problem
Identifying the best design approach
design challenge
How might we ensure users find this Detective Game easy to understand and fun to plan?
solution
Daily Detective: AI Web Game Where Users Chat With Suspects To Find The Real Killer.
I aimed to make it super easy for users to dive into the game without any hassle of signing up. All they gotta do is hit a couple of buttons, and they're straight into the action, ready to start unraveling the mystery of who the real killer is.
Seamless Game Play Interface
I made sure that users could easily switch between suspects, keep track of how many questions they had left with each suspect, revisit the Case of the Day to fully grasp how to uncover the true culprit, and even get some helpful Suggested Questions in case they were stuck and needed a nudge to start investigating.
As a Product Designer, it's crucial to brainstorm strategies for a business to generate revenue sustainably and thrive in the long run.
In a game like this, Ads Revenue stands out as a particularly effective method. The more users play the game each day, the more revenue it generates. It's a unique approach that aligns perfectly with the increasing user engagement over time.
Design Process
How did I end up with this solution
I focused on how to design an experience that would be engaging and entertaining to users through my user research.
user-research
Competitive Analysis
I delved into researching one of the world's top web-based daily games: Wordle. It's a popular word game where players get six tries to guess a secret five-letter word each day, and it boasts a whopping 100,000+ players daily. After diving deep into Wordle, I discovered three crucial insights that could elevate Daily Detective to a similar level of success, potentially attracting over 100,000 users daily.
key insights/takeaways
Easy To Start Playing
I realized how simple it is to dive into Wordle. You just hop on the website, and you're immediately given the option to either log in or start playing. Clicking on "Play" guides you through the game instructions, and once you're ready to begin, you just close the pop-up and you're set to playing the game.
Not Set To The ViewPort
I realized that Wordle didn't optimize all of their content for the viewport on their website. When I was reading the "How to Play" pop-up, I had to scroll to see everything. Additionally, I got a bit confused when I started playing because the letters were located below my viewport, and I had to scroll down to find them.
Revenue Generation
Wordle relied on ads to make money, and they strategically placed them at the top of the page.
design opportunities
How can I translate the key insights into design opportunities?
How can we make playing the game seamless?
When people visit the website, I've made sure that it's super easy to dive right into the fun. Instead of dealing with logins or signups, all they need to do is hit the "Play" button.
Once they click that button, they're whisked away to the Case of the Day. Here, they'll immerse themselves in the mystery, reading through the case they're about to solve. And to get things rolling, I've kept it simple with just one button: "Solve this case." It adds a nice touch of excitement to the start of the game.
Now, if they find themselves needing to refresh their memory on any details, there's a handy button labeled "Show the Case Study" that'll take them right back. It's crucial for a smooth user experience since we can't expect everyone to remember every little detail.
Plus, I've thrown in some extra help by offering Suggested Questions. This gives players a nudge in the right direction when they're not sure where to start their investigation. Armed with these questions, they can begin chatting with suspects, and as they receive responses, they'll naturally progress toward uncovering the real culprit.
How can we ensure have a superb User Interface(UI) for the users?
We've made sure that everything you see on the website fits perfectly within your screen, so you won't have to keep scrolling around, except when you're reading through your conversations with the suspects.
Now, let's talk colors! We didn't just pick them randomly; oh no, we did our homework. We wanted you to feel like a true detective, fully immersed in the mystery. That's why we settled on Red (#D40E03) as our primary color—it sets the tone perfectly.
When it comes to fonts, we went with Montserrat. Why? Because it's clean, easy on the eyes, and super legible. In a game like this, where you'll be reading through case files and suspect messages, clarity is key. So, we made sure you'll have no trouble deciphering every clue that comes your way.
How can we make Daily Detective Viable?
Every successful business needs to bring in enough money to cover its costs, right? Well, Daily Detective is no exception. We've gotta make sure the lights stay on and the servers keep running.
So, how do we make that happen? Well, we've thought long and hard about it, and we reckon ads are the way to go. They're a pretty straightforward way to bring in some cash without asking our players to reach into their pockets. It's a win-win situation—we get to keep the game going, and you get to keep solving mysteries without spending a dime. Sounds pretty fair, doesn't it?
User experience
User testing phase
This phase of Product Design is crucial because it lets us see if users will actually like and use the product. We can then make any necessary changes before moving on to the development stage.
In this project, we had 10 people testing the product. Now, let me give you a peek into one user's experience with the testing phase:
Let’s meet Elijah
Let’s begin!
Mobile version
Users’ experience on the mobile version
Product goal
The user pain points have been addressed. How can Daily Detective be monetized and user base keep growing?
monetization strategy
Ads Revenue
Advertising revenue is a fantastic way to make money, especially when you're providing an excellent product to users for free. People love getting great stuff without having to pay for it, so offering a free product attracts more users. And the more users you have, the more money you can make from ads.
So, by using advertising revenue, Daily Detective can not only make money but also bring in more users. It's a win-win situation!
Grrowth strategy
Share With Your Friends
An awesome way to expand your user base is by turning your users into marketers with a simple tool: the 'Share with your friends' button. When people enjoy a platform, they naturally want to tell their friends about it. But sometimes, they just need a little reminder. That's where the 'Share with your friends' button comes in handy. By placing it prominently, like at the end of a game, you increase the chances of users spreading the word.
We strategically placed the 'Share with your friends' button on our result page because most users love to share their experiences with their friends
Reflection
Concluding Remarks
What I learned
Creating my first web game has been an incredible journey. It's fascinating how games naturally draw people in, and I've loved delving into how to make sure users stay engaged. I discovered that keeping a fixed viewport really helps users focus on the content, which was a neat insight. Plus, working closely with the client and developer, bouncing ideas back and forth, and seeing the game evolve through user testing has really sharpened my communication and collaboration skills.
Future Plans
We're planning to introduce a 'Share' button that lets users spread the word about Daily Detective on their social media. This way, they can reach out to their followers, helping us grow our user base even further
