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My achievements

at

QB9/CMD

  • Challenges of a Children's Open World Game

  • Shifting to User-Generated Content

  • This approach provided a win-win situation

  • User-Generated Content (UGC) Strategy Implementation

  • Community management and safety

What I learnt

Identifying a Hidden Gem

During my time at QB9/CMD, I honed my skills in identifying hidden brand potential. The opportunity arose to work with the Gaturro IP, a comic strip initially created for a local newspaper. Though its origins were simple, I recognized the potential for Gaturro to become a major player.

From Humble Beginnings to Massive Franchise

Despite its initial run in a local paper, Gaturro had captured the hearts of children, evolving into a massive franchise encompassing comics, games, books, and an array of merchandise. This mirrored the success stories of international icons like Hello Kitty, Garfield, and Snoopy.

Crafting a Global Icon

Learning from these established characters, I focused on defining user personas for each age group. This allowed us to tailor brand uses and activities to resonate with specific demographics. We explored potential licensing opportunities for international markets, taking inspiration from the global reach of characters like Snoopy. By understanding the core values and humor that resonated with Gaturro's existing audience, we strategized ways to adapt and translate these elements for a broader international appeal. This experience instilled in me the importance of strategic brand development to transform a local phenomenon into a globally recognized icon.

Are you interested? Keep reading below!

About

QB9/CMD

My experience there:

2016-2017

Category

Entert. / Edutainment

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Product Management

In late 2015, I joined QB9/CMD, a company working with the leading South American children's brand Gaturro, as their Games Division Product Manager. Gaturro began as a literacy-promoting comic book but has since become a hugely successful product spanning a 360 degrees product strategy, with the main component in an online multi-player game with a dedicated community of players aged 5 - 12.

Check the trailer below:


Revitalising the Games Portfolio:

My role encompassed managing their extensive PC and mobile game portfolio while developing a comprehensive strategy for future growth. This strategy included three key pillars:

  • Modernisation: Recognising the limitations of the existing Flash-based game Mundo Gaturro (launched by CMD/QB9 in 2010), I championed and defined the bases and prototypes for the development of "Mundo Gaturro 2", a more technologically advanced platform.

  • Fresh Content Creation: To address the rapid obsolescence of pre-developed content (missions, mini-games), I proposed a shift towards user-generated content, inspired by the success of Minecraft. This empowered players to create their own content and showcase it, fostering deeper engagement.

  • Brand Extension: To expand Gaturro's reach and cater to a broader age range, I advocated for the creation of sub-brands. Gaturro Baby would target a younger demographic with both digital and physical products (diapers, plush toys), while Gaturro Teens would offer games and products tailored for teenagers, extending the brand's lifespan beyond the core child audience.

This multi-pronged approach aimed to transform Gaturro from a children's brand into an iconic figure akin to Hello Kitty and Garfield.

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Extended product life

Extended product life

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Sub-brands launched

Sub-brands launched

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Team productivity

Team productivity

UX Research

UX Research

Challenges of a Children's Open World Game

Developing a children's open-world game presented unique challenges:

  • Defining the User Persona: Accurately defining the target audience (kids) was crucial. However, open-world environments inherently make it difficult to completely restrict access to older players.

  • Mitigating Controversy: We needed to be cautious about potential controversial elements within the game, especially considering some level of parental oversight might be bypassed.

Shifting to User-Generated Content

To address these challenges and provide lasting engagement, I championed a shift towards user-generated content (UGC).

  • Parental Controls: Parental consent remained mandatory for participation.

  • Empowering Young Players: UGC empowered young players to design and share their creations, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging them to showcase their efforts to friends and followers within the game. This shift required refining the user persona to encompass the specific needs and motivations of these young content creators.

This approach provided a win-win situation

  • Reduced Controversy: UGC minimised the risk of introducing inappropriate content.

  • Enhanced Engagement: UGC fostered long-term engagement by empowering players and leveraging their desire for social recognition within the game.

UX Research

Challenges of a Children's Open World Game

Developing a children's open-world game presented unique challenges:

  • Defining the User Persona: Accurately defining the target audience (kids) was crucial. However, open-world environments inherently make it difficult to completely restrict access to older players.

  • Mitigating Controversy: We needed to be cautious about potential controversial elements within the game, especially considering some level of parental oversight might be bypassed.

Shifting to User-Generated Content

To address these challenges and provide lasting engagement, I championed a shift towards user-generated content (UGC).

  • Parental Controls: Parental consent remained mandatory for participation.

  • Empowering Young Players: UGC empowered young players to design and share their creations, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging them to showcase their efforts to friends and followers within the game. This shift required refining the user persona to encompass the specific needs and motivations of these young content creators.

This approach provided a win-win situation

  • Reduced Controversy: UGC minimised the risk of introducing inappropriate content.

  • Enhanced Engagement: UGC fostered long-term engagement by empowering players and leveraging their desire for social recognition within the game.

Product Strategy

Product Strategy

To define the core user interface (UI) principles for Mundo Gaturro 2, we conducted user research (surveys, interviews, playtesting) with existing Mundo Gaturro players and parents. This research, alongside a competitive analysis of successful children's games and open-world games, informed our design decisions.

Age-appropriate Complexity: The UI prioritised visual appeal for children while maintaining an intuitive and easy-to-navigate experience for a broad age range. This involved clear icons, large buttons, and age-appropriate language.

  • Modern Aesthetic with Gaturro Charm: We struck a balance between a fresh and modern aesthetic and retaining the essence of the Gaturro brand. Familiar characters, colour palettes, and design elements from the original game were incorporated into a more contemporary design.

  • Accessibility Features: To ensure inclusivity, we considered accessibility features like adjustable text size, colour contrast options, and alternative control methods (touch, voice).

  • Clear Information Architecture: Based on the research and competitive analysis, a clear information architecture was developed. This defined the organisation of menus, features, and content within the game, ensuring intuitive navigation for users to easily find desired activities and features.

Product Strategy

To define the core user interface (UI) principles for Mundo Gaturro 2, we conducted user research (surveys, interviews, playtesting) with existing Mundo Gaturro players and parents. This research, alongside a competitive analysis of successful children's games and open-world games, informed our design decisions.

Age-appropriate Complexity: The UI prioritised visual appeal for children while maintaining an intuitive and easy-to-navigate experience for a broad age range. This involved clear icons, large buttons, and age-appropriate language.

  • Modern Aesthetic with Gaturro Charm: We struck a balance between a fresh and modern aesthetic and retaining the essence of the Gaturro brand. Familiar characters, colour palettes, and design elements from the original game were incorporated into a more contemporary design.

  • Accessibility Features: To ensure inclusivity, we considered accessibility features like adjustable text size, colour contrast options, and alternative control methods (touch, voice).

  • Clear Information Architecture: Based on the research and competitive analysis, a clear information architecture was developed. This defined the organisation of menus, features, and content within the game, ensuring intuitive navigation for users to easily find desired activities and features.

Prototyping & User Testing

Prototyping & User Testing

To refine the UI design, we created low-fidelity prototypes and conducted user testing with target users. This iterative process involved gathering feedback on usability, clarity, and overall user experience. The feedback was then used to refine the UI design before moving on to high-fidelity mockups and further user testing.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Strategy Implementation

User research played a crucial role in defining both the UI design and the UGC strategy:

  • Understanding Player Motivations: The research helped us understand what motivates players to create and share content. Did they crave social recognition, enjoy expressing their creativity, or find the building process itself to be fun? Understanding these motivations informed the design of UGC tools and potential reward or recognition programs.

  • Designing User-Friendly UGC Tools: Based on user research and industry best practices, we designed user-friendly in-game tools that empowered players to create and share content seamlessly. This included:

    • Intuitive building mechanics for easy learning and use, allowing players of all ages to express themselves creatively.

    • A variety of customisation options for avatars, worlds, and other in-game elements to fuel player creativity and encourage showcasing unique creations.

    • Easy-to-use social sharing features within the game to foster a sense of accomplishment and social connection.

Prototyping & User Testing

To refine the UI design, we created low-fidelity prototypes and conducted user testing with target users. This iterative process involved gathering feedback on usability, clarity, and overall user experience. The feedback was then used to refine the UI design before moving on to high-fidelity mockups and further user testing.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Strategy Implementation

User research played a crucial role in defining both the UI design and the UGC strategy:

  • Understanding Player Motivations: The research helped us understand what motivates players to create and share content. Did they crave social recognition, enjoy expressing their creativity, or find the building process itself to be fun? Understanding these motivations informed the design of UGC tools and potential reward or recognition programs.

  • Designing User-Friendly UGC Tools: Based on user research and industry best practices, we designed user-friendly in-game tools that empowered players to create and share content seamlessly. This included:

    • Intuitive building mechanics for easy learning and use, allowing players of all ages to express themselves creatively.

    • A variety of customisation options for avatars, worlds, and other in-game elements to fuel player creativity and encourage showcasing unique creations.

    • Easy-to-use social sharing features within the game to foster a sense of accomplishment and social connection.

Promoting a safe environment

Promoting a safe environment

Community Management and Safety

A robust community management strategy ensured a safe and positive environment for UGC:

  • A content moderation system was implemented to ensure user-generated content adhered to established guidelines and avoided inappropriate elements.

  • Clear and easy-to-use reporting mechanisms were established for players to report any inappropriate content or behaviour encountered within the UGC space.

  • Strategies to recognise and reward positive contributions from top content creators were developed to foster a sense of community and encourage high-quality user-generated content.

Promoting a safe environment

Community Management and Safety

A robust community management strategy ensured a safe and positive environment for UGC:

  • A content moderation system was implemented to ensure user-generated content adhered to established guidelines and avoided inappropriate elements.

  • Clear and easy-to-use reporting mechanisms were established for players to report any inappropriate content or behaviour encountered within the UGC space.

  • Strategies to recognise and reward positive contributions from top content creators were developed to foster a sense of community and encourage high-quality user-generated content.

Alejandro Luna | UX/UI Designer & Producer

Alejandro Luna
UX/UI Designer &
Producer

©2024 ALE LUNA DESIGN/

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©2024 ALE LUNA DESIGN/

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