MatchMade: Connecting Soccer Players Through Strategic UX Design

A comprehensive case study on designing a trusted sports networking ecosystem

Executive Summary

MatchMade addresses the fragmented landscape of sports networking by creating a specialized platform that prioritizes trust, discovery, and community building. Through strategic UX design, we transformed the chaotic experience of finding teammates into a streamlined, secure ecosystem that serves players across finding games and players.

Key Outcomes:

• Developed a comprehensive UX strategy centered on trust and discovery
• Created user-centered personas representing diverse player needs
• Designed core features addressing critical pain points in sports networking
• Established scalable design principles for future growth

The Challenge

Problem Statement

Existing sports networking platforms suffer from fragmentation, low visibility, and trust issues. Players struggle to find reliable teammates quickly, while team managers face constant challenges filling roster gaps. Women players encounter additional barriers including safety concerns and unclear group dynamics.

The Opportunity

Rather than competing with established platforms, we identified an opportunity to complement existing ecosystems through targeted integration and enhanced user experience, focusing specifically on soccer players' unique needs.

My Role & Approach

Role: Lead UX Strategist & Designer

Duration: Strategic planning phase