wildgoose
DEVELOP AN MVP SAAS PRODUCT FOR An interactive games event company
This project has launched as an MVP, and is available to view here:
make.wearewildgoose.com
Working for Subvert Studios, I was tasked with helping develop, and design a new part of Wildgoose’s already successful portfolio.
The new SaaS product would become the midpoint between the completely bespoke, and off the shelf gaming experiences Wildgoose already offer their customers, working as a self-serve, easy-as-possible, game creator in which users could create engaging activities for company onboarding, team socials, compliance courses and more.
The brief required me to handle both the UX and UI of the dashboard, a template library, and the game builder for an MVP launch, and assist in the design of the marketing site later in the project.
Wildgoose currently create their games using a complex backend builder called Egg. They do have clients who can create their own games using this programme, but it requires training and a lot of time. If a customer can use it, Egg allows them a great deal of customisation and control. However, for most customers, Egg is far too complicated and time consuming to use. Therefore the first task we faced was working out the key parts of Egg, and using them to define a features list that would still allow users to create intricate games, but far easier.
There would be two essential parts of this project. The first would be to ensure the range and types of games available to users wouldn’t be lost. For example, when using Egg, a user can create location based games, area based location games, and static quiz type games. All of which would need to be available in the new editor. The second would be to inspire the user to explore and create new games for use cases they may not have considered. For example, an HR manager creating a festive team quiz when they normally only use Wildgoose for onboarding new hires.
As a method of inspiring users to create games outside their norm I designed a simple ‘Netflix’ style banner along the top of the page, and added a Template Library. Both would serve as a quick demonstration of the versatility this platform could offer, and give immediate access to any newly discovered game types.
To meet the requirement of enabling all users the ability to create whatever game type they desired we created the idea of ‘Templates’. Templates would vary in complexity and completion depending on the game type, and would allow users to quickly jump into the Game Builder and start customising a pre-fabricated game. Templates allowed us to give more casual users access to more complex game types like location games without them needing to understanding the details of how these games worked, a key problem with building games in Egg.
As the project progressed, I conducted user testing session with 8 participants. Most were familiar with Wildgoose and their offerings, others were totally new to them. During the session I explained what we were trying to create with this new platform, then got an understanding of their familiarity with Wildgoose and how comfortable they were with creating custom games. I then asked them to click through a prototype of the platform, commentating on their expectations of features as they went. Finally I walked them through our ideas on how we were going to approach the Game Builder and the inclusion of Templates.
The sessions were invaluable and provided me with key insights into both user behaviour and mindsets. The feedback was largely positive with participants understanding the value of this new product, and stating that it’s something they would look to use. One of the main takeaways from the user research was how each participant had different use cases and expectations of the platform. This reenforced the idea that we would need to make the platform as adaptable as possible, and that providing users with Templates to work with would be the right course of action.
This project was a great opportunity to learn more about the world of SaaS products and how to design for them. I’m very pleased with the work I was able to do for Wildgoose, and I enjoyed a positive and collaborative relationship with the whole team. The project has now launched as an MVP, and I look forward to seeing where this new chapter takes Wildgoose.
This project is available to view here:
make.wearewildgoose.com
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