Go Giveaways
Mobile Application
Go Giveaways is a lively and engaging mobile app that offers users the chance to win exciting prizes.
Project Scope
Over the course of 10 months my team was tasked with creating a brand new mobile app.
Our initial work encompassed:
- Brand Development
- Brand Guidelines (password: inprogress)
- Planning & Discovery
- App UI & UX
- Working MVP of the App
During planning and discovery we quickly determined that it was necessary to also create a custom admin area. This added another 2 months to complete an MVP of that system.
This included:
- Managing Giveaways
- Managing Members
- Prize Fulfillment
- Settings
My Role
I worked closely with a cross-functional team of designers, developers, and stakeholders to deliver an entertaining and high-quality experience for our members.
For this project, I wore many hats. My role was to manage the user experience of the mobile application, from the initial concept through planning, design, development, testing, and launch.
I also played a significant role in planning the product roadmap, as well as collaborating with the development team to prioritize features for each sprint.
Background
A few years before this project was undertaken, the company had previously run another giveaway platform in the form of a web application. We were provided with a wealth of information about that platform, which helped guide us in the right direction to get started.
Two key takeaways were:
- The platform gained over 30,000 organically without marketing
- The majority of the users were female between the ages of 24 – 50
Feedback from those users was positive. They were engaged with the platform and excited to win prizes for free.
Since the previous website was considered proof that the platform could be a success, it was determined that a mobile app was the best way forward with an entirely new brand.
Branding
The creative team spent several weeks brainstorming the brand for Go Giveaways. It needed to be engaging, while also looking professional and trustworthy.
After exploring a multitude of options, we decided on a space theme with a 2D, flat illustration, and bubbly style. This was deemed the best visual representation of the spirit of Go Giveaways, incorporating playful elements that exude fun and vibrance.
From this, the ‘Brand & Style Guide’ was born. Additionally, we developed a more detailed ‘Element Style’ guide within Figma to assist the developers in aligning with the overall aesthetics of the brand.
Element Guide
Approach
As the scope of the project was large and there were many requirements, our team first focused on organizing everything and delving deeper into the details.
Our first step was to refine the requirements. Through several brainstorming and Q&A sessions with stakeholders and the team, we were able to draft a plan outlining what the app’s MVP should include. Next, we created user flows and accompanying documentation.
From there, the UI was designed while the development team constructed the initial proof of concept. The design was done in Figma to streamline the process, keep everything organized, and easily share information with both the development team and stakeholders.
Challenges
Eligibility
An integral part of the Go Giveaways platform is ensuring eligibility—who can enter and who can win. It was made clear early on that it is extremely important for prizes to be awarded only to those who are legally eligible.
Our team collaborated with a law firm specializing in contests and giveaways in North America to ensure the platform’s full compliance with the law.
Once we solidified the eligibility requirements, we incorporated the following into the app:
- Members must sign up and provide their birth date and primary residency address before they can enter a giveaway.
- Only members who are legally allowed to enter can do so.
- Members can only see giveaways that they are legally able to enter.
- Winners must provide proof of residency before being awarded their prize.
Legitimacy
Right out of the gate, we knew we would need to convince users that the app was legitimate. Since the app was in the freebie/contest space, it could easily be perceived as a scam.
To overcome this, we aimed to do the following:
- Ensure the design was professional and clean, but still fun.
- Be as transparent as possible with users about the collection of their information.
- Include a section showcasing real winners of real prizes.
Features
Sign Up
Since we asked for more information than typical apps, we broke the sign-up process into several steps. We required users to fill in the minimum information to create their account in the first step, then proceeded to collect optional information in subsequent steps.
Discovering Giveaways
Each member’s home feed lists giveaways in the categories they selected under their ‘interests.’ Users can also easily search and filter to find giveaways they want to enter
Giveaway Entry
This was by far the most used screen on the platform. It took several iterations to make it straightforward yet fun, allowing the user to enter not only once but several times by spending coins.
Coins
A coin system was included in the app, allowing users to earn coins and spend them on extra chances to win prizes. This incentivized users to share the platform and kept them more engaged.
Winner's Island
An entire section of the app was dedicated to showcasing real winners to help users trust the platform. Users travel through a warp animation and are then taken to this section.
Admin Portal
The MVP of the admin panel was outlined and designed to handle the most essential functionality for managing giveaways and members.