Vancouver Street Battle
As a UX researcher, I had the opportunity to work with Vancouver Street Battle, a local gaming organization that hosts street fighting competitions. The objective of this project was to identify areas for improvement in their current user experience and develop solutions to enhance the overall user satisfaction.
Note: Our team consisted of 4 SFU students: David, Leo, Constantine and myself. Constantine was mainly responsible for copywriting and collaboration management, whereas I took the role of a team lead and main graphic designer.
Research Methods: Ethnography Study, Interviews with members and founders, User Personas, Journey Maps, Future State Journey Maps, Presentations.
Project description
Vancouver Street Battle is a one of a kind gaming organization that aims to foster a friendly competitive environment between enthusiasts of player vs player fighting games by hosting in person tournaments. Over the span of 13 weeks our team worked in a close collaboration with the founders of VSB designing a solution that aimed to enhance their existing operating scheme. First half of the earlier mentioned period was dedicated to researching the VSB from founders, managers and other employees to its regular players and new players. During the second half of the research process we focused on processing gathered qualitative data and developing a design solution that would benefit VSB overall.
Note: It is worth mentioning that the class for which we conducted this research was structured in the way that each student team presented their progress every week. Therefore, all produced materials were aimed to inform our audience on specific parts of the research process and mostly consisted of posters and presentation slides.
During the first couple of week the focus of our team was to research their community and present the findings to the class.
Poster on the left side contains general information about Vancouver Street Battle, introduces founders and lists possible collaboration direction we could follow as a design team.
“Ethnography Poster” on the right illustrates more in-depth research about members of VSB as well as their operating team. In order to gain more information on VSB community our team visited one of their weekly events and interviewed regular attendees. Our main goal was to meet people and learn what they like about VSB and what they find might be improved.
Ethnography Study
User Personas
To create a more comprehensive understanding of the user needs and pain points in relation to the Vancouver Street Battle (VSB) community, we composed three user personas: Jessica and David. Jessica, who has been involved in gaming since childhood, uses gaming as a way to relax and zone out. However, she finds it difficult to connect with other members of the VSB community outside of gaming events, which hinders her ability to make new friends. David has been a part of VSB for multiple years but is finding it increasingly difficult to attend weekly events. Despite this, he still wants to stay engaged with the community. His main issue is that the current VSB social media accounts are not active enough, and he wants more opportunities to stay connected to the community. By considering the diverse perspectives and needs of these personas, we can develop more effective and user-centered solutions that meet the needs of the entire VSB community.
Intermediate Progress
Realization
Based on research done for personas we realized that our assumptions regarding VSB’s goals and frustrations were incorrect and instead pointed in the direction of a community oriented focus. We were searching for problems in an area without enough motivation. Conclusions and decisions that we’ve made were arbitrary and partially based on our own preferences. The motivation of venue efficiency is what led the conversation in most interviews rather than broader topics such as community and belonging.
How we Solved it
We re-assessed the data and applied in a new way, focusing more on the composed user personas. Reapply existing data while removing the scope of efficiency oriented design.Apply new data collected as well as revised old data to our current personas to develop a new design direction with a greater affect on VSB as a whole.
Result
After conducting additional UX research, we gained new insights into the needs and pain points of the Vancouver Street Battle (VSB) community. Based on these insights, we developed three design directions that address the issues faced by our user personas: Jessica, Shell, and David.
Outcome
Reframed Design Focus
Strengthening internal community relations and keeping players engaged at the venue are crucial for the success and growth of Vancouver Street Battle. This can be achieved through community-building initiatives and immersive experiences that encourage participation and entertainment. By hosting community events such as barbecues, game nights, and movie screenings, we can create a welcoming and supportive environment that encourages players to socialize and connect with one another.
To increase awareness and attract more participants to the Vancouver Street Battle (VSB) community, it is essential to build discussions about the event in online spaces. This can be achieved through social media marketing, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertising campaigns. By generating excitement and establishing VSB as a reputable fixture in the local community, we can attract more sponsors and support from stakeholders. The ultimate goal is to create a more visible and impactful VSB community that continues to grow and thrive.
Internal Growth + Player Retention
External Growth + Online Presence
User Journey Mapping
During the UX research phase of the Vancouver Street Battle (VSB) redesign project, a user journey map was created to help identify the touchpoints that players had with VSB, as well as pain points and areas of opportunity. The map provided an overview of the entire player journey, from their initial interest in the community to their ongoing participation in events and activities.
By analyzing the user journey map and taking into account the unique needs and pain points of each user persona, we were able to identify specific areas for improvement and optimization. For example, we discovered that one of the pain points for players like Jessica was the difficulty of connecting with other members of the VSB community outside of gaming events. To address this, we explored the possibility of creating additional social events and activities, such as community game nights and online forums, to help players connect with each other in a more relaxed and informal setting.
Similarly, we found that players like David, who had been with VSB for multiple years, were looking for more opportunities to stay engaged with the community, despite their inability to attend weekly events. By identifying this pain point, we were able to explore new ways to engage these players, such as creating an online portal for community news and events, as well as providing resources for players to connect with each other and engage in discussions around the latest fighting games and FGC news.
Final Solutions
“Bring a Friend” Promo
To address the pain point of low attendance and lack of engagement between the organizers and attendees, we developed a solution called the "Bring a Friend" promo. This solution aimed to encourage current attendees to invite their friends to VSB events and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for new players.
The "Bring a Friend" promo was implemented by offering incentives to current attendees who brought a friend to the event, such as discounted entry fees or additional raffle tickets for prizes. This not only encouraged attendees to invite their friends, but also created a sense of community and shared experience among the attendees and their guests.
The "Bring a Friend" promo also helped to address the issue of low attendance by expanding the reach of VSB events beyond the current player base. By encouraging attendees to bring their friends, VSB was able to tap into new networks and potentially attract new players to the community.
Overall, the "Bring a Friend" promo was a successful solution for increasing attendance and engagement between organizers and attendees at VSB events. By creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for new players, VSB was able to build a stronger community and provide a more rewarding experience for all players.
VSB Youtube Channel
To address the pain point of difficulty in finding information about VSB events and to provide an additional platform for engaging with the audience, we developed the second solution of creating an official YouTube channel for VSB. This channel would serve as a hub for event highlights, interviews with fighters, and other content related to the VSB community.
By developing an official YouTube channel, we provided a centralized location for VSB content, making it easier for players and fans to find and stay up-to-date on the latest VSB events and news. Additionally, the channel provided an opportunity for VSB to engage with their audience on a different platform, reaching a wider audience and potentially attracting new players to the community.
Overall, the development of an official YouTube channel was a successful solution for addressing the pain point of difficulty in finding information about VSB events, and provided a valuable platform for engaging with the audience on a different platform. By creating a centralized location for VSB content, we were able to build a stronger community and provide a more engaging experience for all players and fans of the VSB community.