Sharing game performance in Fantasy Finance
Date
July - Sept 2019
Organisation
Invstr
Role
Product Designer
Activities & deliverables
user research
journey mapping
workshops
wireframes
concept design
prototyping
user testing
component design
technical specification
design QA
Overview
I led the design of a new game performance score for the Fantasy Finance game at Invstr, aimed at boosting user engagement and retention. Collaborating closely with product and research teams in London, I developed the concept and then traveled to Istanbul to work directly with the tech team. Together, we refined, implemented, and iterated on the design to ensure a seamless and engaging experience for users.
Fantasy Finance is a social, gamified experience to help people learn how to invest in stocks, crypto & commodities
User problem
Data heavy & confusing
Viewing game performance is an important moment for players, allowing them to reflect on their actions and refine their strategy. However, the existing experience was overwhelming, too much data presented in a confusing way. Feedback and analytics highlighted poor engagement and retention, particularly among new players, who struggled to make sense of the information.
Issues identified:
Overloaded data made it hard for players to focus on key insights
Unclear presentation of performance metrics created confusion and frustration
Poor engagement and retention, especially among new users, indicated a need for simplification
Lack of clear actionability—players couldn’t easily translate the data into improvements for their gameplay
Business objective
Improve retention by creating a moment of delight
The first key experience in the game comes when players close a trade, offering both excitement and a learning opportunity. We aimed to transform this moment into a delightful experience, ensuring players understand their performance and feel engaged, whether they win or lose. This would boost retention by making every outcome a chance for growth and enjoyment.
Key objectives:
Enhance the post-trade experience to make it more engaging and educational
Create emotional impact by celebrating wins and learning opportunities from losses
Simplify performance feedback so players can easily grasp insights and adjust their strategies
Foster excitement around performance, regardless of the outcome, to encourage continued engagement
UX discovery
[How might we] excite and educate players
Through internal workshops and close collaboration with developers, we explored various ideas and prototyped different designs. A key concept that emerged was a simplified chart to visualise trade openings and closures. To ensure consistency and reduce cognitive load, we integrated core game elements, creating a more intuitive and engaging experience for players.
UX discovery activities:
Internal workshops to brainstorm ideas and align on design goals
Collaboration with developers to ensure feasibility and smooth implementation
Prototyped simplified chart designs to better visualise trade data for users
Design audit of the game experience to understand existing design language
Design
Bold & simple data visualisation
The final component design struck a balance between engaging, bold visuals and simplified data presentation, keeping players focused on key insights. Integrating core game elements enhanced the learning experience. User feedback and observations validated the approach, allowing for final refinements before implementation.
Design highlights:
Bold, engaging visuals to capture attention without overwhelming users
Simplified data presentation to keep players focused on key performance metrics
Core game elements integrated to enhance learning and maintain consistency
User feedback and testing refined the design for optimal impact and usability
Outcomes
Improved retention and social engagement
We received positive feedback during user testing sessions, followed by highly positive community feedback after launch. This was reflected in improved retention and increased social engagement across likes, comments, and shares. Players felt more motivated to learn, with negative performance driving the most shared content.