Abdul Ibrahim

Product Designer

Work

About

Resume

Abdul Ibrahim

Product Designer

Work

About

Resume

Abdul Ibrahim

Product Designer

Work

About

Resume

Overview
Research
Opportunity
Journey Update
Rapid Prototype
Usability Testing
Iterations
Final Prototype
Takeaways

PlayStation: Enhancing Player Support Through a Personalized Game Help Tool

Overview

My Role

Self Initiated Exploration - UX Research, Usability Testing, Rapid Prototyping, Interaction Design

Introduction

Since the PlayStation 5's 2020 debut, Sony has improved upon its Game Help feature, expanding support to more games with the launch of a new Community Game Help feature in 2024.

Opportunity

The Community Game Help feature offers player-generated videos for additional guidance on the console. This exploration expands upon this by using Natural Language Processing and Web Content Summarization to answer a broader range of nuanced player queries.

Outcome

This final prototype was well-received by PS5 users and successfully minimized the need for players to leave the console in search of help with nuanced in-game challenges.

Prototype Walkthrough Video

Final Design Highlights

Players can now find game solutions from the web without leaving the console

The PS App now enables players to ask questions on mobile devices and pin a solution to the console.

Research

Qualitative Analysis

Giving players one less reason to leave the PS5 during gamplay.

With decades of walkthroughs and guides available online, players often turn to web-based resources such as videos, forums, and guides to progress forward or anticipate challenges ahead.

Qualitative Analysis

Giving players one less reason to leave the PS5 during gamplay.

With decades of walkthroughs and guides available online, players often turn to web-based resources such as videos, forums, and guides to progress forward or anticipate challenges ahead.

Qualitative Analysis

Giving players one less reason to leave the PS5 during gamplay.

With decades of walkthroughs and guides available online, players often turn to web-based resources such as videos, forums, and guides to progress forward or anticipate challenges ahead.

User Interviews & Testing

Limitations of a very good feature.

Player interviews showed greater use of the feature for titles like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which offers comprehensive support. In contrast, players preferred external help for games like Sifu, due to its more nuanced combat strategies.

User Interviews & Testing

Limitations of a very good feature.

Player interviews showed greater use of the feature for titles like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which offers comprehensive support. In contrast, players preferred external help for games like Sifu, due to its more nuanced combat strategies.

Opportunity Identification

Value Proposition

Providing a flexible in-console tool to solve nuanced player queries for a wider range of games.

The value of this feature lies in providing players with sufficient guidance directly through the console, minimizing external distractions on the web that may pull them away from the game.

Value Proposition

Providing a flexible in-console tool to solve nuanced player queries for a wider range of games.

The value of this feature lies in providing players with sufficient guidance directly through the console, minimizing external distractions on the web that may pull them away from the game.

Assumptions and Contraints

Presuming this feature is feasible within this generation of PlayStation consoles.

Assumptions and Contraints

Presuming this feature is feasible within this generation of PlayStation consoles.

Hardware Limitations

This feature would function under the hardware limitations of the PS5 and PS5 Pro models.

Software Limitations

Assumes the resources for integrating AI models into the existing PS5 operating system are available.

Web Content Access

Assumes Sony has the legal rights to use AI models for web scraping content from non-partnered sites.

Existing Design Language

Any new interactions must feel familiar and frictionless to new and existing players.

Player Journey Update

Current Player Journey

Players may "disconnect" from the console to seek external solutions if Game Help lacks sufficient support.

Some players would leave by default without exploring Game Help, while others would explore the feature and determine if the provided solutions resolve their in-game challenge.

Current Player Journey

Players may "disconnect" from the console to seek external solutions if Game Help lacks sufficient support.

Some players would leave by default without exploring Game Help, while others would explore the feature and determine if the provided solutions resolve their in-game challenge.

The New Player Journey

Incorporating AI-tooling to interpret player questions, and provide summarized solutions from the web.

Some players would leave by default without exploring Game Help, while others would explore the feature and determine if the provided solutions resolve their in-game challenge.

The New Player Journey

Incorporating AI-tooling to interpret player questions, and provide summarized solutions from the web.

Some players would leave by default without exploring Game Help, while others would explore the feature and determine if the provided solutions resolve their in-game challenge.

Testing Web Content Summarization

Ensuring web content summarization is a viable option for game related solutions.

I tested several game-related queries in the AI-powered Arc Search app to evaluate its generated solutions. I was impressed by its ability to provide well-constructed guidance, drawing from official wikis and user opinions.

Testing Web Content Summarization

Ensuring web content summarization is a viable option for game related solutions.

I tested several game-related queries in the AI-powered Arc Search app to evaluate its generated solutions. I was impressed by its ability to provide well-constructed guidance, drawing from official wikis and user opinions.

Rapid Prototyping

PS5 Prototype v1

Enabling players to quickly ask questions and view a solution without breaking game immersion.

I prototyped a version of this feature allowing players to easily activate "Ask PlayStation", placing their game out-of-focus. The AI model interprets their question, and generating text and image responses based on web content which can be pinned to the screen while in-game.

PS5 Prototype v1

Enabling players to quickly ask questions and view a solution without breaking game immersion.

I prototyped a version of this feature allowing players to easily activate "Ask PlayStation", placing their game out-of-focus. The AI model interprets their question, and generating text and image responses based on web content which can be pinned to the screen while in-game.

Mobile App Prototype v1

Incorporating Ask PlayStation into the PS App to maintain feature parity.

The PS App allows players to access many PS5 features, including the existing Game Help. I built a prototype enabling players to pin responses from the app to their PS5 console, adding a secondary query input method.

Mobile App Prototype v1

Incorporating Ask PlayStation into the PS App to maintain feature parity.

The PS App allows players to access many PS5 features, including the existing Game Help. I built a prototype enabling players to pin responses from the app to their PS5 console, adding a secondary query input method.

Prototype Usability Testing

Mapping to Home Button

The validated value of this feature led to replacing the existing "Quick Switch" button mapping.

This feature activates during gameplay with a double-press of the "Home" button, replacing the "Quick Switch" action, which was the least essential of the available options. All other buttons, except "Home" and "Create", are reserved for gameplay.

Mapping to Home Button

The validated value of this feature led to replacing the existing "Quick Switch" button mapping.

This feature activates during gameplay with a double-press of the "Home" button, replacing the "Quick Switch" action, which was the least essential of the available options. All other buttons, except "Home" and "Create", are reserved for gameplay.

CONTROLLER ACTIVATION

Feedback

The 400-millisecond window for double-pressing the "Home" button was too short.

Feedback

Players appreciated the ability to activate this feature without navigating through menus.

Text & Image Solutions

Players found text and image solutions alone were insufficient to address all their questions.

Players appreciated the ability to pin responses to the screen but found that solutions presented solely through text and images were difficult to understand, particularly for games with mechanical challenges.

Text & Image Solutions

Players found text and image solutions alone were insufficient to address all their questions.

Players appreciated the ability to pin responses to the screen but found that solutions presented solely through text and images were difficult to understand, particularly for games with mechanical challenges.

SOLUTION PRESENTATION FORMAT

Feedback

Players preferred video responses for action or mechanically challenging roadblocks.

Insight

Player preferred text/image responses for slower-paced games or strategic insights.

IOS Interactions

Players anticipated familiar iOS interactions, like holding the solution to pin it to the console.

Many testers did not currently have the PS App installed, but they found the ability to enter a question and pin responses to the console screen to be a valuable enough to install the app.

IOS Interactions

Players anticipated familiar iOS interactions, like holding the solution to pin it to the console.

Many testers did not currently have the PS App installed, but they found the ability to enter a question and pin responses to the console screen to be a valuable enough to install the app.

IOS APP PROTOTYPE V1

Insight

Players expected the 'pin-to-console' option to appear when holding the response, based on familiar iOS interactions.

Feedback

Players found it very convenient to type their questions on their phone.

Existing Community Game Help

This prototype didn't consider how the feature would coexist with the existing Community Game Help.

While developing this prototype, I did not consider how this feature might integrate with or cannibalize the existing Community Game Help, as players may choose one option over the other.

Existing Community Game Help

This prototype didn't consider how the feature would coexist with the existing Community Game Help.

While developing this prototype, I did not consider how this feature might integrate with or cannibalize the existing Community Game Help, as players may choose one option over the other.

EXISTING COMMUNITY GAME HELP

Insight

It was important for me to consider how this feature would cohesively integrate within already existing and developing player support feature on the console.

Data Sources

Players often trusted fellow players' opinions more than official guides when solving challenges.

Players trusted solutions more when they knew a "real" player had experienced that challenge, especially from platforms like YouTube or Reddit. Some also expressed curiosity about the sources of the response data, as this impacted their trust in the information.

Data Sources

Players often trusted fellow players' opinions more than official guides when solving challenges.

Players trusted solutions more when they knew a "real" player had experienced that challenge, especially from platforms like YouTube or Reddit. Some also expressed curiosity about the sources of the response data, as this impacted their trust in the information.

REDDIT POST EXAMPLE

Insight

To build player trust, it's essential to provide visibility into the sources referenced in and summarized for the solutions.

Prototype Iterations

Home Button Input Window

Increasing input window from 400ms to 600ms.

Increasing the allowance for the double-press input of the “Home” button from 400ms to 600ms created a more comfortable experience for players while in-game.

Home Button Input Window

Increasing input window from 400ms to 600ms.

Increasing the allowance for the double-press input of the “Home” button from 400ms to 600ms created a more comfortable experience for players while in-game.

Community Game Help Integration

Prioritizing Community Game Help solutions for players before directing them to summarized content.

Presenting Community Game Help solutions first is essential, as it offers officially moderated content. The model would prioritize Community Game Help, followed by web-based responses.

Community Game Help Integration

Prioritizing Community Game Help solutions for players before directing them to summarized content.

Presenting Community Game Help solutions first is essential, as it offers officially moderated content. The model would prioritize Community Game Help, followed by web-based responses.

Integrating Video Content

Leveraging a YouTube player to complement the text and image solutions provided by the model.

Given YouTube's popularity as a solution platform, feedback from the initial prototype revealed that players still preferred using it in many cases. To address this, I integrated relevant YouTube results alongside the text and image solutions provided by the model

Integrating Video Content

Leveraging a YouTube player to complement the text and image solutions provided by the model.

Given YouTube's popularity as a solution platform, feedback from the initial prototype revealed that players still preferred using it in many cases. To address this, I integrated relevant YouTube results alongside the text and image solutions provided by the model

Players Trust in the Data

Providing transparency on data sources through a dedicated tab.

Adding a "Sources" tab to the responses gives players visibility into the specific sites the model references. Players can also influence the model by removing certain searchable sites.

Players Trust in the Data

Providing transparency on data sources through a dedicated tab.

Adding a "Sources" tab to the responses gives players visibility into the specific sites the model references. Players can also influence the model by removing certain searchable sites.

Increasing Trust in Data

Increasing the trust in solutions by allowing players to indicate the most helpful ones to others.

By including the "Do you find this helpful" vote under each YouTube video, the AI model can group similar questions and prioritize the most useful videos based on player feedback, rather than relying on SEO or YouTube's algorithm.

Increasing Trust in Data

Increasing the trust in solutions by allowing players to indicate the most helpful ones to others.

By including the "Do you find this helpful" vote under each YouTube video, the AI model can group similar questions and prioritize the most useful videos based on player feedback, rather than relying on SEO or YouTube's algorithm.

Final Prototype

Console Flow

Mobile App Flow

Future Use Cases & Takeaways

Introducing Players to the Feature

Welcome Tab Widgets

Players can discover this feature through the new Welcome tab, a customizable dashboard of widgets. A temporary widget reminds players of the simple input required to activate Ask PlayStation, while a permanent widget provides ongoing access

Introducing Players to the Feature

Welcome Tab Widgets

Players can discover this feature through the new Welcome tab, a customizable dashboard of widgets. A temporary widget reminds players of the simple input required to activate Ask PlayStation, while a permanent widget provides ongoing access

Other Use Cases

Funnel to PS Store

Players can gain greater clarity on a game, even when not within the PS Store. Ask PlayStation can direct players to a specific game page based on their inquiries.

Funnel to PS Store

Players can gain greater clarity on a game, even when not within the PS Store. Ask PlayStation can direct players to a specific game page based on their inquiries.

Deeper Content Personalization

By leveraging in-depth player insights tied to interactions with the AI model, the console can generate more curated suggestions based on individual player preferences and behaviors.

Project Takeways

Rapid Prototyping Feedback

Quickly building a prototype to validate my hypothesis significantly enhanced user interviews and stimulated new insights.

DualSense Interaction

Designing interactions for a DualSense controller presented unique prototyping considerations that I had not previously encountered in web and mobile.

Simplicity and Constraints

Working within the constraints of the existing PS Control Center allowed me to maintain a simple design that focused on the core opportunity.

Design Impact on Product

I initially overlooked how my solution might affect another feature solving the same problem highlighting the importance of thinking holistically about designs.