CLOUD CAP GAMES
PROJECT OVERVIEW
ABOUT CLOUD CAP GAMES
Bringing fun to every table with games and puzzles.
Cloud Cap Games is a local tabletop game store in Southeast Portland, Or. They provide game rentals, lessons, host community events, and even buy back used games. The in-person experience is that of a friendly, neighborhood shop, with lots of options; kind of like a big, walk-in closet with a lot of games. They have a wide range of customers, hire local employees, and support the community they serve.
UX CHALLENGE
Create a Mid-Fi redesign of Cloud Cap's eCommerce store:
Cloud Cap Games needs help showcasing their merchandise and translating the friendly atmosphere of their shop to their eCommerce site. They will always prioritize face-to-face sales and interactions, but they believe they can bring the energy of the store experience to their website, increasing the number of completed online purchases.
ROLE
UX Researcher
UI Designer
Prototype Developer
TIMELINE
2-week design sprint, January 2022
UNPACKING THE CHALLENGE
UX AUDIT
To help increase the number of completed purchases on Cloud Cap's website, I first conducted a UX Audit on the site. This audit helped me unpack some of the potential pain points of the site, develop surveys, user interview questions, and usability test tasks.
2 PATHS OF INQUIRY
I created 2 paths of research that I believed could work in tandem to create a more streamlined user experience:
- What is the user's history with tabletop games?
- What are the user's online shopping preferences and frustrations?
USER RESEARCH
SURVEY RESPONSES
15 users responded to my survey. The survey included questions like: Did you grow up playing games? How often do purchase a new game? What kind of games do you play?
SURVEY QUICK TAKEAWAYS
- The most popular tabletop games board games and card games
- All users grew up playing games in some capacity
- Most users play games monthly
- Users learn or buy new games to please others - It is an act of consideration of compassion
- Most users feel a sense of nostalgia when they play board games
- Users make game purchases every 6-12 months
USER INTERVIEWS
I conducted 4 User Interviews. They consisted of 2 sets of questions. These question sets followed the guidelines I mentioned earlier: understanding my users experiences with online shopping and their history with tabletop games.
USER INTERVIEWS: ONLINE SHOPPING TAKEAWAYS
TRANSPARENCY
- Trust their personal information will be safe
- Product reviews, photos and descriptions
AVAILABILITY
- Is the product available?
- Pick-up vs delivery. How soon can I get it?
SEARCHABILITY
- Search bar must be easy to find
- Straightforward filter options and settings
EFFICACY
- Streamlined checkout process
- Customer service
USER INTERVIEWS: TABLETOP GAME HISTORY TAKEAWAYS
Why do you play games?
- It brings me back to my childhood
- My in-laws enjoy them
- It's a great way to hang out and connect with friends
When do you play games?
- Over the holidays with family
- Game nights
- Rainy Days
- With friends and family
How do you find new games?
- Recommendations
- Garage sales
- In-store displays
- Through family members
USABILITY TESTING: ORIGINAL SITE
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
I looked at 3 other game stores in Portland: Red Castle Games, Portland Game Store, and Guardian Games. I learned that creating a comprehensive eCommerce site for the game industry is quite the challenge, but each shop did something well.
SYNTHESIS
USER PERSONA
I took this data and created a persona for Cloud Cap. Meet Taylor, a 35 year old Portland local. He likes to play games with others, but he’s not motivated to do it on his own. When he is looking for a new game, the whole experience needs to be easy. He needs to be able to find what he’s looking for without knowing the name of a specific game.
JOURNEY MAP
In our journey map, we follow Taylor as he navigates Cloud Cap's website as he looks for a new family friendly game.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
In the problem statement, Taylor's need for a streamlined way to find the right game for his family is the priority. This was an issue that kept coming up with users. It’s hard to find what you are looking for, especially if you don’t know much about games. You have an idea of what kind of game you want, but not a specific game in mind.
Taylor needs a streamlined way to find games that are appropriate for specific audiences and occasions because there are an overwhelming number of options.
HOW MIGHT WE...
After developing our problem statement, I came up with 4 "How might we" statements to help solve Taylor's problem.
IDEATION
WIREFRAMES
After considering the user feedback, I went through several rounds of sketching and created wireframes for a new eCommerce layout. These sketches led directly to my mid-fi prototype.
USER FLOW
I drafted a user flow of the steps a shopper might go through to purchase a game. There are several points where the user could return to their search or the shop. This tells me filters, recommended products, and product descriptions are key to this online store. Also Breadcrumbs! Users need a way to step backwards.
MID-FI PROTOTYPE
USABILITY TESTING
We then built out our user flows into wireframes and wireflows. Here you can take a closer look at some frames of our initial Quick Guide design.
MID-FI PROTOTYPE
REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS
Develop User Testing Format
As this was my first project with in-depth user testing, my format was not robust enough to thoroughly record data. In the next round of testing for this site, I will prepare ways to accurately record data, giving me easy to understand metrics.
Conduct Research on Game Categories
I would like to conduct more research on the way games are categorized and how much the average user knows about game categories. The language of the tabletop game world is vast yet specific, and I believe the more research that can be done will result in a more successful eCommerce store.