My role:

I joined Franco Digital as the third product designer, focusing primarily on user experience but also working on UI solutions. After a few months, I took on the role of Lead UX, dedicating myself almost entirely to a more user-centered approach

Introduction

Mediatech Solutions was a company that developed solutions for online gaming management and was acquired by R. Franco to establish the digital innovation area. Its main product is IRIS, a platform that serves betting shops and online casinos worldwide.

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The biggest challenge was introducing user-centered design processes into a product team that was heavily focused on delivery. With an agile methodology and a strong development pace, the launched product met the basic needs of clients in a market with limited alternatives. However, the emergence of new competitors demanded a higher level of quality, both in the existing product and in new features.
1. Design Process: Discovery, Ideation & Validation
The first issue to address was integrating design into the product dynamics. Our main goal was to participate in discovery, ideation, and validation. It was also very important to be present in the meetings where stakeholders made decisions.

2. User Center Design: User interviews & user test
When I joined the company, no one had ever engaged with clients to understand their needs, evaluate their user experience, or verify whether new features delivered the expected value. Requests were only received to resolve issues.

3. Visual consolidation: Design System & user flows revision
The platform had been developed exclusively by product owners and developers, resulting in significant inconsistencies in visual elements and workflows. A design system and component library were created to streamline development and provide the platform with a much more cohesive look. Additionally, the main workflows were reviewed.

Main Challenges

Culture: Dealing with a culture where stakeholders make the decisions. Securing a seat in their meetings, being able to discuss strategy with them, and, above all, negotiating was a significant challenge.

Regulation: The gaming industry is heavily regulated (thankfully), and the regulations are constantly updated to prevent issues like addiction and underage gambling. Given that we served many countries, each with its own regulations, and operated a single product, we faced a major challenge in customizing for each client and country.

Technical debt: Perhaps the most complex aspect. The volume of technical debt was immense and impacted every feature, to the point where constant validation with the team was required from the very beginning.

Prototypes examples used to test

Design examples