The PlayStation mobile app refresh. Introducing new features and improving on existing features for the PlayStation app, to create a more meaningful social experience.

October 2021

Project Overview

I worked with 2 other designers, Darnell Baker and Connor Green, on this project for Playstation at General Assembly SF. I worked as a UX/UI designer, conducting research and synthesis, defining the problem, brainstorming design solutions, and implementing them in the final prototype while keeping our deliverables and schedule in check with everyone throughout the whole project.

This is a spec project.

The Problem

“What else can I do on this app other than chat with my friends?”

-Chris, 30

We discovered through surveys and interviews that the Playstation app users find themselves not returning to the app frequently. As of now, chatting and game purchases make up the bulk of engagement. 

Users are frustrated that they cannot stream to and watch friends on the Playstation app or make changes to their account settings on the go. 

This is a problem as users are willing and desire to use the Playstation app more frequently but find limited engaging features.

We saw this as an opportunity to expand upon the existing app features and increase efficiency, which would lead to user retention.

Our Approach

Engagement + Efficiency = Retention

We started thinking about ways we could increase users’ engagement with the app, as well as make it easy and efficient for users. 

• How can we expand on the existing functionalities of the app?

• What would be the most logical way of introducing the streaming functionality?

• How can we make the app more useful and easier for the users?

Focusing on engagement and efficiency would eventually help with user retention.

Solution Objective

Designing A More Engaging And Efficient App

Streamline app navigation

• Redesign the home page and navigation format letting the users know where they are within the app more easily.

Provide account settings page

• Simplify personal information management process, including payment and wallet* settings.

  *wallet is an existing feature on the console

Integrate stream watching platform

• Design a streams page so users can watch friends’ gaming live streams.

Our Process

Identifying Windows Of Opportunities

What can be improved on the current app?

Through comparing the current app design to a list of predefined design principles, we noticed that some of the most severe issues were 

• There’s no streamlined way to return to the home page

• It’s not easy to know the current location within the app

• Links are used to take users to web browsers to complete certain tasks.

These pain points are relatively easy fixes to greatly enhance the user’s experience.

What are some common features our competitors have or don’t have?

We compared features with companies such as Xbox and Steam and found out that the Playstation App is missing some key functionalities.

• There’s no way to sign up within the app for your Playstation network. You have to do it on the console or on the web browser.

• All competitors offer the ability to stream gameplay.

• The Playstation App or the competitors don’t offer in-app payment management. Users are forced out of the app for this functionality.

These issues create another barrier to welcoming new users, and can potentially put the Playstation App lower on the list within the competitive market.

What are the live streaming platforms doing well?

Twitch and Youtube Live Stream are leading live stream platforms that are targeted for gamers.

Both platforms provide below features on one page, so it’s convenient for viewers to participate.

• Chat

• Theatre mode viewing

• Donate to gamer/streamer

Design Deliverables

Introduce New Features, Enhance The Existing

We created 3 user flows to demonstrate how they may solve the issues users were facing, and how simple each of the new tasks can be accomplished.

Design Deliverables

What’s Working Or Not Working In The First Iteration?

We created a low fidelity prototype to test the usability of the new and improved app features. Users were asked to add funds to the wallet, edit payment settings, and watch a friend’s live stream.

Some of the feedback from users include:

• The steps were easy and intuitive to get to a friend’s live stream.

• The Home Button location is not intuitive.

• Wallet and Payment settings

  • Why is this separated from payment settings?

  • Not sure where to click for either one. Wallet icon or account settings?

• Some icons are confusing

  • Not sure what some of the icons mean, both existing (dashboard icons) and new (streams icon, wallet icon) ones.

Design Deliverables

We Listened.

In our high fidelity prototype, we started making changes to resolve the pain points users came across during the usability testing.

As a direct response to feedback, we moved the home button down to the bottom navigation bar to start with, and moved the wallet function to be within the account settings, and revised some of the new and existing icons to more recognizable ones.

Design Deliverables

The Simple But Effective Details

Reflections

A First Positive Step Forward

What’s next?

We’d like to continue to expand on the capabilities of streaming within the app, to keep up with the growing market.

• Add additional features found within the PS5 UI e.g., Parental Controls, and video export, to the app to increase its functionality.

• We started this project by mimicking the existing app’s look and feel, and started to put together a components library. But we would love to rework the whole UI of the app to bring it in line with the latest PS5 UI. 

• We’d perform further user research and usability testing along the way to quickly catch where we might be missing users' pain points or desires and to save time and money.

Communication for teamwork, communication for presentation

• Seeing the ideas come together into one final product we are all happy with was such a rewarding experience. Constant and open communication to be on the same page with the team members was undoubtedly the most important part of the process.

• The importance of weaving in the business aspects into research-based design decisions was also a key part of our process.

• In the beginning, it took a while for us a bit longer than expected to narrow down our scope of work and settle on our mission, which kept evolving through midway of the project. It helped to communicate with the instructors and peers whenever we were feeling stuck. 

• I found it interesting that our UX research, design solutions, and presentation made sense and was engaging to even non-gamers who are not familiar with the Playstation or the Playstation app. I learned that knowing the audience and appropriately telling the story really is the cherry on top.