Prematch
Prematch is a start-up building an app for grassroots football players, allowing them to stay up to date with recent matches, track personal development, and follow other players. At Prematch I am responsible for UX, Design, and Research, supporting the strategic goals of the company. I have developed a design system, established QA processes, streamlined product documentation, conducted user research, and initiated workshops on brand positioning.
New Features
In the development of new features, I am able to draw upon my experiences as a designer and as a researcher. The Match Review feature is exemplary of this: After the development of high-fidelity wireframes, I turned these into a prototype which was then examined through surveys and interviews. After this, the feature was adapted according to the insights collected and was divided into an MVP and further iterations, ensuring a structured release. Tracking the feature, and following up after the implementation through surveys, ensures that features are monitored and improved even after release.
Design system
Prior to my joining, Prematch worked exclusively with freelancers, hence there was no cohesive design file or system in place. Part of my role is to establish such a design system, pushing for a cohesive user experience and a more efficient process and code for Frontend.
Establishing & Initiating processes
Additionally to the above-mentioned tasks, I furthermore take the initiative to start processes laying outside the traditional role of a product designer. By doing so, I was able to initiate a series of brand positioning workshops between Prematch’s founders and an external brand expert. I also advocated for internal QA processes, design & research cycles and eventually contributed to the set up of product documentation as a source of truth.
Learnings
One of the main things I learned at Prematch is the importance of company values and vision, as these determine the formulation of OKRs and the prioritization of topics. This importance I experienced through conversations around the resources required to implement a design system, the benefits of product documentation, and how a feature roadmap aids in steering the present toward a desired future. Indeed, I take with me the imperative of how values, goals, and vision must be clearly defined, communicated, and lived by, to ensure scalable and effective product development.