MATCHMAKER VA
MATCHMAKER VA
MATCHMAKER VA
Product Design
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
4 weeks
Tools
Figma
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
4 weeks
Tools
Figma
Summary
This four-week product design sprint focused on creating a mobile-first voting platform for MatchMaker Virginia. Working closely with the client and developers, we launched an experience that enabled live contestant voting, audience engagement, and sponsor promotion within an accelerated timeline.
Summary
This four-week product design sprint focused on creating a mobile-first voting platform for MatchMaker Virginia. Working closely with the client and developers, we launched an experience that enabled live contestant voting, audience engagement, and sponsor promotion within an accelerated timeline.
Summary
This four-week product design sprint focused on creating a mobile-first voting platform for MatchMaker Virginia. Working closely with the client and developers, we launched an experience that enabled live contestant voting, audience engagement, and sponsor promotion within an accelerated timeline.
Back
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
MatchMaker Virginia wanted to increase audience engagement during the competition while creating meaningful value for event sponsors. The challenge was to design a mobile-first experience that encouraged participation without making voting feel complicated or promotional content feel intrusive.
MatchMaker Virginia wanted to increase audience engagement during the competition while creating meaningful value for event sponsors. The challenge was to design a mobile-first experience that encouraged participation without making voting feel complicated or promotional content feel intrusive.
To achieve this, I focused on three primary design goals:
To achieve this, I focused on three primary design goals:
To achieve this, I focused on three primary design goals:
Discover
Discover
Help users quickly browse contestants and learn about each participant before voting.
Help users quickly browse contestants and learn about each participant before voting.
Discover
Help users quickly browse contestants and learn about each participant before voting.
Cast a Vote
Cast a Vote
Cast a Vote
Make voting fast and intuitive so users can cast their vote with minimal friction.
Make voting fast and intuitive so users can cast their vote with minimal friction.
Sponsors
Sponsors
Sponsors
Create meaningful visibility for sponsors without interrupting the user experience.
Create meaningful visibility for sponsors without interrupting the user experience.
Design Process
Design Process
Design Process
When I joined the project, the developer had already built the foundational authentication and voting functionality. My role was to transform that technical foundation into a cohesive user experience by designing the product's interface, information architecture, and interaction patterns.
Before designing individual screens, I mapped the core user journey to understand how someone would discover contestants, navigate to voting, submit their selections, recover from mistakes, and receive confirmation that their vote had been recorded. My goal was to reduce uncertainty at every step through clear labeling, intuitive navigation, and informative feedback.
Because we were working within a four-week sprint, I intentionally skipped traditional low-fidelity wireframes and moved directly into mid-fidelity designs. This allowed me to iterate quickly while still exploring layout, hierarchy, and interaction patterns before refining the final interface through client feedback.
When I joined the project, the developer had already built the foundational authentication and voting functionality. My role was to transform that technical foundation into a cohesive user experience by designing the product's interface, information architecture, and interaction patterns.
Before designing individual screens, I mapped the core user journey to understand how someone would discover contestants, navigate to voting, submit their selections, recover from mistakes, and receive confirmation that their vote had been recorded. My goal was to reduce uncertainty at every step through clear labeling, intuitive navigation, and informative feedback.
Because we were working within a four-week sprint, I intentionally skipped traditional low-fidelity wireframes and moved directly into mid-fidelity designs. This allowed me to iterate quickly while still exploring layout, hierarchy, and interaction patterns before refining the final interface through client feedback.
Key Screens
Key Screens
Key Screens
Contestant Profiles
Contestant Profiles
Contestants are displayed in a browsable directory that allows users to quickly compare participants before making a voting decision. Selecting a profile provides additional context without overwhelming users with unnecessary information.
Contestants are displayed in a browsable directory that allows users to quickly compare participants before making a voting decision. Selecting a profile provides additional context without overwhelming users with unnecessary information.
Voting Experience
Voting Experience
Voting was designed to minimize uncertainty by providing immediate visual feedback throughout the process. Error states clearly explain missing selections, while success states reassure users that their votes have been submitted successfully.
Voting was designed to minimize uncertainty by providing immediate visual feedback throughout the process. Error states clearly explain missing selections, while success states reassure users that their votes have been submitted successfully.
Community Feed
Community Feed
Because the expected audience size was relatively small, we intentionally omitted features such as public like counts and comment threads. This decision helped avoid exposing low engagement metrics that could negatively influence users’ perception of activity within the community.
Because the expected audience size was relatively small, we intentionally omitted features such as public like counts and comment threads. This decision helped avoid exposing low engagement metrics that could negatively influence users’ perception of activity within the community.
Sponsor Hub
Sponsor Hub
Rather than treating sponsors as traditional advertisements, I designed a dedicated space where users could explore exclusive offers from partner businesses. This approach supported sponsor visibility while encouraging users to remain engaged within the platform.
Rather than treating sponsors as traditional advertisements, I designed a dedicated space where users could explore exclusive offers from partner businesses. This approach supported sponsor visibility while encouraging users to remain engaged within the platform.
Outcomes
Outcomes
Outcomes
After presenting the interactive prototype to the client and receiving approval, the designs were handed off for development. Due to the project's accelerated timeline, some implementation details differ slightly from the final designs shown here, but the core user experience, functionality, and branding remained consistent.
The platform has since grown to serve over 1,000 users and continues to be maintained by the development team. My role concluded with the successful launch of the MVP, following the project's budget and scope.
After presenting the interactive prototype to the client and receiving approval, the designs were handed off for development. Due to the project's accelerated timeline, some implementation details differ slightly from the final designs shown here, but the core user experience, functionality, and branding remained consistent.
The platform has since grown to serve over 1,000 users and continues to be maintained by the development team. My role concluded with the successful launch of the MVP, following the project's budget and scope.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Prioritize
Prioritize
Designing within a four-week sprint reinforced the importance of prioritizing high-impact features and making thoughtful tradeoffs.
Designing within a four-week sprint reinforced the importance of prioritizing high-impact features and making thoughtful tradeoffs.
Prioritize
Designing within a four-week sprint reinforced the importance of prioritizing high-impact features and making thoughtful tradeoffs.
Communicate
Communicate
Communicate
Close collaboration with developers ensured design decisions remained feasible throughout implementation.
Close collaboration with developers ensured design decisions remained feasible throughout implementation.
Close collaboration with developers ensured design decisions remained feasible throughout implementation.
Iterate
Iterate
Iterate
Shipping an MVP highlighted how iterative product design continues beyond launch as real users begin interacting with the platform.
Shipping an MVP highlighted how iterative product design continues beyond launch as real users begin interacting with the platform.
Shipping an MVP highlighted how iterative product design continues beyond launch as real users begin interacting with the platform.