Skills: Usability testing, Playtesting, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Survey Design, Data Analysis, Insight Synthesis, RITE Method, Cross-functional Collaboration, Communication, Stakeholder Management.
Echoes official poster
I was hired as a Lead UX Researcher for the commercial project Echoes. The project was managed by a cross-functional team of over 40 people, who worked on the demo for almost a year. As usability was a priority for this movement-based action game, we employed test-driven development and the RITE method, with a minimum of 2 weekly tests throughout the product development lifecycle. All discovered issues were reported to the relevant departments, with Designers and Department Leads attending weekly usability meetings to discuss actionable steps to address issues identified during testing. Consistent cross-team communication was essential to promptly resolving issues and keeping up with the schedule and weekly stakeholder reports. Effective interdisciplinary collaboration helped us resolve 46 out of 55 identified problems before the release.
Echoes usability issues found during the product development (RITE Method)
Outside of Playtest Moderation and Recruitment, my responsibilities often included Mixed Method Research. I designed a custom survey tailored to the team's needs, addressing the most pressing issues discovered during the earlier stages of testing. Every week, I presented a mix of quantitative survey data and qualitative usability playtesting data to the team, alongside actionable insights helping resolve those issues. For example, the survey data showed that no players understood how to utilize the mana mechanic, which was, at the time, a prominent feature. I provided multiple suggestions on how to address the problem, and the team eventually landed on removing the feature from the game altogether, greatly improving clarity. Throughout the development process, we focused on core experience goals, one of which was enjoyable dashing - the main mechanic of the game. Tests showed that all players enjoyed the movement process and many chose it as their favorite part of the gameplay experience.
Players' awareness of their Mana Use
Players' enjoyment of the Dash mechanic