The "Pack" case study focuses on creating a streamlined management web app for roller derby leagues, addressing the challenges of organizing communication and operations using scattered tools like Facebook, Google Workspace, and Slack. Through surveys and interviews with league leaders, the study identifies pain points like poor communication, outdated software, and leadership transitions. The proposed solution aims to centralize tasks, reduce stress, and improve management efficiency.
GOAL:
To create a product that helps league leadership to be able to spend more time focusing on their sport and achieving their league goals rather than organizing multiple applications and websites for management and communications.
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
In order to spend more time focusing on achieving their league's goals rather than organizing multiple applications and websites, Roller Derby leadership needs an easy way to manage their tasks.
Proposed Solution:
A one stop shop league management web app for Roller Derby leagues.
A one stop shop league management web app for Roller Derby leagues.
RESEARCH:
Online Survey of 28 participants from Roller Derby leagues around the world
Key Findings:
-89% of participants leagues use Facebook as their main method of communication.
-Participants felt communication is a challenge or could use improvement.
-Most popular tools used besides Facebook: Google Workspace, Slack, RD Nation, Band, Team Snap, Personify (Wild Apricot)
"A better system really is needed for derby and all sports. Being able to communicate with your teammates, as leadership, is critical and we keep missing the mark." -Survey Participant
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS:
RD Nation: RD Nation meets all the requirements for a Roller Derby League Management tool. The biggest problem is how outdated its interface is. Many of the people I interviewed complained about how difficult it is to use, especially on mobile. Such complaints are what inspired this project in the first place.
Band: With Band, you can create events and track attendance for them, but that doesn’t really work for every league as the attendance requirements can vary. You can split payments in Band but it doesn’t seem you can charge specific amounts to specific people. There is nothing comparable to Group Tasks on the Band app.
Personify (Wild Apricot): Much like Band, you can create events and track attendance for them, but the same issue arises. There is no message board which is a really important feature. Group Tasks are also not an available tool on Personify.
Team SNAP: Team SNAP meets all of the requirements for features needed for a Roller Derby League Management tool, but is not specifically designed for Roller Derby.
USER INTERVIEWS:
1:1 Interviews on Zoom, ~30 min each, with 4 survey participants from 4 different Roller Derby leagues in the US
KEY FINDINGS:
-Majority of participants started out in a leadership role shortly after beginning Roller Derby.
-Participants who used Google Workspace felt this was the most effective tool.
-The most persistent issue was the lack of information passed down from previous leaders.
-Participants said lack of resources and training is also an issue.
-Participants said technology and using it effectively should be more important in leagues.
-Participants, as volunteers, did not have time to recreate the wheel which was a cause of stress.
"I think that's important for any, like legitimate organization that wants to progress, adapt and evolve to adapt and evolve with technology as well." -User Testing Participant
DESIGNING A SOLUTION:
Creating a Persona:
USER JOURNEY
Early Stages of Ideation:
PROTOTYPE: