BBC Sport Predictor
Brief
The Predictor was a 6 month project that covered every aspect of the UX process. With a fixed deadline for Euro 2016, it was my role to lead the UX. BBC Sport already had an existing Predictor that was built and hosted by a third party. This project would see us completely redesign and rebuild it in our own codebase as well as add in much needed functionality including a leagues section.
I wanted to create something that would help seed conversations, encourage competition and build habitual usage so that users had a reason to come back. I also set out to help bridge the gap between TV and online (see video below).
Process
A critique of our existing Predictor was where I started before running multiple stakeholder sessions to gain focus around what was required. The project needed input from all disciplines meaning I was working in a team of around 20 people. Competitor analysis gave me a good understanding as to what was out there and how others handled some of the functionality the current Predictor was lacking. Before designing anything user research and stakeholder input gave me a good set of user stories. These were then turned into how might we's to ideate and create wireframes around.
Rather than jumping straight into visual designs, I created simple click through wireframes for lab based user testing. Straight away it highlighted usability and user flow issues that needed addressing. All of this was happening in tandem to the development team building the technical foundations. Further lab and guerrilla testing allowed me to hone what was being created right through to the language used. At this point I was working with developers in browser more so than in software.
The Predictor has been a massive success for BBC Sport with 385k+ users over Euro 2016. Another advantage of creating a participatory tool was that our editorial team were able to harness some of the data to create new content.
A MoSCoW exercise (above) and hopes and fears exercise (below) helped me determine where efforts should be focussed with internal stakeholders.
I created user stories during the initial stages of the project.
How might we's helped generate ideas from stakeholder requirements and user needs.
Key wireframes at mobile which were used in lab based user testing.
Qualitative lab based user testing with low fidelity prototypes helped me to identify early usability and flow issues.
Amended user flows for joining a league via a short link taking into consideration some of the feedback I gained from user testing.
A guerrilla card-sorting exercise with 40 participants helped choose the most appropriate language for the correct result / exact score combination.
Arrows were a way to help users understand progress. The technical work required was extensive and there were questions over whether they were needed. I undertook quantitive based user testing with 300 participants to help make the decision.
Deciding on the language to use throughout the Predictor was a lengthy process that involved multiple disciplines including UX, Editorial, Copywriters and Product.
Final designs for the BBC Sport Euro 2016 Predictor.
Usage stats for the Predictor over Euro 2016.
Predictor featured on MOTD live with Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Jens Lehmann and Neil Lennon.
As the Predictor was designed and built with reuse in mind, versions for the 2016 Premier League and Scottish Premiership seasons have been launched. For now, the idea is to see how it's used before throwing more features at it.
