MARCH MADNESS LIVE
Bracket Challenge
We initiated a full redesign of the bracket game. We were aware of some usability issues with the game that we wanted to address, and we also wanted to make the bracket game fit more seamlessly within the overall app experience.
As the UX Architect on the team, I was responsible for gathering competitive analysis, facilitating design sprints, creating early design concepts, and creating prototypes for user testing.
PROJECT TYPE
Mobile App, iOS + Android
Web
TEAM
Jane Neiswander | UX Designer
Shai Harris | Designer
Matt Mullen + Caitlin Stober | Product Manger
Ligja Gill | UX Research Manager
TOOLS USED
Sketch
Invision
Proto.io
TIMELINE
Launched Spring 2019
Conducting In-Tournament Competitive Analysis
During the tournament, I collected and organized a full competitive audit of other bracket games. I also partnered with our UX Research team to develop an in person live usability study on our bracket game. The study focused on both the bracket building process and following your bracket once games are live. From all this research, I outlined a few key findings
Dashboard Organization
Other apps are organized in a list view, where the main way to access groups is through your bracket. This prevents additional navigation from the dashboard. Additionally, organizing brackets in a stacked view allows for fans to check progress on multiple brackets / groups without needing to scroll
Group Settings
Other apps are organized in a list view, where the main way to access groups is through your bracket. This prevents additional navigation from the dashboard. Additionally, organizing brackets in a stacked view allows for fans to check progress on multiple brackets / groups without needing to scroll
Early Wireframes exploring organization
Drawing from the research gathered, I started building out wireframes looking at how we could organize the bracket home screen and groups. I was aiming to create alignment between the mobile apps and web, and create a cohesive experience within the march madness live app.
Conducting User Research to validate concepts
After partnering with design and getting a more solid direction, I partnered with the UX research team to develop a study to gain feedback on the new experience. The study was conducted with 10-12 users in a in-person moderated In-depth interview.
Key Takeaways
Ease of access of live streaming through bracket game play was seen as a differentiator
Lack of common terminology between bracket games muddied some participants understanding of our Bracket Challenge Game.
Overall design and layout of the dashboard was considered clean + simple. The outlined paths to everything game related was considered clear.
