game or not. Would prefer some kind of sampling to understand it better.
Eloy works in a technology firm. He is a board game enthusiat, he likes playing and learning new games. But finds it challenging to find and learn board games. He is looking for games with simplistic concept or a way to learn new games effortlessly. He is frustrated that it is difficult to find new games, currently rely on word of mouth or social channels for new updates on games. Small sampling of games would also help in making the process easier
User Journey Map:
Goal: Improve user experience in buying and learning new board games.
Competitor analysis summary and results:
Analysis on key features offered by popular board game brands in India. Mind map charting of a users journey in purchasing new game. Further mapped by popular brands and what features they offer in comparison to the user's journey.
Competitor analysis summary chart and key observations
Typography, Colours scheme and Colour contrast analysis:
We aimed to create a color palette that embodies the playful spirit and excitement of the toy and game industry, while also establishing a distinctive brand identity. The palette needed to be versatile enough to complement the vibrant packaging designs of board games, while avoiding visual conflicts. To achieve this, we streamlined the colour scheme to two contrasting shades.
User Flow Map|
Low Fidelity Prototype |
Early Designs and Usability Testing:
High-Fidelity Prototype - Final |
I conducted a usability study with 8 participants. Based on the feedback from the participants, I refined the designs to address the challenges. The landing page layout enabled to showcase only one component and restricted the discoverability of board games. I explored multiple layouts that would improve discoverability.
Discoverability Challenges in the Board Game Realm
Improving discovery and exploration by integrating curated list, key game information an stats, Categorisation and segregation, quick filters and advance filters.
Bento box landing page unit, gives flexibility to showcase more channels of discovery, like curated lists, new releases, popular games and more
Sign-up and subscription to drive users to stay updated and be the first to hear about new trends and releases.
Quick -filters and advance filters to further streamline selection and categorisation
Improving the learning curve
Based on survey, it has been identified that many users struggle with the complexity of learning new board games. To address this issue, each game will have a dedicated page with game statistics, performance in the market, user reviews and video guides for improving comprehension of the games
Improving learning experience by providing user detailed information about the game, key statistics on the game's perspective in the market, user experience with the game, video guides to help make learning the game easier.
Improving Accessibility and potential improvement in availability of board games in India
The UI lets users request for a game not in stock. Limited availability of board games in India is a worry for many users.
Pre-orders can boost sales and enhance customer relationships, providing business insights and exciting customers with product anticipation. They help give business the clarity and visibility needed to better forecast revenue and predict demand.