MOBCRUSH APP
The Mobcrush App enables mobile gamers to stream their gameplays to friends. An older product, the Mobcrush for Mac allows for the streaming of mobile, console, and PC video games in addition to non-video game-related content such as vlogs and podcasts.
Duration
Late 2017 - 2018, Mobcrush
Summary
The challenge was to increase engagement on the mobile apps. With a lot of research and interviews, I proposed a phased solution that were ambitious but fair. The solutions were validated in the end for Android, however were affected by an OS update for iOS.
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Team: Lead Product Designer, Product Manager, 4 Devs
Platforms: iOS, Android
Method and Tools: User and Market Research, Visual Designs, Prototyping, Sketch, Principle, User Testing
CHALLENGE
When I came onboard in 2017, the engagement on the mobile app was in a plateau and I needed to find a way to increase user engagement.
HOW?
I went and did an audit on the app, created a master flow since there was none. I asked for engagement numbers and interviewed a few users understand and see how they engage with the app.
“No way, I can do that now?”
“Oh I didn’t know it was there. I thought I needed to hook my phone up to the Mac App.”
My findings:
User lands on watchlist with no indication that they can broadcast from their mobile phone
Broadcast is hidden in the hamburger menu, unnoticeable
focus: Highlight the broadcast featurE
To highlight the broadcast feature, I came up with a few solutions.
Expose the broadcast feature
Create in app contextual nudges or call outs to broadcast
Quick and simple tutorial for Broadcasting
Clarify Broadcast screen
Create incentive to broadcast
The solution warranted an update for nav from hamburger to exposed. I suggested a phased out approach for an overall updated experience.
User Interface
For Phase 1, I dove straight into the designs. I did quick test as to which icon makes more sense and used the one which was best understood. I chose to have the cta minimize from having labels to a smaller footprint with only the icon on scroll.
I added some visual hints to the Broadcast icon that calls some attention to it once in a while.
The contextual nudge is a message bar that appeared at the bottom of the screen.
Various conversational blurbs would come up based on wether the users hasn’t streamed before, or has not streamed for a few days.
Cleaned up the broadcast settings screen. to accommodate streaming to future platforms and organized the information based on what is most important from a user’s perspective.
Here are the main screens for Phase 2 and 3.
I created prototypes to show engineering how I want the navigation around the homepage to the other sections of the app to work.
Right about when I was done creating the designs, I learned the new iOS 10 was to be released with a screen capture feature which then changed the flow. That same day learned and understood the new flow to accommodate and ship the supporting build. I created a tutorial making sure users knew how to use this new feature.
Tutorial
Implementation
Used Sketch for the designs and handed off to 2 engineers with Zeplin. I had time blocks with engineering to go through a list of identified design bugs for Phase 1. Not all of Phase 1 was implemented due to the iOS 11 update. Phase 2 and 3 are in the engineering backlog.
Feedback & Next Steps
Engagement time on app and daily number of broadcasts maintained at a plateau on iOS for the next months. Android users had a gradual increase.
I interviewed a few iOS users about the change in flow, they were thankful for the tutorial but not excited about going out of the app to turn on the screen recording then going to another app. They did like that it was easier to stop a broadcast.
The team moved onto our Go Live Get Paid project which created incentive for users to broadcast.
TAKEAWAYS
When changing a multitude of things, a phased out approach makes building easier. It is important though to know the larger picture to accommodate for future features to be added down the line.
Managing good relationships with engineers and engineering managers can get design wishlists checked off more.
When Apple throws a curveball at you and takes your app functionality and bakes it into their OS… it is not the end of the world. Its best to focus on what is best for the product or the company.