No longer playing around: How I increased the likelihood for users to return to the mobile art guessing game, Artle

No longer playing around: How I increased the likelihood for users to return to the mobile art guessing game, Artle

Client

National Gallery of Art

Collaborators

Product Designer and Developer

Problem

How might we improve Artle for fun seeking users so they keep engaging with the games?

Skills Applied

Usability Testing, Interviewing, Thematic Coding, Moderating, Affinity Mapping, Mockups

Timeline

6 weeks (April 2024 - May 2024)

Impact

  • Recommendations produced a cleaner, more delightful experience designed to drive return engagement and reduce drop-off.

Scope

  • Evaluating usability for Artle game and their archive of previous games

  • Identifying pain points

  • Assessing game replayability

  • Ideating design solutions

Responsibilities

  • Scheduling user testing sessions

  • Synthesizing testing scenarios and tasks

  • Moderating user tests

  • Maintaining timelines and data

  • Ideating new gameplay

  • Editing the final report

  • Scheduling user testing sessions

  • Synthesizing testing scenarios and tasks

  • Moderating user tests

  • Maintaining timelines and data

  • Ideating new gameplay

  • Editing the final report

Process

How I found user participants most likely to be art enthusiasts to ensure best recommendations

  1. Kick-Off

I aligned with the client on project scope, target users, and success criteria before research began.

  1. Recruitment

Participants were selected to reflect the client's target population: fun-seekers looking for interactive activities alone or with kids, mobile-first users, new users, and art/museum affiliates.

  1. Screening

A screener survey was distributed through the School of Information at Pratt Institute, a population with high likelihood of meeting participant criteria.

  1. Study

11 participants completed in-person, researcher-moderated, 30-minute sessions on mobile phones. Pre- and post-tests were administered at every session.

Small touch-ups, Big Impact

Based on participant feedback and behavior, I synthesized the results into actionable recommendations and designed mockups to triangulate my findings.

Before

After

Issue 1

8 out of 11 (73%) users didn't know how to access past games

“This button looks like an ad.”

– User 2

Recommendation 2

Minimize ‘Past-Games’ Button and putting it closer to the game interface (e.g. left-hand corner) to increase visibility.

Before

After

Issue

8 out of 11 (73%) users expressed confusion with the gameplay in the beginning.

“I’m wondering if it’s all by the same artist.”

– User 2

Recommendation

Arrange the how-to-play instructions to be communicated in the initial pop-up and add pictorial references for easier reference.

Issue 3

7 out of 11 (64%) users didn't know if search filters changed their search results in trying to find past games.

“I'm not sure if the filters really did anything.”
- User 8
“The filter should have options instead of having to scroll down to find them.”

- User 8

Recommendation

Add filter tags so users understand filters have been applied

Before

Before

After

After

Before

After

Issue

11 out of 11 (100%) users expressed desire in enhancing gameplay

“Making it more engaging and make it feel like a game, and not just a search engine.”

– User 7

Recommendation

Adding hints for misplaced letters and correct letters to increase ease of use and replayability

Before

After

Issue

3 out of 11 (27%) users expressed desire in finding more information about artists but found roadblocks in doing so.

“It would be nice for me to see all four images of the game after I solved it.”

– User 9

Recommendation

Add pop-up showing all art pieces featured and a section with the artist’s biography to ease accessing information about the artist.

Before

Before

After

After

Issue 4

10 out of 11 (91%) users were confused with how to play despite reading instructions.

“I’m wondering if it’s all by the same artist.”

– User 2

Recommendation 4

Allow instructions to be the first pop-up window and add imagery to make learning easier.

Before

After

Before

After

Issue 5

3 out of 11 (27%) users desired learning more about the featured artist but found information limited.

3 out of 11 (27%) users tried finding more info about artists but found roadblocks in doing so.

“It would be nice for me to see all four images of the game after I solved it.”
– User 9

Recommendation 5

Add a pop-up showing featured art pieces and a button leading to the artist’s biography.

Add pop-up with all artworks featured and a button to artist’s bio.

Before

After

Before

After

Issue 6

11 out of 11 (100%) users didn't think it felt like a game

“Making it more engaging and make it feel like a game, and not just a search engine.”
– User 7

Recommendation 6

Increase gamification by adding hints for misplaced letters and correct letters to increase ease of use and retention

Impact

How my test’s results ensured in building the new and improved Artle

Framing it differently

How my test’s results ensured in building the new and improved Artle

My findings ultimately aligned with the client’s earlier internal tests, further supporting their product direction and reinforcing confidence across the team. The client expressed that our insights “triangulated with previous tests,” giving them a stronger evidence base to move forward decisively.

Our research directly informed the development of the new Artle, contributing to its refreshed, modern, and more intuitive design. Many of the suggestions we offered—both formally in our recommendations and informally through ongoing conversations—were incorporated into the updated experience. These included:

  • Adding imagery to increase learnability in the tutorial (from Recommendation 1)

  • Displaying a blurb about the artist to encourage exploration (from Recommendation 4)

  • Adding confetti to increase delight and replay value (a suggestion disscussed in our final presentation)

  • Adding imagery to increase learnability in the tutorial (Recommendation 1)

  • Displaying a blurb about the artist to encourage exploration (Recommendation 4)

  • Adding confetti to increase delight and replay value

Issue

7 out of 11 (64%) users complained in lack of feedback on changes being made as filters were applied.

“The filter should have options instead of having to scroll down to find them.”

- User 8

Recommendation

Add an apply button as well as filter tags so user understands what changes have been applied.

Issue

8 out of 11 (73%) users expressed confusion with the gameplay in the beginning.

“This button looks like an ad.”

– User 2

Recommendation

Minimize ‘Past-Games’ Button and putting closer to the game interface, such as the left-hand corner, to increase visibility.

Issue

8 out of 11 (73%) users expressed confusion with the gameplay in the beginning.

“I’m wondering if it’s all by the same artist.”

– User 2

Recommendation

Arrange the how-to-play instructions to be communicated in the initial pop-up and add pictorial references for easier reference.

Issue

3 out of 11 (27%) users expressed desire in finding more information about artists but found roadblocks in doing so.

“It would be nice for me to see all four images of the game after I solved it.”

– User 9

Recommendation

Add pop-up showing all art pieces featured and a section with the artist’s biography to ease accessing information about the artist.

Issue

11 out of 11 (100%) users expressed desire in enhancing gameplay

“Making it more engaging and make it feel like a game, and not just a search engine.”

– User 7

Recommendation

Adding hints for misplaced letters and correct letters to increase ease of use and replayability

  • Adding imagery to increase learnability in the tutorial (Recommendation 1)

  • Displaying a blurb about the artist to encourage exploration (Recommendation 4)

  • Adding confetti to increase delight and replay value

Issue

3 out of 11 (27%) users expressed desire in finding more information about artists but found roadblocks in doing so.

“It would be nice for me to see all four images of the game after I solved it.”
– User 9

Recommendation

Add pop-up showing all art pieces featured and a section with the artist’s biography to ease accessing information about the artist.

Create a free website with Framer, the website builder loved by startups, designers and agencies.