Roller Derby

Connecting teams, skaters, and fans

Case Study

Closing the gap for a growing sport

UX Certificate Project

Product

Roller Derby Mobile App

Skills

Product design
User research & testing
Wireframing
Interactive prototyping

Timing

2 weeks

My Goal

Design an app that supports both fans and players of roller derby by addressing the lack of centralized, accessible digital resources related to the sport

My role

UX/UI Design Lead

The problem

The sport is complex, noisy, and difficult for fans to follow

For my UX Certification final project, I was given the opportunity to create anything I wanted, as long as there was a need. I settled on an application to support the sport of roller derby because I had a coworker who played, and I was so intrigued I just had to learn more about it.

By interviewing several skaters about their journeys into the popular sport, I was surprised to learn the sport has been around since the 1930s, and has faded in and out of the public eye ever since. Today, the sport is experiencing a revival, with renewed focus on community, inclusivity, and athleticism.

But despite roller derby’s growing popularity, fans struggle to follow the sport due to complex rules and gameplay, suboptimal viewing environments, and a lack of centralized information on events, players, and rules of the game.

Research Goals

Research Findings

Hard to Get Involved

A lack of promotion makes it nearly impossible to discover a roller derby event near you on your own

Difficult to Follow

The pace of the sport, along with complex rules and maneuvers, makes it hard for fans to grasp and keep up with

Untapped Potential

Despite its meteoric rise in popularity, there is a lack of digital resources for fans and players

Lack of Networking

Players are interested in learning from other players and they want to find a team to play with while traveling

The problem solution

Build a community that supports players, fans, and networking

Most leagues are skater-run and voluntary, which might help explain why there is a lack of centralized community, guidelines, and resources. There was a huge opportunity to support, educate fans, and promote the growing sport:

Event Locator
Skater Fan Profiles
League Pages
Rules and Regulations
Volunteer Opportunities

User-validated insights

The design solution

Creating a first of its kind fan and skater app for roller derby

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association needs a design for a mobile app meant to help roller derby spectators better understand the sport, follow the action, follow different teams, and discover new games in the area.