Babka

Babka is an advanced account management solution for gamers, providing a range of features to improve the gaming experience. It allows for secure payment options and easy tracking of transaction history, as well as immediate customer support.

In addition to these features, Babka grants players access to exclusive in-game content, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the gaming experience. With Babka, players can manage all Xsolla purchases, request refunds, and receive support in one convenient location, streamlining the process of managing gaming accounts and transactions.

Designer, Analytic, Developers, QA, and Product Owner.

Our objective is to improve the user experience, create a visually striking design, align consistency solutions throughout the product, and launch it in a timely and efficient manner.

Product Designer

When I assumed my role, the product was in a precarious state, with repeated delays in the launch and unresolved design issues.

I took action to improve the end-product user experience by implementing user-friendly interfaces and personalized features. Additionally, I was integral in the creation and development of the product’s visual style and also worked closely with the development team to ensure optimal implementation.

In parallel with this, I developed a UI Kit with scalability in mind, which greatly impacted the speed of product development and shortened the time to market entry.

The gaming industry has seen significant growth and evolution in the past decade. A majority of revenue is generated from free-to-play models, which has impacted the way games are marketed and players are acquired. However, the market remains highly fragmented with no dominant platform.

To address these challenges, a new web platform and accompanying metauniverse character, Babka, has been developed. The objective of this platform is not to rival existing distribution platforms or social networks for gamers, but to enhance the gaming experience by providing streamlined access to a diverse range of games through popular social and game networks.

Additionally, the platform will enable agencies and publishers to create unique in-game items that can be earned through drops or quests, rather than direct purchases or exchanges with other players. This will foster a deeper sense of engagement and personalization for players, allowing them to earn and use items that are thematically related to their favorite games.

The original product architecture was previously created, and to create a MVP version, we had to eliminate any redundant features. This process was crucial to ensure that the MVP version would be lean and efficient.

To determine which features to prioritize for implementation, we conducted a user experience analysis and identified pain points. By understanding the user experience, we were able to determine which features would be most valuable to users. This approach allowed us to create a product that effectively addresses user needs and enhances the overall user experience.

Upon approval of the architecture and user flow, I moved to Figma to craft high-fidelity screens that integrated the key features of the user flow such as adding new purchases, subscriptions, account management, and inventory management. This was an important step in ensuring that the user experience was consistent and user-friendly.

With the stakeholder feedback and inspiration, I began the process of unifying all the product functionality into a single user experience. This involved carefully linking all the features together to create a cohesive and intuitive user experience, thus ensuring that the final product was user-friendly and met the needs of the users.

Upon completing the user experience design phase, we initiated the visual design phase for the Babka project. It is important to note that the development of Babka’s visual style was a complex and lengthy process. The design underwent several iterations of significant changes.

The initial iteration of the design was created prior to my involvement in the project, but it did not meet the expectations of the stakeholders. They had a different vision for the character and the overall product. This initial iteration served as the foundation for subsequent design changes.

In order to enhance the visual representation of Babka’s character and strengthen the overall brand identity, it was decided to engage the services of an external agency. The agency was tasked with developing a distinct visual image for Babka and creating a comprehensive brand book that would serve as a guide for all future design and marketing efforts.

After the agency had completed their work, a new iteration of the interface design was developed based on the data and guidelines provided by the brand book. This allowed for a more cohesive and consistent representation of Babka’s character across all design elements and ensured that all future design decisions would be aligned with the established brand identity.

Despite initial efforts to establish a cohesive visual identity for Babka, it was deemed necessary to further refine the character’s image and visual style. As a result, the final image and visual style of Babka underwent revisions and redesigns.

The third iteration of the design process proved to be the final one. The resulting design effectively met the requirements and expectations of all stakeholders, and effectively encapsulated the desired characteristics of the Babka character as outlined in the initial design brief. The final design matched all stakeholder requests and character designs, and was approved for implementation.

UI Kit

Given the complexity of the platform, it was necessary to develop more than 120 individual screens to accommodate the various functions. To ensure consistency and facilitate a smooth handover to the development team, I created a modular UI kit that was based on reusable components and their different states. This kit included elements such as cards, list items, controls, and more other.

This modular approach allowed for flexibility in the design process, as each component could be rearranged and combined with others while still maintaining design consistency and recognizable UI patterns for the user. This approach helped to streamline the development process, and ensured that the final product would be intuitive and user-friendly.

We successfully launched the MVP on schedule, providing users with a functional product and a versatile system for managing gaming purchases. Additionally, we improved Babka’s user experience, consistency, image and visual style resulting in a more polished product well received by users and stakeholders.

The next steps in the design process include conducting more design iterations to address the issues identified during user testing. Additionally, we plan to conduct research and testing on various solutions to these issues.

The field of interaction design in the gaming industry is constantly evolving, and there remains considerable potential for further improvements. It is exciting to be a part of this process and to have the opportunity to design options that engage and educate users, ultimately helping them achieve their desired outcomes. We look forward to continuing our efforts to push the boundaries of user experience in the gaming industry.