GameScape Desktop Website Mockup

Paper Wireframes for the homepage

This is my first project for the Google UX Certificate, a Desktop website where you can order gaming equipment

My Role(s)

UX Designer, UX Researcher, UX Writer, Visual Designer, Motion Designer.

Project Duration

Feb 2024- May 2024

The Problem

Beginner and Physically Disabled gamers have trouble putting together or using certain items and feel overwhelmed. Thus, not knowing where to start, whether that be picking a game or building a PC.

User Pain Points

1. Trouble with technology assembly- some disabled gamers who want to engage in PC building felt alienated as there are not many resources catered to their needs, or are unable to do so due to their disability.

2. Overwhelmed Beginners- People who start gaming or building a PC for the first time are unsure where to start and thus feel overwhelmed and alienated.

3. Lack of Retro Resources- Gamers are having difficulty finding retro consoles due to the high price tags of the secondhand market, and not many mainstream stores sell them.

The Goal

Create a shopping app that allows gamers to purchase gaming equipment and provides a way for physically disabled and new gamers to acquire assistance when assembling certain items or starting the hobby of gaming.

Conducted Research

I created three personas (Emilee, Alec, and Isaiah) to help avoid biases. I also found several web resources that show data on the sex of gamers, the number of disabled gamers, and the age at which they start gaming. I found three user pain points, conducted a competitive audit, created a UX Research Study Plan, and conducted a Usability Study of 5 Participants.

Assumptions

Some Assumptions I made before the research were the gaming space is mostly male and started in their teenage or pre-teen years. Another assumption was that gamers were mostly Caucasian. However, I soon found my assumptions incorrect as the gaming industry is slightly half of the gamers were female-identifying and half were people of color. Lastly, 15% of gamers have some form of a physical disability. Children start gaming younger at around 7-10 years old instead of the 10–12-year-old assumption I held.

Paper Wireframes

I took inspiration from Best Buy's and Game Stop's desktop website in regards to the formatting of the website, especially the grid of cards approach found in many shopping websites like Best Buy and GameStop.

Digital Wireframes

After learning about it from my certificate program, I wanted to use a Z-Shape for my homepage. It would be a good change from the Hierarchical approach found in most shopping apps. I kept and adapted the same mobile app pieces to the desktop website.

Below is the user flow. Here is a user purchasing a PlayStation 5 controller.

Digital Wireframe and Lo-Fi Prototype Version 1

HI-FI Mockup Sticker Sheet

What I learned

I found this to be a lot interesting to make the desktop website as I believe it to be applicable to my users as gamers use PCs and laptops more often. I also found it to be a fun challenge to take my mobile layout and expand it to a desktop space. Developing mockups for this app was a good application of the skills I have learned so far.