Horsepower

The Project:

As Lead UX/UI consultant, I joined this mobile horse management and racing game at its inception, working directly with the leadership team to shape its vision and ensure its success. My contributions were instrumental in securing substantial funding and establishing a solid foundation for the project’s development:

Defining Process: Established a clear and efficient end-to-end design pipeline, optimizing collaboration and streamlining workflows throughout the project’s lifecycle.

Collaborative Ideation: Facilitated dynamic brainstorming sessions and design workshops, fostering a creative and collaborative environment where innovative ideas and solutions flourished.

Rapid Prototyping: Swiftly translated abstract concepts into interactive prototypes, providing tangible representations of ideas for real-time testing and iteration, accelerating the design process significantly.

UX Leadership: Guided design decisions with an unwavering focus on user needs and experience. Through the development of detailed personas and targeted focus testing, I ensured the final product would be intuitive, engaging, and user-friendly.

High-Fidelity Prototyping: Leveraged Proto.io to build a polished, visually compelling, and fully interactive prototype that vividly showcased the project’s potential. This prototype proved to be a pivotal factor in securing over £2,000,000 in financial investment, directly enabling the project’s realization.

The Process:

• Daily Design Workshops: Daily virtual design workshops were a cornerstone of our collaborative process. Leveraging the capabilities of Miro and Figma, we created a dynamic virtual space where ideas flourished. We actively encouraged participation from all team members, fostering a sense of shared ownership and ensuring that diverse perspectives were heard.

  These sessions were more than just brainstorming exercises; they were a platform for transforming abstract concepts into tangible designs in real time. The collaborative nature of the workshops enabled us to rapidly iterate on ideas, identify potential challenges early in the process, and maintain a laser focus on the user experience.

  By fostering an open and inclusive environment, we not only accelerated the design process but also cultivated a sense of collective creativity and innovation. This collaborative spirit ultimately led to a more refined, user-centric product that exceeded expectations. 

• Iterative Prototyping: Believing that tangible experiences are key to informed decision-making, I championed rapid prototyping as a cornerstone of our design process. Using Proto.io, we transformed abstract concepts from our workshops into interactive prototypes, providing a window into the potential user experience.
  Each prototype served as a critical learning opportunity, allowing us to test assumptions, gather valuable feedback, and refine our designs based on real-world interactions. Embracing a “fail fast, learn fast” philosophy, we iterated rapidly and fearlessly, always striving to create a product that was not only visually appealing but also intuitive and user-friendly.
  This iterative approach bridged the gap between theory and reality, ensuring that our design decisions were grounded in data and user insights. By prioritizing user-centricity at every stage, we delivered a final product that truly resonated with our target audience.

Investor Prototype  – view fullscreen

• User-First Monetization: Recognizing the delicate balance between revenue generation and player satisfaction, I collaborated closely with the design director to craft a monetization strategy that put the player’s experience first. We meticulously analysed player behaviours and preferences, conducting extensive market research to identify monetization models that aligned with our user-centric philosophy.

  By strategically integrating monetization elements within the core gameplay loop, we ensured that they felt natural and non-intrusive. We prioritized optional in-app purchases that enhanced the experience without creating pay-to-win scenarios. Additionally, we explored rewarded video ads that provided players with tangible benefits in exchange for their attention. Throughout the process, we constantly monitored player feedback and adjusted our strategies to optimize both player engagement and revenue generation.

• Personas and User Testing: To truly understand the needs and desires of our target audience, we developed a set of detailed personas representing different player segments. These personas went beyond demographics, delving into their motivations, preferences, and pain points. Armed with these insights, we conducted rigorous user testing sessions throughout the development process. We invited players to interact with our prototypes, observing their behavior, collecting feedback, and identifying areas for improvement. This iterative process of testing and refinement allowed us to validate our design decisions and ensure that the final product resonated deeply with our target audience.

• Collaboration with UI: A successful game requires a harmonious blend of engaging gameplay and visually appealing design. To achieve this, I fostered a close working relationship with the UI team. We held regular meetings to discuss design concepts, review progress, and ensure that the UI elements seamlessly complemented the overall user experience. By working in lockstep, we were able to maintain a consistent visual language throughout the game, ensuring that every button, icon, and menu felt intuitive and cohesive. This collaborative approach resulted in a visually stunning product that not only delighted players but also enhanced their overall enjoyment of the game

Final Thoughts:

This project was a blast! We got to experiment with mechanics you don’t usually see in mobile games, which pushed us to get super creative and think outside the box. Our user-first approach was key to keeping the team excited and confident, even when things got tough during the ideation phase. And let me tell you, pivoting to portrait mode three months in was no small feat! But thanks to rapid prototyping and a ton of user testing, we not only made it work, but we made it awesome.

This whole experience was a testament to the power of putting the player first, constantly testing and iterating, and never being afraid to try something new. It was a whirlwind of innovation and challenges, but ultimately, it’s incredibly rewarding to know we delivered a game that’s both fun and user-friendly

Vertical Prototype  – view fullscreen