My Role
UX/UI DESIGNER & RESEARCHER
Tools
FIGMA, CSS, HTML,
JAVASCRIPT
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GAMEFINDER
Project Context
MASTER PROJECT: GAME ACCESSIBILITY
As part of a collaborative effort with The Family Gaming Database, I undertook a project centered around the creation of an accessible game recommender. The ‘Game Finder’ is engineered to empower users in finding video games tailored to their unique requirements, with a particular emphasis on enhancing accessibility for players with disabilities.
To achieve this, the development and design process of the Game Finder application followed an iterative approach of surveys, expert interviews, and user tests to gain various perspectives. The result was a high-fidelity prototype for users of all abilities to find games suited to their needs.
Research
Literature Review: Researched game accessibility, analysing guidelines and best practices.
Terminology: Defined clear terminology, categorisation and inclusive language.
Related work: Explored existing platforms, identifying a need for accessible game finders.
User Survey: Conducted a survey to understand user experiences and preferences.
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RESEARCH QUESTION:
How can the Game Finder search tool be designed and developed to effectively assist players with disabilities in finding accessible video games?
Ideation
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SWOT- Analysis
Three SWOT analyses were conducted to evaluate project options: a mobile app, external webpage, and plug-in. Insights from surveys revealed user preferences and behaviors. After analysis, focusing on the external webpage was chosen for its design flexibility.
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Affinity Diagram
The Affinity Diagram was used to organise brainstormed ideas into themes, aiding in refining the Game Finder's requirements. It helped identify significant ideas and streamline focus for development.
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Sketches
Initial sketches of the UI facilitated rapid exploration of design concepts, allowing quick iteration and issue identification. Low-fidelity wireframing helped plan layout and functionality without distraction from visual details.
Changes to the Design
OLD GAME FINDER UI
NEW GAME FINDER UI
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OLD COLOUR PALETTE
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NEW COLOUR PALETTE
There were several changes made to the UI of the Game Finder, including colour palette that follows contrast ratio for accessibility, checkboxes, navigation buttons, escape button and an accessibility filter view.
User Test
Usability testing was conducted via remote interviews, featuring the Think-Aloud method.
Aim
Used to uncover usability issues and gather valuable feedback to enhance the prototype.
Feedback
Based on user test, an increase in font sizes and changes to navigation were needed.
Navigation
Navigation buttons were placed on the bottom for improved keyboard navigation, in addition to breadcrumbs for multi-option navigation. Streamlined navigation by combining views, and reducing user steps.
Checkboxes
A switch from sliders and chips to checkboxes was made to ensure a more accessible and cohesive user experience.
Categorisation
All categorise were sorted into alphabetical order to avoid any form of biases and simplify the search for the user.
Information
Prominent placement of crucial instructions on the left to ensure better visibility and understanding for users, especially those relying on Text-to-Speech software.
Final Design
This project created the Game Finder, a game recommender website, in response to the growing demand for accessible game discovery. Through inclusive design principles, a high-fidelity prototype was developed and tested with users.
The study highlights the crucial role of accessible design in addressing the needs of disabled and non-disabled gamers alike.
