Dusen Dusen Memory Game
Overview
Cozy games are charming, comforting, and not stressful–and they are popular right now! This app design transforms a classic card game into a cozy game app and infuses it with the playful aesthetic of the well-loved Dusen Dusen brand.
What is Dusen Dusen? A textile and home goods brand that is easily recognized and loved for its vibrant patterns and bold, colorful product aesthetic.
This was a student project based on a brief requiring a native app design for both iOS and Android. For the purpose of this case study, I will present Dusen Dusen as the client, though this is a hypothetical scenario.
Challenge
Dusen Dusen wanted to expand their product offering by introducing a digital experience. The target audience was a combination of: existing customers who already adore the brand, as well as new customers who find the brand through app discovery, such as cozy gamers.
Customers of Dusen Dusen products want new ways to infuse their style into their living space, which goes beyond the home and into the omnipresent virtual space of mobile devices. The second target audience, cozy gamers, want new ways to play classic games without the stress of ads, cluttered and ugly designs, and ultimately unsatisfying user experiences.
Process
Ideation
User flow diagram, wireframe sketches
Wireframes
Mid- and high-fidelity wireframes with platform differences for iOS and Android
Prototyping
Interactive prototype with tappable buttons, overlays, and animations
User Testing
Feedback from 5 participants after interacting with live prototype
Iterations
User driven visual improvements, animations, and button placement
Final Designs
game play
Above demo shows a user clicks to turn over two cards with Dusen Dusen patterns that don't match, then trying again to flip two that do match. A successful match animates to join and then leave the card table. When all matches are paired, a dialog appears to allow the user to play again or return to home.
Achievements and shop
The Achievements and Shop sections can be accessed by the home screen or bottom navigation tab bar. In Achievements, users can check their progress toward preset goals. Achieving goals allows users to unlock more designs in the design chest. The app statistics are tracked automatically, but without the user needing to create an account. In the Shop, users can browse the Dusen Dusen store and purchase products.
iOS Screens
Android Screens
Impact
Retention
The Q1 2024 retention rate for card games in North America was 28.57% on day 1, 13.18% on day 7, and 5.95% on day 28.
Session Length
The majority of genre medians fall within the range of 4 to 9 minutes.
Session Count
In North America, mobile games across genres typically initiate between 3 to 5 daily sessions on average.
Reflection
What went well?
I chose an appealing design aesthetic and applied it consistently, with really positive user feedback!
I created two versions of the app, which are immediately recognizable as Android or iOS.
What could be improved?
The purpose of the shop was confusing to some users. Different possibilities emerge from this issue:
The products that are offered in the shop could have a more explicit tie to the game.
Prizes could tie more directly to shopping rewards.
The shop could be reduced to a link to browser, or eliminated from the app.
What I learned from this project:
Collecting user feedback is critical to knowing where to make improvements.
Users want to know exactly what the purpose of the app is, and not be confused.
Fun graphics and design succeed in inviting user engagement.
…Check out this case study:
Home Cooking is a source for recipes that inspire dinner at home. In this project, I designed a responsive web app that helps cook solve the everyday problem of what to cook for dinner.
