SyncSport
SyncSport is an all-in-one sports updates platform that provides quick updates while offering in-depth insights for various sports. This platform also enables users to personalize their experience by selecting and highlighting their favorite teams. This feature ensures they receive tailored updates, news, and insights focused on the teams and sports they care about most, creating a more engaging and customized experience.
Context
Why Did I Start This Project?
While trying to stay updated on MLB free agent signings, I found it frustrating to search across multiple platforms to gather information. I had to look up trade rumors, potential landing spots, and general updates individually. This made me think about designing a platform where users could access all sports news and updates in one place.
Context
Kicking Off with Rockhopper
During my UX boot camp at General Assembly, I teamed up with two other designers to work with Rockhopper, a startup developing a collaborative platform for financial teams. Our task was to apply user-centered insights to shape an intuitive product that would streamline financial workflows and enhance teamwork across departments.
Deliverables:
Shape a MVP
Product's Core Values:
Ease of use
Efficiency
Research
Did Other Sports Enthusiast Feel The Same As Me?
I wanted to see if other sports enthusiasts felt the same way, so I reached out to two fellow sports fans to understand how they stay updated in the sports world. We discussed the platforms they rely on for sports news, how frequently they check for updates, and the types of content they enjoy most—whether that’s live scores, player stats, or in-depth analysis. By comparing their habits to mine, I hoped to uncover any shared frustrations, preferences or needs when it comes to keeping up with sports.
What I discovered:
Platform-hopping:
They often start with a go-to platform for general updates.
Switch to other sources if something piques their interest.
A desire for a blend of convenience and depth.
Personilization:
Looks at updates based on their favorite team, player or sports.
Users need a quick way to access updates based off of the preference
I mapped out the platform to establish a strategy that effectively enables users to access general updates efficiently and intuitively.
Strategy
Planning Out The Platform
I focused my efforts on helping users get quick updates, like game scores and news headlines. This approach allows users to stay informed at a glance while offering seamless access to in-depth content on topics that interest them.
How might we enable users to access quick updates while also providing opportunities to dive deeper into topics of interest?
Key information like game scores, and top headlines are prominently displayed on the home page. The users can click on the game or news card to get into it deeper if it peaks their interests
Home Page
Games Page
News Page
Ideate
To The Drawing Board
I focused on designing solutions that address the primary behaviors and preferences observed among sports fans, such as platform-hopping, a preference for varied content formats, and the desire for personalization. Here’s how I approached ideation:
Grant: The Sender
Remy "The Marketer"
Personalize The Experience
After brainstorming the core features, I explored ways to personalize the experience for sports fans by allowing them to highlight their favorite teams and sports.
Onboarding:
When users create their account, they have the option to select their favorite teams, which will be highlighted throughout the app for a more personalized experience.
Drop Down Menus:
Integrating dropdown menus across the app pages allows users to efficiently organize sports information, providing a streamlined and accessible browsing experience.
These menus enable quick filtering by category (e.g., teams, leagues, or events), helping users easily navigate to relevant updates without overwhelming the main feed.
Hi-Fi Design
Design Solutions
I designed features that enable users to access in-depth information directly from the home page. Users can quickly check for updates and seamlessly dive deeper into games or news that catch their interest.
All-in-one Platform
The home page provides users with quick updates on games and news. They can easily access detailed information about specific events or stories that catch their attention, ensuring both convenience and depth in their experience.
Updates On Games
Fans frequently desire not to miss game updates from their favorite team. This functionality offers users an overview of the games and the opportunity to gain a more detailed update with each page.
News Page
From the Home page, users can click on a news article that piques their interest. This action will take them to a detailed view where they can read the full article
Personalize The Experience
Users can highlight their favorite sports and teams during onboarding by selecting a team from their preferred sports. On the homepage, they can use the drop-down menu to filter and prioritize updates related to their selected sports and teams.
Conclusion
Learnings & Outcomes
I pursued this project to further develop my UX design skills and mindset, aiming to deepen my understanding of user behavior and improve my ability to design intuitive, user-focused solutions.
This project provided valuable experience in engaging with users to uncover their pain points and devising solutions to address their frustrations with staying updated on sports news. I also learned the value of starting with sketches and wireframes instead of jumping straight into high-fidelity mockups. This approach allowed me to explore ideas more freely and think strategically about the best solutions.