Playbyte An all-in-one app for making games on your phone

UI/UX Design
User Empathy & Research
Whiteboarding & Prototyping
Flow Mapping

Introduction

In collaboration with Playbyte, a startup featured in TechCrunch as the "TikTok for games," I aimed to enhance their mobile application, focusing on creating an intuitive yet powerful visual coding experience for both novice and experienced game designers, as well as supporting the team by providing marketing and branding assets.

Problem Statement

Playbyte sought to evolve from a social gaming platform to a comprehensive tool enabling users to create and share games directly from their phones. The challenge was to design a user-friendly interface that accommodated the needs of beginners, while also offering advanced functionalities for more seasoned developers.

Design Process

Research and Insights

To understand the needs of our target users, I collaborated with co-workers who were also within the demographic of our intended audience. Through these discussions, we identified common pain points in mobile game creation and prioritized features that could simplify the process while retaining flexibility for advanced users.

Ideation and Prototyping

Developed wireframes and interactive prototypes to map out user journeys and visualize interface elements.
Iterated on designs based on team and feedback, focusing on reducing complexity without compromising depth.
Incorporated input from internal stakeholders to align the designs with Playbyte's goals and user expectations.

Testing and Iteration

Conducted informal usability testing sessions with co-workers to gather feedback on the prototypes.
Refined the design to address usability issues and ensure an intuitive user experience.

Outcomes and Impact

Although the Playbyte app underwent several pivots after my involvement and was never formally released, my contributions laid a strong foundation for its design evolution.

The work I completed included:

A visual coding interface designed to make game creation accessible and intuitive, with drag-and-drop functionality.
A reusable asset system and global component library to streamline collaboration and enhance user creativity.
Enhanced social features, such as commenting, remixing, and rating, aimed at fostering a vibrant community.

While the final product changed direction, the designs I created helped clarify user needs and shaped the vision for future iterations of the app.

Reflections

This project further showed me the importance of flexibility and collaboration in a fast-paced startup environment. Even though the app pivoted after my involvement, I learned how to better create scalable, user-focused designs that could adapt to shifting goals and priorities.

I also gained valuable experience in navigating complex design challenges and ensuring the user's perspective remained at the core of the product, even as business needs evolved.