Game Changers
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Game Changers
End-to-End Product Design • Research, Strategy & Testing • 5 designers 0-to-1 Mobile App Concept (Academic) • 9 Months
Solving the "Double Coincidence of Wants" in the Board Game Secondary Market.
Trading is painful when 'I need what you have, and you need what I have.' We designed an algorithmic matching app based on 'Shelves' and 'Wishlists' that identifies trade opportunities humans would miss, removing the friction of manual searching.
The Matching Nightmare
Board game enthusiasts treat their collections like rotating libraries, but trading is painful due to the "double coincidence of wants" (I need what you have, AND you need what I have). Finding a direct trade partner on forums or Facebook groups is statistically unlikely and disorganized.
Validating the Niche Economy
Validated the Concept: Our research and testing confirmed a strong user need and desire for a dedicated app like Game Changers. Improved Usability: We identified and resolved 4 critical usability issues through testing. A key iteration was renaming the ambiguous "Match" feature to "Wymiana" (Exchange), which significantly improved user understanding. Addressed Key Pain Points: The final prototype provides a clear, user-validated solution for the biggest frustrations in the market, such as finding trade partners and managing a collection and wishlist.
Automated Exchange Logic
We designed an ecosystem based on "Shelves" (Offerings) and "Wishlists" (Desires). Instead of users manually hunting for partners, the system automates the matching process, identifying complex trade opportunities that humans would miss in a forum list.
Solving the Semantic Barrier.
Usability testing revealed a critical flaw: Users hesitated at the "Match" button, associating it with dating apps (Tinder). I renamed the action to "Exchange" (Wymiana) and changed "Buy" to "Reserve." This semantic pivot aligned with the user's mental model of a safe, non-binding negotiation.
Trust-First Design
Research proved that for collectors, Game Condition > Transaction Speed. I prioritized a detailed "Add to Shelf" flow that enforces photo evidence and damage reporting (missing pieces, box wear). This friction was intentional to bridge the trust gap inherent in P2P trading.
