PROJECT TYPE

Product design, user research & feature development

TIMELINE

5 weeks (November 2024 - December 2024)

SOFTWARES

Figma

OVERVIEW

As Pokémon Go evolved, coordinating in-person gameplay became challenging, diminishing its social appeal. To address this, I designed a Party Play scheduling feature that helps players plan group activities around Community Events, fostering real-world connections and improving retention.

Pokemon Go

Pokémon Go

OVERVIEW

As Pokémon Go evolved, coordinating in-person gameplay became challenging, diminishing its social appeal. To address this, I designed a Party Play scheduling feature that helps players plan group activities around Community Events, fostering real-world connections and improving retention.

PROJECT TYPE

Product design, user research & feature development

TIMELINE

5 weeks (November 2024 - December 2024)

SOFTWARES

Figma

CURRENT CHALLENGES

Despite Pokémon Go's initial success, engagement has declined significantly, with a 79% drop in active U.S. players since 2016. Through user research, I identified 3 key friction points that contribute to this decline:

01

Difficulty in coordinating in-person gameplay.

01

Difficulty in coordinating in-person gameplay.

01

Difficulty in coordinating in-person gameplay.

02

A lack of features that balance nostalgia with new content.

02

A lack of features that balance nostalgia with new content.

03

Players losing interest due to repetitive game mechanics.

03

Players losing interest due to repetitive game mechanics.

Hover insights to see how I got there!

Click to see affinity map

PERSONA

Jolyn (me!)

23, Female, casual & committed Pokemon Go player

GOALS & MOTIVATIONS

✔ Wants to participate in more Raids and Community Events but struggles to coordinate with friends.
✔ Enjoys Pokémon Go for nostalgia and social interaction rather than just collecting.
✔ Values efficiency and convenience, preferring quick ways to organize gameplay.

PAIN POINTS

❌ Playing solo is frustrating; raids mostly require four players, and often can’t find a team last minute.
❌ Lack of event awareness; group frequently misses Community Events due to poor visibility.
❌ No easy coordination tools; scheduling Raids with friends is confusing and time-consuming.

PERSONA

Jolyn (me!)

23, Female, casual & committed Pokemon Go player

GOALS & MOTIVATIONS

✔ Wants to participate in more Raids and Community Events but struggles to coordinate with friends.
✔ Enjoys Pokémon Go for nostalgia and social interaction rather than just collecting.
✔ Values efficiency and convenience, preferring quick ways to organize gameplay.

PAIN POINTS

❌ Playing solo is frustrating; raids mostly require four players, and often can’t find a team last minute.
❌ Lack of event awareness; group frequently misses Community Events due to poor visibility.
❌ No easy coordination tools; scheduling Raids with friends is confusing and time-consuming.

MY SOLUTION

MY SOLUTION

MY SOLUTION

ITERATION 01

Too Much Clutter, Not Enough Play

While exploring different features, I conducted user testings and found that players want to facilitate scheduling around the Community Events; however, there was more to consider:

Not enough breathing room!

Too many choices!

Not enough breathing room!

Too many choices!

Feels like Pokémon visuals are missing…

Too many choices!

Feels like Pokémon visuals are missing…

Too many choices!

What if i accidentally sent an invitation?

What if i accidentally sent an invitation?

Uncertainty around starting multiple journeys leaves players guessing.

Nowhere to track dates and invited trainers.

Uncertainty around starting multiple journeys leaves players guessing.

Nowhere to track dates and invited trainers.

ITERATION 02

Small Buttons, Big Problems

After another iteration, the layout felt more structured, but there still were key usability issues.

The 'Add Time' button is tiny, easy to miss and even easier to mis-tap!

Removed the 'Next' for more room!

The 'Add Time' button is tiny, easy to miss and even easier to mis-tap!

Removed the 'Next' for more room!

How do players know what’s selected?

How do players know what’s selected?

FINAL PRODUCT

Setting up an Adventure

Features: Introduced default date selection, clearer button states, and improved visibility for next steps.

Impact: Reduced confusion and improved navigation efficiency for scheduling in-game events.

Host Managing Adventure

Features: Introduced an "Upcoming Adventures" page for easy event tracking with structured listings and navigation.

Impact: Improved event coordination, making it easier to manage and access party plans with less effort.

Trainer accepts Invitation

Features: Added party invites to the Friends page for easy access and introduced a quick tap system for responses.

Impact: Streamlined coordination, making it faster to accept, decline, or revisit invitations while improving event participation.

Host finalizes Adventure

Features: Introduced color-coded availability indicators; green when all can attend, yellow for majority availability, and red when few or none can join.

Impact: Streamlined scheduling, making party finalization faster and more intuitive.

EDGE CASES

Multiple Invites

No
Invites

No Invites

No Invites

NEXT STEPS

01

Expanding Post-Adventure Features

Introduce party-exclusive powers to keep players engaged beyond event planning.

02

Refine Microinteractions

Improve animations and gestures for smoother, more intuitive interactions.

03

Enable
Remote Play

Enable Remote Play

Expand accessibility for rural and remote players to fully participate.

COMPONENTS

Since no existing online design systems matched the project’s needs, I built custom UI components while integrating the company's existing design system for easy handoff to developers.

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/