Discovery
As the proposition of the app was being shaped, one of the key focused areas was market research to look at our competitors/ other similar offers in the market.
We conducted research on competitors such as Box to Box, HomeCourts, Fiit, online sports games, etc to collect main insights to help shape and decide the key factors below:
Pricing models
Features
Look & Feel
Visual exploration - Training plan
Training Plan is the core of Perfect Play, which guides the look and feel of the rest of the app. We extensively explored different looks & feels for this particular screen.
Closely collaborated with the branding agency, which focused on the high-level brand guide. However, there was ample creative freedom to experiment. Key components such as training cards, badges, and performance charts were crucial parts that demonstrated the brand/product personalities. The initial exploration of possibilities was very much experimental and fun, and I tried to push the boundary and challenged what a training app could look like.
Visual exploration - Cognitive game
Working with a performance psychologist, cognitive games (Focus distraction, Chase down, Memory radar) were developed to enhance the mental skills necessary to become a player, these games can be played on-screen without the need for AR.
2 weeks of visual exploration were conducted to explore the key configuration of the games including:
Intro screen
Life span / Score panel
Play mode
Motion
Track
Visual explorations - Visual variants
These visual directions were then refined during development and implementation with the assistance of a motion designer and technologist. Visuals are only one aspect of the game's success, the great result of the game experience couldn't have been done without collaborative team efforts, a great amount of credit went to the motion expert, sound specialist, psychologist, design director, etc.
Testing lab
Changes happened rapidly, and so did the tests.
New feature designs would be put forward to test with prototypes every time to gather users' feedback. With everyone on the team conducting tests and trials on a daily basis in the office, the app was updated on TestFlight, keeping it in sync all around. Learn and play just blended nicely together in the agile environment
