Driving change in a leading sportsbook
Introduction
DraftKings Sportsbook is a online product where users can place bets on a wide range of sports, including football, basketball, soccer, and more. Users can explore various betting markets, place wagers on live or upcoming events, and track their bets in real time
Company
DraftKings
Industry
Gaming
Headquarters
Boston, US
The challenges
When I joined DraftKings, I noticed a few major challenges:
The design team of ~10 members was not working together effectively. Their goals were unclear, and there was a lack of consistency in their work. Each designer’s role was also not properly defined, leading to confusion and inefficiencies.
There was no structured design system or processes, which made it difficult to maintain consistency and efficiency across projects.
Problems like broken scrolling and usability gaps made it harder for users to interact with the product.
Small but important details, like animations and interactive elements, were missing, which made the product feel less engaging.
Pages were made up of disconnected components, which made it harder to develop, test, and maintain.
The goals
Bring the design team together by clarifying roles, setting goals, and improving collaboration.
Work closely with product, development, and other related teams to set clear expectations and establish better workflows.
Shift to a two-week sprint cycle to manage tasks more effectively and ensure timely delivery of projects.
Create a proper design system with clear guidelines to make the product more consistent and improve design and development efficiency.
Identify and address small but impactful issues during the process, such as improving accessibility and usability.
The approach
We audited the existing platform to find patterns and inconsistencies. Using this, we created a modular design system with reusable components and clear documentation for developers and designers.
While building the new design system, the team continued working on ongoing projects to ensure uninterrupted progress.
I held workshops and set measurable goals to help the team collaborate more effectively. Clearly defined roles improved accountability and productivity.
Regular meetings and reviews with product, development teams ensured alignment and reduced delays.
During the process, we addressed key CX issues like fixing broken scrolls, improving accessibility, and adding micro-interactions to enhance the user experience.
We conducted A/B tests in collaboration with the analytics team to evaluate the effectiveness of various improvements. This ensured data-driven decisions.
To confirm that designs were intuitive and user-friendly, we carried out user testing sessions, refining the designs based on feedback.
The results
This approach of building the new system while supporting ongoing efforts was welcomed by all teams.
Within a year, we redesigned most of the product, achieving greater consistency and delivering an improved user experience. The new design system and its implementation streamlined design and development processes, resulting in significant cost savings for the company.
Most of the Sportsbook app pages were redesigned, resolving many customer experience issues and improving usability.
Clear guidelines and workflows made collaboration between design, product, and development teams more effective.
Addressing key issues like accessibility gaps and introducing interactive elements enhanced the user experience.
A/B testing and user feedback validated the effectiveness of the changes and ensured they met user needs.
Conclusion
This approach transformed DraftKings Sportsbook into a more consistent and user-friendly platform. By building a scalable design system, addressing critical user issues, and improving team collaboration, we created a strong foundation for the future. The results were recognized across teams, as we delivered better designs and faster solutions while enhancing the user experience.
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