ASCEND
Optimizing performance through data, personalization, and community
Year :
2024
Type:
Individual
Project Duration :
4 weeks
PROBLEM :
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
1. Discovery & Research
To understand the mindset and challenges of competitive gamers, I conducted a multi-phase research process:
Surveys (104 participants) to gather wide-ranging behavior data
30 Interviews with young gamers (12–22) and 1 expert game developer
Secondary research on gaming platforms, coaching tools, and performance apps
Tools like rich pictures and mind mapping helped organize early insights and gaps
2. Analysis & Synthesis
Based on motivation and experience, I defined three core personas:
Arya – An aspiring gamer focused on learning game mechanics and strategies
Riyan – A professional player aiming to refine advanced skills and maintain top rankings
Meher – A streamer juggling content creation and cross-game skill improvement
Each persona’s journey revealed recurring pain points like difficulty tracking growth, cognitive overload, and over-reliance on scattered external tools (YouTube, forums, spreadsheets). Their task flows were mapped to uncover breakdowns in progress reflection and skill transfer.
3. Conceptualization & Prototyping
Pain points were grouped and translated into core feature sets:
Gameplay recording and moment tracking
Personalized feedback system
Cross-game skill comparison and role-specific suggestions
Gamified progress tracking
Low-, mid-, and high-fidelity prototypes were developed iteratively—each refining clarity, navigation, and tone of insights delivered.
4. Usability Testing
The high-fidelity prototype was tested by 13 gamers across skill levels. Feedback highlighted both strengths and areas of improvement:
+ Accurate and personalized insights
+ Useful suggestions on aim, team coordination, and skill building
– Difficulty locating some data due to similar-looking graphs
– Need for clearer terminology in stats and tips
Final performance rating: 4.1/5
Detailed Gameplay Insights: Actionable data across kill/death ratios, weapon use, abilities, and roles
Cross-Game Analysis: Identifies strengths across games and recommends skills to transfer
Personalized Coaching Tips: Suggestions based on performance metrics, role, and game style
Community & Team Focus: Team stats, peer discussion boards, and collective insights
Skill Improvement Tools: Strategy tips, practice drills, and reaction time tracking
VISUAL LANGUAGE :
Typography: Encode Sans Expanded for clarity and edge
Colors: High-contrast neons and dark mode to reflect intensity of gaming
Iconography: Clean, simple, and instantly recognizable
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
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New release
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ASCEND
Optimizing performance through data, personalization, and community
Year :
2024
Type:
Individual
Project Duration :
4 weeks
PROBLEM :
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
1. Discovery & Research
To understand the mindset and challenges of competitive gamers, I conducted a multi-phase research process:
Surveys (104 participants) to gather wide-ranging behavior data
30 Interviews with young gamers (12–22) and 1 expert game developer
Secondary research on gaming platforms, coaching tools, and performance apps
Tools like rich pictures and mind mapping helped organize early insights and gaps
2. Analysis & Synthesis
Based on motivation and experience, I defined three core personas:
Arya – An aspiring gamer focused on learning game mechanics and strategies
Riyan – A professional player aiming to refine advanced skills and maintain top rankings
Meher – A streamer juggling content creation and cross-game skill improvement
Each persona’s journey revealed recurring pain points like difficulty tracking growth, cognitive overload, and over-reliance on scattered external tools (YouTube, forums, spreadsheets). Their task flows were mapped to uncover breakdowns in progress reflection and skill transfer.
3. Conceptualization & Prototyping
Pain points were grouped and translated into core feature sets:
Gameplay recording and moment tracking
Personalized feedback system
Cross-game skill comparison and role-specific suggestions
Gamified progress tracking
Low-, mid-, and high-fidelity prototypes were developed iteratively—each refining clarity, navigation, and tone of insights delivered.
4. Usability Testing
The high-fidelity prototype was tested by 13 gamers across skill levels. Feedback highlighted both strengths and areas of improvement:
+ Accurate and personalized insights
+ Useful suggestions on aim, team coordination, and skill building
– Difficulty locating some data due to similar-looking graphs
– Need for clearer terminology in stats and tips
Final performance rating: 4.1/5
Detailed Gameplay Insights: Actionable data across kill/death ratios, weapon use, abilities, and roles
Cross-Game Analysis: Identifies strengths across games and recommends skills to transfer
Personalized Coaching Tips: Suggestions based on performance metrics, role, and game style
Community & Team Focus: Team stats, peer discussion boards, and collective insights
Skill Improvement Tools: Strategy tips, practice drills, and reaction time tracking
VISUAL LANGUAGE :
Typography: Encode Sans Expanded for clarity and edge
Colors: High-contrast neons and dark mode to reflect intensity of gaming
Iconography: Clean, simple, and instantly recognizable
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
More Projects
New release
Preview
ASCEND
Optimizing performance through data, personalization, and community
Year :
2024
Type:
Individual
Project Duration :
4 weeks
PROBLEM :
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
1. Discovery & Research
To understand the mindset and challenges of competitive gamers, I conducted a multi-phase research process:
Surveys (104 participants) to gather wide-ranging behavior data
30 Interviews with young gamers (12–22) and 1 expert game developer
Secondary research on gaming platforms, coaching tools, and performance apps
Tools like rich pictures and mind mapping helped organize early insights and gaps
2. Analysis & Synthesis
Based on motivation and experience, I defined three core personas:
Arya – An aspiring gamer focused on learning game mechanics and strategies
Riyan – A professional player aiming to refine advanced skills and maintain top rankings
Meher – A streamer juggling content creation and cross-game skill improvement
Each persona’s journey revealed recurring pain points like difficulty tracking growth, cognitive overload, and over-reliance on scattered external tools (YouTube, forums, spreadsheets). Their task flows were mapped to uncover breakdowns in progress reflection and skill transfer.
3. Conceptualization & Prototyping
Pain points were grouped and translated into core feature sets:
Gameplay recording and moment tracking
Personalized feedback system
Cross-game skill comparison and role-specific suggestions
Gamified progress tracking
Low-, mid-, and high-fidelity prototypes were developed iteratively—each refining clarity, navigation, and tone of insights delivered.
4. Usability Testing
The high-fidelity prototype was tested by 13 gamers across skill levels. Feedback highlighted both strengths and areas of improvement:
+ Accurate and personalized insights
+ Useful suggestions on aim, team coordination, and skill building
– Difficulty locating some data due to similar-looking graphs
– Need for clearer terminology in stats and tips
Final performance rating: 4.1/5
Detailed Gameplay Insights: Actionable data across kill/death ratios, weapon use, abilities, and roles
Cross-Game Analysis: Identifies strengths across games and recommends skills to transfer
Personalized Coaching Tips: Suggestions based on performance metrics, role, and game style
Community & Team Focus: Team stats, peer discussion boards, and collective insights
Skill Improvement Tools: Strategy tips, practice drills, and reaction time tracking
VISUAL LANGUAGE :
Typography: Encode Sans Expanded for clarity and edge
Colors: High-contrast neons and dark mode to reflect intensity of gaming
Iconography: Clean, simple, and instantly recognizable
Ascend helps bridge the gap between passion and performance by turning unstructured gameplay into an informed, actionable roadmap. It empowers gamers to level up with intention—whether they’re competing solo, training with a team, or streaming to an audience.
More Projects
New release
Preview