Research built from zero
From no testing to the team that ran the most research at Entain. Poker decided on assumptions. I built research from my first week and brought product into the room with real players.
- My role
- Product Design Manager
- Team
- 9 designers, 1 researcher, 1 UX writer
- Duration
- 2021 to 2023
- Scope
- Poker product, all player types
Context
Low UX maturity, high product risk
No user testing, no real personas. Decisions ran on assumptions, the product had drifted from what players needed, and product didn't trust UX. The business wanted more casual players, which meant knowing who they were.
Key decisions and what each one cost
Personas from real players, not workshops
Moderated interviews with a mix of players: testing-panel users, professionals, high-stakes players and streamers. Then a standing focus group.
Test the competitor before designing ours
Moderated sessions on a competitor's hand history and hand-strength meter, so our version started from evidence.
What it took: a dedicated researcher, so we could test before the sprint started.
Challenge the industry's avatars
Poker avatars are usually exaggerated and stereotyped. Players preferred realistic, diverse ones, and that's what shipped.
Traded off: the look the industry was used to. Product pushed back, then agreed once they heard players.
Let stakeholders watch players
Most of the product team doubted research. Instead of arguing in decks, I brought them into the persona studies to watch real players. It became a habit: whenever design or product wasn't sure, we ran a usability test to back the decision.
Roles, never names.
Before and after
| Area | Before | After | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testing | None | Moderated and unmoderated, ongoing | UserTesting.com whenever design or product was unsure |
| Player personas | None validated | Built from moderated interviews with real players | Interview programme |
| Research standing | No practice | Most research of any product team | Studies run, against Sports, Casino and Core |
| Avatar direction | Stereotyped, big-head style | Realistic, diverse | 20 of 24 players, moderated study |
Who did the research
9 designers, 1 dedicated researcher and 1 UX writer. Participants: testing-panel users, professional players, high-stakes players and streamers.
The avatar study
In moderated sessions, 20 of 24 players (83%) preferred realistic, diverse avatars. 4 (17%) preferred the cartoon style the industry uses. The realistic set shipped.
To a peer
Get better artists in earlier
The research was right, but the graphics took too much back and forth. Next time I'd bring in stronger artists from the start.