My Contributions

My most impactful and significant contribution to the Kikimora team was introducing UX research. Their fast-paced development process inspired me. So, I planned and executed playtests with possible consumers of the game, giving the team and I clarity in what worked and what needed further polishing, resulting in established user journeys and further defined game mechanics.

As I worked more with UX after that I came up with a number of new, creative solutions for game issues that the team liked, and have prioritized for future implementation into the game!

Background - Joining the team

At the time I joined the team, they were focusing on prototype development, experimenting with core features at a rapid pace.

Initially, my task was UI placeholders that would be used in all features to provide a unified look. I suggested that I change my focus from UI placeholders to a UX analysis of existing features. This would prove what is already there and help onboard me on the project. So I asked, read, and did my best to understand the game and designs. I followed by asking a lot of questions. This helped me grasp what I could do to support the development and create a better user experience.

Playtests - Gather insights

Being a UX designer I needed more information to evaluate the game. In my opinion, there's no better way to do this than to actually play the game and observe real players play the game. Said and done, I planned and conducted playtests with potential consumers of this game genre. 

The tests gave me valuable insights and viable questions to ask the team. 

The flow 

As the team did not have an experienced UX designer as a member, their design and documentation were mostly on the technical aspects. We decided to model user journeys together to help us understand features better.

This led me to arrange and hold a meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to deepen both my own, but also the team's understanding of the project. 

I asked about the USP(Unique selling point)for the game and who are the actual target audience for the game. As well as more in-depth questions about the protagonist, the game pace, and the player's objectives.

By the end of the meeting, we finalized a flow that we all agreed on!

This helped the team to better understand my perspective and gave them well-needed insight on what questions to expect from potential stakeholders and investors. 

What happened next? 

The team is now in high gear doing their absolute best in developing their game and I come with my expertise regarding playtests and how to execute them efficiently. 

Key takeaways

• When you don't know ask! ( never be afraid to do so)
• The game designer is your best friend! 
• Feedback isn't criticism! We are all on the same team! 

You can find their games on itch.io and Steam!

Contact

Mail: beatrice.ferrera@gmail.com
Connect: LinkedIn

© Beatrice Ferrera 2024 — UX Designer