Task
Create a word game for iPhone and iPad that combines the fun of word games with the power to play with your friends in new ways!
We also set out to add some extra stickiness other word games don’t have that keep players coming back. As producer of this game I wore many hats - one of the hats I took on was user researcher. I made sure that we were building a game that enthusiasts of word games as well as casual gamers would understand and enjoy.
Action
I wrote the discussion guide to be used in usability testing. I organized an internal staff, friends and family roster of participants and conducted 8 initial usability tests in the office and 2 contextual interviews with players playing the game at home.
I made recommendations and reported findings to the Creative Director and Lead Software Engineer creating the game. I designed a pilot study to be conducted with 200 members of the general public so that we could gather information on game play statistics and qualitative feedback on the game.
As producer of the game, I also worked with Apple on the partnership for launching the game, worked with advertising vendors to set up in-game video ad capability, oversaw development of a custom score for the game with a composer, and kept the design and development team moving forward. I conducted weekly review meetings with the design, development and senior management to make sure everyone was kept in the loop and we could make important decisions in a timely manner.
Result
Early usability testing provided valuable feedback to the product team and allowed for rapid iteration of the design. My identification of trouble spots in on-boarding, menu systems and game play allowed the design and development team to see where they were too close to the project and what the needs and wants of our target uses would be. The pilot test gathered an even larger sample of data to help inform product feedback - though unfortunately I wasn't able to analyze the data as I left the company shortly after I set up the pilot.
Wordlings was released for iPhone and iPad and achieved a #3 ranking in the Word Game category within the first 48 hours of its release in the iTunes Store. The game also ranked in the Top 20 Puzzle Games and Top 100 Free Apps categories at launch. It currently has a 4 star rating in the App store with over 88 reviews. While targeted to a U.S. audience, Wordlings has been making an international impact with players in more than 175 countries.
More on the game can be seen here: http://www.wordlingsgame.com/
