Hattrick
Case Study
Hattrick
Project fields
reaserchmobileaiuxreactproduct designgamingSasS

Reversing a 10-Year User Decline: Boosting Engagement by 20% via Unified Tournament Hub

Hattrick (230k+ users) suffered from fragmentation. We consolidated scattered gameplay into a single "Casual Hub," increasing active users from 200k to 233k. **Impact: 📈 +16.5% Active Users | 🏆 +20% Tournament Play**

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My RoleLead Product Designer (Selected from 300+ candidates)
TimelineSep 2023
Team1 Designer, 2 Engineers, 1 PM
PlatformWeb & Mobile App (Game Management)
Impact🚀 Trend Reversal (+33k Users)
The Challenge

The Business Challenge

Hattrick was "bleeding" users. Core retention mechanics were scattered across deep menus, treating the game like a spreadsheet rather than an immersive experience.

🔻 10-Year Decline: Consistent drop in user base (2016-2022).

💸 Missed Revenue: Low discovery of paid Tournaments.

🐌 High Friction: 5+ clicks to find a match killed impulse play.

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Root Cause

Emotional Disconnect." The interface didn't support the user's need for immediate gratification. It created frustration instead of excitement. The lack of visible progress/stats meant users didn't feel the "dopamine hit" of achievement.

Final Design

Main dashboard view. Price (largest element) → Live chart → Order book. Visual hierarchy guides attention naturally from left to right, top to bottom.

Main dashboard view. Price (largest element) → Live chart → Order book. Visual hierarchy guides attention naturally from left to right, top to bottom.

Customization modal. Drag-drop interface lets traders build dashboard matching their style. 67% of users personalized layout within first week.

Customization modal. Drag-drop interface lets traders build dashboard matching their style. 67% of users personalized layout within first week.

Mobile responsive design. Key metrics remain accessible on smaller screens. Quick actions collapse to bottom sheet.

Mobile responsive design. Key metrics remain accessible on smaller screens. Quick actions collapse to bottom sheet.

Dark mode variant. Essential for traders working long hours. Reduced eye strain complaints by 40%.

Dark mode variant. Essential for traders working long hours. Reduced eye strain complaints by 40%.

Decision #1: Centralization vs. Fragmentation

❌ The Problem: Tournament types were isolated in different URLs. New users were overwhelmed. ✅ The Solution: Created the "Casual Hub" – a single destination for all non-league play. 🔍 The "Why": Reduced cognitive load. One destination for "fun" = higher discoverability.

Decision #2: Triggering Motivation via Statistics

❌ The Problem: Users played but felt no sense of accumulated legacy. ✅ The Solution: Integrated a "Statistics & Achievements" 🏅 dashboard at the top. 🔍 The "Why": The "Endowment Effect". Showing trophies prominently creates an emotional hook to play "just one more match." (Visual: Stats Dashboard)
+16.5% 200k → 233k Users: Reversed a 10-year downward trend.
+20% Direct increase in tournament activity
Churn ReductionSignificant retention improvement for new users.

Learnings

🔑 ** Managing User Emotion: ** A Product Designer's job isn't just pixel-pushing; it's navigating the user's emotional journey—mitigating frustration and insecurity. The Hub succeeded because it reduced the anxiety of "where do I go?" and replaced it with the confidence of "here are my achievements." 🔑 ** Pragmatism over Perfection: ** My initial redesign was beautiful but technically costly. Learning to extract the essence of the design (the Game Vibe) and applying it to a specific feature delivered faster business value than waiting for a total rewrite.

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