XBox Product Design Research
Xbox Series X Racing Title X wants to make game history by pushing the limits of an inclusive immersive driving gaming experience. However the design team cannot agree on what the default camera view should be; in-car view (1st person), or out-of-car view (3rd person). It was my job to create a research plan that will help the designers make the best decision for the upcoming launch.
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Provide a clear answer on which default view to choose by creating, facilitating and analyzing a design research study.
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• What is the preferred default camera view for this racing title?
• Is there a need for one vs the other?
• How many preference types were observed?
• Is there a different default camera view preference while using alternative/different consoles?
• What is the most preferred default view for play via PC, Android/IOS devices etc.?
• Is there a different default camera view preference while using alternative/different controller modalities?
• Is there a default camera view preference depending on Single Player vs Multi-player situations? - Causal vs Competitive - Mixed Abilities & Modalities
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• Internal Quantitative Analysis
• A/B Testing
• Post test reflection interviews
• Post test surveys
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• Role : Lead Researcher
• Game is currently fully playable
• Report deadline is in 2-3 months
• Unlimited Resources
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• Participants recruited via internal user testing database.
• Gamers can play in both single player and multiplayer racing streaming environments.
• Beta Testing is available.
• 5 different racing tracks and environments.
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• The issues that users encounter during the A/B testing, suggests that a users ability to successfully complete each test relied heavily on their gaming setup. Despite their abilities and gaming history.
• During the mixed testing we noticed that gamers utilized the trap door bottom at the same times in the same coursed - despite their gaming abilities.
• Finally gamer satisfaction dipped as a result of ‘gamer shit talking’ during sessions.
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• Focus on device modalities and their ability to perform equally rather than gamers abilities.
• Utilize AI for speech detection to help minimize hate speech
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In line with both the recommendations and key takeaways, my suggested next steps surround:
• Conduct more inclusion based research - demographics and modalities.
• Work with DevOps to streamline interactions between devices.