Projects

Designing a Waitlist System

UX Design

Designing a Waitlist System

Hijack Poker

Summary

As Lead Experience Designer, I spearheaded the development of a waitlist feature for an online poker platform, addressing critical user friction points around table access and game continuity. This two-week design project, part of a larger two-month development cycle, transformed the player experience by introducing an intelligent queue system with intuitive visual feedback.

Problem Statement

User Challenges:

  • Players couldn't join full tables, forcing manual table monitoring

  • Table creators lost spots after 10 minutes of inactivity

  • No system in place to maintain game flow and player engagement

Business Impact:

  • Reduced player retention due to access friction

  • Decreased table creation due to timeout concerns

  • Missed opportunities for player engagement


Research & Discovery

Data Collection

  • Gathered qualitative feedback from "Poker Insiders" Discord community

  • Analyzed platform analytics to understand abandonment patterns

  • Studied poker game dynamics to determine optimal timing (3 hands = 30-second window)

Solution Design

Key Features

  1. Queue Management System

    • Intuitive waitlist joining process

    • Visual position indicator

    • Auto-seat functionality with opt-in choice

  2. Visual Feedback System

    • Dynamic orange gradient hourglass showing waitlist position

      • Position 3: Initial orange gradient

      • Position 2: Increased gradient fill

      • Position 1: Enhanced gradient fill

      • Ready state: Full orange fill with notification banner

  3. Notification System

    • Modal prompt for auto-seat preference

    • 30-second join window for manual option

    • Clear visual hierarchy prioritizing active tables

Design Challenges & Solutions

Mobile Information Architecture

Challenge:

  • Complex data display requirements (blinds, queue position)

  • Limited screen real estate

  • Need to maintain active table priority

Solution:

  • Implemented dynamic, collapsible cards

  • Consolidated multiple waitlisted tables

  • Real-time updates for available tables

User Flow Optimization

Before:

  • Redundant information screen after table selection

  • Multiple clicks required to join waitlist

  • Unclear status indicators

After:

  • Streamlined direct-to-waitlist flow

  • Single-tap waitlist joining

  • Clear visual feedback system

Design Process

Initial Research & Wireframing

Iterative Design

Prototype Development

  • Created interactive demonstration video

  • Tested multiple notification patterns

  • Refined visual feedback system

Developer Handoff

  • Comprehensive design file annotations

  • Clear state change specifications

  • Ongoing implementation support

Technical Considerations

Accessibility Implementation

  • WCAG compliance for color contrast

  • Clear visual hierarchy

  • Accessible notification system

  • Screen reader compatibility

Responsive Design

Web:

  • Prominent waitlist indicators

  • Integrated table information

  • Optimized for desktop interaction

Mobile:

  • Dynamic card system

  • Consolidated information display

  • Touch-optimized interface

Impact & Learnings

While quantitative analytics are still pending, this project delivered significant improvements to the poker platform's user experience through thoughtful UX decisions. Key learnings centered around the critical balance between information density and usability - particularly evident in our decision to eliminate redundant screens and consolidate information into dynamic cards. The success of the gradient-based visual feedback system demonstrated the value of intuitive status indicators, while the prototyping process proved essential for stakeholder alignment and developer handoff. This project reinforced the importance of making data-driven decisions while maintaining a focus on user needs and technical feasibility.

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