While working for PokerStars my main task was to create a UX design for a new mobile poker game. This was a greenfield project and required a new approach to creating a poker game. One of the key factors was to create a design which introduced non-poker players to a casual poker game and migrate users to the main poker experience. This would be achieved by creating a casual mobile game with simple onboarding and quick-to-learn gameplay mechanics.
The challenge is to introduce poker to new players, with the aim to increase learning in poker gameplay.
Competitor analysis research
I researched and documented a number of casual games & poker games, which helped to develop a richer understanding of the proposed design. This research was conducted to collect competitor analysis to identify and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the turn based mobile poker games market. The study helped to identify trends in the market and uncover opportunities for innovation in mobile poker games. Understanding what competitors are doing well, you can identify gaps in the market and imagine areas of expansion.
When developing the UX strategy for the project a number of key design approaches were considered. The aim was to create a mobile strategy which incorporated casual game mechanics and identify the core gameplay which hit all the business goals and created a game that was enjoyable to play but also easy to use and navigate with a single thumb on a mobile device.
UX design strategy
I focused on the following key areas: turn-based gameplay, portrait mobile orientation, social, focus on mobile platforms, involve casual poker gaming.
Target player base
Understanding the audience is vital to the success of the design, so I conducted user research to understand the target audience, their needs, preferences, and behaviours. This can help inform the design of the game's mechanics, visuals, and overall user experience.
During the design ideation phase of the project, many design concepts were developed and considered as design candidates for further exploration. Designs were developed in low fidelity and then progress to fully designed prototypes for testing.
• Casual mobile game experience with social mechanics.
• Easy onboarding so new players find it effortless to pick up and play.
• Users can learn key Poker mechanics.
• Introduce non-poker players to a casual poker game.
• Migrating users to the main poker experience.
• Turn-based gameplay and easy-to-use UI with a single thumb.
