A capstone project for the Google UX Design Certificate, bringing an immersive shopping experience to gamers.
Leveling Up eCommerce: The Galaxy Gaming UX Case Study
COMPANY
Capstone Project
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
EXPERTISE
UI/UX Design
YEAR
2023
Project
Galaxy Gaming is a fictional eCommerce platform created as the capstone project for my Google UX Design Certificate. The goal was to design a seamless, user-centered shopping experience for gamers looking to purchase accessories, gear, and digital content. I conducted user research, developed personas, sketched wireframes, created high-fidelity prototypes in Figma, and performed usability testing to refine the final design.
Problem
Gamers often encounter cluttered, unintuitive online stores that make it difficult to find and purchase the gear they need. Many eCommerce platforms fail to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the gaming community, resulting in a frustrating user experience and abandoned carts.
How might we improve the gamer eCommerce experience?
To guide the design process, I framed the core user challenges as "How Might We" questions. This helped me stay focused on solving real user pain points while encouraging creative, user-centered solutions. By breaking down the problem into specific opportunities, I was able to design an experience that feels intuitive, visually engaging, and tailored to the unique needs of gamers.
Process
I followed a user-centered, iterative approach—starting with research to understand gamers’ needs, then moving through ideation, design, prototyping, and testing—to create an engaging and intuitive eCommerce experience.
Empathize: Understanding the Gamer
I started by conducting user research through surveys and interviews to learn about gamers’ shopping behaviors, preferences, and pain points. This helped me gain valuable insights into what users struggle with in existing eCommerce platforms and what they expect from a gaming store.
Define: Framing the Problem
Next, I synthesized the research findings to create user personas and journey maps. This allowed me to clearly define the core problems and pain points, shaping a focused problem statement that guided all my design decisions.
Ideate: Generating Solutions
With a clear understanding of user needs, I brainstormed and sketched multiple concepts. I explored ideas that could simplify navigation, improve product discovery, and create a visually immersive experience tailored to gamers.
Design: Wireframes and Visuals
I translated my concepts into wireframes and then developed high-fidelity designs using Figma. The focus was on creating an intuitive layout with a gamer-centric aesthetic that balances functionality with engaging visuals.
Prototype: Bringing Designs to Life
Using Figma, I built interactive prototypes to simulate key user flows like browsing, filtering products, and completing purchases. This helped test the usability and flow before moving into final iterations.
Test: Validating and Refining
I conducted usability testing with potential users to gather feedback on the prototype. Based on their input, I identified pain points and areas for improvement, iterating on the design to enhance the overall user experience.
Solution
I designed a streamlined, gamer-focused eCommerce platform that simplifies product discovery and checkout. By combining intuitive navigation, immersive visuals, and user-tested flows, the solution delivers a smooth and engaging shopping experience tailored specifically to gamers.
Intuitive Navigation and Search
I created a clean, easy-to-use navigation system that helps gamers quickly find products by category, brand, or game type. The search function includes filters tailored to gamer preferences, making product discovery fast and efficient.
Immersive Visual Design
To resonate with the gaming community, I designed a bold and visually engaging interface using gamer-inspired colors, typography, and iconography. The aesthetic balances excitement with usability, creating an immersive shopping environment.
Streamlined Checkout Flow
The checkout process was simplified to minimize friction and reduce cart abandonment. Clear steps, progress indicators, and multiple payment options ensure users can complete purchases smoothly and confidently.
User-Centered Features
Based on user research, I incorporated features such as wishlists, product recommendations, and easy access to customer reviews. These additions enhance the overall experience by supporting informed and personalized shopping.
Iterative Testing and Refinement
After building interactive prototypes, I tested the design with users to identify pain points and usability issues. Feedback informed several rounds of iteration, resulting in a polished and user-friendly final product.
Results
The final design successfully addressed key user pain points, delivering a smoother, more intuitive shopping experience for gamers. Usability testing showed increased task completion rates and positive feedback on the interface’s clarity, aesthetics, and ease of use. The project demonstrates my ability to apply the UX process to create user-centered, functional digital products.
Improved Usability and Task Success
Usability testing revealed that users were able to complete key tasks—such as browsing products, applying filters, and completing checkout—with ease and minimal confusion. Most users completed tasks on their first try, indicating a clear and intuitive interface.
Positive User Feedback
Test participants praised the clean layout, visual appeal, and gamer-centric theme of the design. They noted that the interface felt both engaging and easy to navigate, especially compared to more cluttered eCommerce sites they had used in the past.
Iterative Improvements Led to a Polished Experience
Feedback from usability testing informed several key design refinements—including simplifying the navigation bar and improving button labels. These changes led to a more seamless and satisfying user experience.
Project Takeaways
This project solidified my understanding of the UX process, from research to testing. It reinforced the importance of validating design decisions through user feedback and showed how thoughtful design can create a meaningful, problem-solving experience.