3. Problem / Problem Statement:

Problem:

Many amateur sports players face frustration when trying to find available sports venues or teammates to organize a game. This is especially true for individuals in new locations, where they lack local knowledge and connections. The manual process of calling venues, checking availability, and finding players is inefficient and leads to missed opportunities to stay active.

Problem Statement:

“How might we create an app that allows users to effortlessly find available sports venues, discover players, and organize games, ensuring a seamless experience for staying physically active and socially connected?”

4. Solution I Came Up With:

I developed a user-centered app that:

• Provides real-time venue availability so users can quickly find and book sports grounds.

• Connects users with other players who share the same sports interests, allowing them to organize games easily.

• Offers a player profile system where users can track their sports activities, fitness levels, and past games, helping them connect with like-minded teammates.

• Includes notifications and location-based services to inform users of nearby games and events, maximizing their chances of participation.

5. UX Design Process:

a) Empathize:

I began by conducting 15 user interviews with international students and sports enthusiasts. Through these interviews, I gathered valuable insights into their struggles with finding sports venues, booking challenges, and organizing teams. I also mapped out their emotional journey—highlighting moments of frustration, excitement, and the desire to socialize more.

b) Define:

Using insights from the interviews, I created 3 user personas and an empathy map to clearly define the primary user group: young adults and students passionate about sports but struggling to find venues and teammates. The user journey was outlined, showing how difficult it was to book venues, especially without real-time availability data.

c) Ideate:

I brainstormed potential solutions, including features like live venue availability, player discovery, and integrated messaging to coordinate games. I explored how users could create profiles to track their fitness and sports preferences, facilitating matchmaking for games.

d) Prototype:

I created a high-fidelity prototype that allowed users to:

• Search for venues based on location and availability.

• View real-time slots and book them.

• Find other players based on sports interests and fitness levels.

• Receive notifications about nearby games and events based on GPS data.

e) Testing:

I conducted two rounds of usability testing with 20 participants from the target user group to ensure the app addressed their core needs. Feedback focused on the ease of finding venues and the simplicity of connecting with other players. Based on this feedback, I adjusted the booking flow and enhanced the player profile interface.