ABC News Games

Overview

I designed a suite of engaging games and hub for ABCN News, targeting our 60 million monthly active users. By conducting stakeholder interviews and user research, I aligned the designs with business needs and user interests. The result was a consistent and appealing design that increased user engagement and showcased brand potential.

Role
Lead Product Designer

Tools
Figma, Jira, Notion, Miro

Timeline
February - May 2024

00 BACKGROUND

The Problem Space
With no existing features in the ecosystem, I had to start from scratch to design game features and a game hub that would keep users engaged. There were no wireframes or prior research dedicated to game features, which meant relying heavily on ABCN's visual design system while also envisioning a future tone that would position ABCN as a hub for thoughtful games. This challenge was crucial to address, as the game's features and central hub are key to maintaining user engagement.

The Goal(s)
This design approach was instrumental in showcasing the project's ability to tap into a 60-million-user base, resulting in enthusiastic stakeholder buy-in and securing a strategic roadmap position.

• Present a unified and engaging design across all game prototypes that aligns with ABC News branding and user expectations.

• Develop prototypes that not only function seamlessly but also excite stakeholders and potential users.

• Align game development goals with ABC News' broader digital strategy to enhance overall content engagement.

ABCN Games will be a unique collection of games that drives daily visits to the News site that appeal to a broad demographic by with ‘snackable brain-food’.

The game team approached me to help them design this suite of games. What they knew was that ABC News had 60 million monthly active users frequenting the site, but users need more reasons to stay longer. Based on the NYT Game's success in games, (NYTimes’ subscriptions increased nearly 10% in the third quarter of 2023 on games alone and played more than 8 billion times), the team wanted to see how we could approach this similarly.

01 DISCOVERY & RESEARCH

Clarifying stakeholder needs to define the value of games at ABC News

Starting from a place of uncertainty and disorganization, I led an initiative to gather insights from key stakeholders by hosting a workshop. I identified critical KPIs, such as time spent interacting with the game, frequency of user sharing, scores, friends, and completion rates. This clarity helped prioritize features and align the game hub with user needs.

Brainstorming for ABCN Games: Turning Chaos into Clarity

My objective was to define the key goals for ABCN Games, establish clear KPIs, conceptualize our brand and story, and identify the key features we wanted to showcase. By doing so, we aimed to create a structured and focused approach to the project.

Securing the Green Light
How might we demonstrate potential in user engagement through designs & prototypes to justify investment?

Workshop Findings: Crafting a Fresh and Honest Approach

The workshop yielded three key insights that would shape the direction of ABCN Games. These findings centered around the need for a fresh, honest approach in alignment with ABC News’ core values, a focus on clarity and straightforwardness in design, and an emphasis on gaming and shareability.

I led several targeted workshop activities to align the team and manage expectations effectively:

These activities facilitated productive discussions and helped us consolidate our ideas into a cohesive plan. The result was a well-defined game plan that aligned with our objectives and set clear expectations for all stakeholders.

A Fresh and Honest Approach

The ABC News motto is centered around telling stories honestly with heart. This philosophy would be the cornerstone of ABCN Games, ensuring that our content is both genuine and engaging. This approach would resonate with our audience, fostering trust and loyalty.

Clear and Straightforward Visuals

To reflect ABC News' commitment to clarity and honesty, I focused on designing icons for our games that were clear, straightforward, and visually aligned with ABC News brand. We selected three main games: TrapWords, Rank-It, and Quotable.

Indexing on Games and Shareability

Our findings also highlighted the importance of focusing more on games and their shareability. We wanted to create content that is not only engaging but also highly shareable, encouraging users to spread the word and increase organic reach. By indexing more on games, we aimed to drive daily visits to the news site and appeal

Sketching and Experimentation

I started by sketching out various ideas for each game concept, experimenting with different color palettes within the ABC News brand colors. This process allowed us to explore a range of visual possibilities and find the perfect balance between clarity and playfulness.

02 EXPLORATION

Centralizing the Experience

The Game Hub was designed to be the central point where users could access all ABCN games like TrapWords, Rank-It, and Quotable.

This approach ensured that players could easily find and navigate between their favorite games without leaving the platform. The layout was intuitive, with each game prominently displayed, making discovery simple and engaging.

Some things I had considered: Player Profiles: Each user would have a profile showcasing their achievements, favorite games, and play history. This feature was aimed at fostering a sense of identity and belonging within the gaming community.

Leaderboards: Competitive elements like leaderboards were introduced to track high scores and achievements across all games. This not only encouraged friendly competition but also kept players coming back to improve their rankings.

Friend Connections: We added the ability for players to connect with friends, see what games they are playing, and challenge them directly. This feature aimed to make the gaming experience more interactive and socially engaging.

Interface Design Vibez

The interface of the Game Hub was designed to be visually appealing and user-friendly. Here are some key elements:

03 REFINEMENT

04 EXPLORATION PART TWO