Adobe XD / Figma / Photoshop / Illustrator
Competitor Analysis and Product Design Internship for Odin - A Live Streaming based Game Show App
Client/Firm
FairPay Tech.
Role
UI Engineer
Duration
1 month
Tools Used
Photoshop, Illustrator,Figma
Overview
During the era of 2018-2021, primarily during the COVID-19 pandemic, live game/quizzing apps such as Loco and Brain Baazi gained immense popularity, particularly among younger demographics and users from non-metro locations. As a new player in the live trivia gaming space, the founders of Odin wanted the product to step in as a dynamic live trivia app that offered users the opportunity to test their general knowledge and win cash prizes through engaging quiz games and competitive 1v1 challenges. The popularity of live game show apps at the time presented an opportunity to tap into a growing market segment and cater to a vast new user base's entertainment preferences.
My Role
In my capacity as a UI Engineering intern at Fair Pay Technologies, I was the sole designer entrusted with the task of conceptualizing and designing the user interface for their new product, Odin. I collaborated closely with the founders during the ideation and prototyping phases to develop the style guide, visualize the concept and create a high-fidelity prototype.
Timeline
The timeline for this work was 1 month
Problem Statement
How do we differentiate Odin in the live trivia gaming space while ensuring sustainable dynamic gameplay, and enticing prize offerings?
Research and Competitor Analysis
To inform the design of Odin, I conducted competitive analysis on market leaders like Brain Baazi and Loco game apps. I analyzed their key features, user interfaces, and user feedback to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for differentiation. This research provided valuable insights that guided the design process
Due to the lean-featured nature of most of these apps, user-behavior followed a very similar pattern. Users would log into the app for 30-45 minutes daily during the scheduled live quizzes, and during other times, never log into the app, which led to declining statistics for the apps and lack of sponsors/advertisers willing to advertise on an app that did not hold its users' attention consistently. This led to declining prize pools, which then led to further loss of user interest, creating a cyclical process of decline.
Furthermore, since a majority of new users coming into the platforms are monetarily motivated and drawn by the large prize-pools, as the prize-pools decline, user acquisition suffered.
Key Decisions
Key Design Decision #1
'The Game must Go On'. Instead of 1-2 times a day, quizzes would be held number of times a day at fixed intervals to increase engagement. A daily 'Jackpot Quiz' would be held as a flagship event with the largest prize pool with smaller themed quizzes throughout the day with smaller prize pools.
Key Design Decision #2
Users must also be able to complete one v one against other users to win a fixed pot contributed to by users, allowing them to join and play the game at any time of their choosing.
Key Design Decision #3
It was decided to pursue an interface driven quiz without a live host to streamline the process of holding quizzes.
Design and Prototyping
During the one-month project timeline, I worked to translate the design vision into a functional prototype, collaborating closely with the development team to ensure seamless implementation of the UI elements and features. Due to the pandemic, this engagement was over distance, and we held regular feedback sessions over Google Meet and design iterations were done to refine the prototype's interface and user experience based on feedback from the founder and developer implementing the app.
I also designed the logo for the application, with a lightning mark referencing to the norse god's lightning spear Gungnir
Conclusion
My involvement in the Odin project as a UI designer was my very first time working collaboratively on a UI-centric project. It grew my knowledge and allowed me to learn how to create a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that enhances the app's overall user experience. By collaborating closely with the founders and drawing insights from competitor analysis, I was able to contribute to the development of this compelling product.
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