Putting Usability in the Fore-Front
Refining player engagement and coach support
2 MINUTE READ
ROLE
UX Designer
TIMEFRAME
3 months
Apr-Jul 2024
TEAM
3 UX Designers
TOOLS
Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Google Sheets
PROBLEM
An educational golf app had a clear vision for helping young players track their progress, but the features on the coach's side lacked clarity, leading to confusion during usability testing.
SOLUTION
We integrated more guidance for coaches and redesigned user flows to accommodate coaches teaching players of varying experience levels.
NOTE
Due to a non-disclosure agreement, this version of the case study is only a summary. The designs and app name have been modified to maintain confidentiality.
To access the full, password-protected version, 🔑 click here 🔑. If you’re interested in seeing the full case study, please email me at lena.shichijo@gmail.com.
OVERVIEW
Helping players stay motivated
Our client is developing an educational golf app for young golfers to track their progress. The app is designed to keep players motivated to continue practicing in between sessions with their coaches through drills, lessons, and feedback.
THE CHALLENGE
Clear eyes, full swings, can’t lose
The client needed a prototype to secure investor funding. She prioritized tracking player progress while also offering resources to support overall development for players. This initially focused us more on the player experience over the coach’s.
THE STRATEGY
Refining the blueprints
We prioritized prototyping the client’s existing wireframes, with plans to redesign for a younger audience in the next phase. Since the wireframes weren’t designed to be prototyped, we refined user flows and streamlined navigation by integrating collapsible menus.
USABILITY TESTING
Discovering a disconnect
During usability testing, we found that the client's vision for the player’s side was clear, but the coach’s side was still open ended. The challenges in defining the coach's needs were reflected in our designs- coaches were confused about sharing resources, tracking progress, and connecting with players.
THE SOLUTION
Improving usability for every skill level
We redesigned the Media page to support both individual and group sharing, added explanatory blurbs, and highlighted player progress on the coach’s homepage. By increasing text and icon sizes, we also improved accessibility for all users.
NEXT STEPS
Children are our future
Our next goal is a redesign tailored for younger users. We plan to integrate gamification and fun interactive elements to enhance engagement, ensuring our design benefits both young golfers and their coaches.
