ROLE:
LEAD PRODUCT DESIGNER
CLIENT:
MSG
TEAM:
FOUNDING
Social media for people
that don't want to be on camera
Summary.
MSG, an avatar‑driven social platform that lets camera‑shy gamers and introverts share expressive reactions without the anxiety of being on camera. Partnering with one front‑end engineer and 2x3D voxel artists, I ran research, prototyped a location‑based chat, and built a voxel‑avatar emote system.
Early traction was strong: 71 % of surveyed target users said they’d try MSG, and a teaser landing page captured 3,200+ sign‑ups in the first month.
Project Context.
Company / Product:
Independent concept exploring camera‑free social expression for gaming communities.
Timeline & Team:
2‑month sprint covering user research, community building, and rapid prototyping.
My Role:
Lead Product Designer—research, UX/UI, visual design, prototyping, and roadmap.
Problem & Goals.
Business problem:
Traditional streaming platforms favor on‑camera personalities, excluding millions of privacy‑conscious gamers.
User problem:
Camera‑shy users need a frictionless way to express reactions and build presence without showing their face.
Success Metrics
Prototype engagement rate
% of prototype viewers who complete ≥ 1 core interaction (create avatar or send message).
Wait‑list conversion rate
% of prototype viewers who click “Join Beta” and submit email (drove 3.2 k sign‑ups).
Post‑Test adoption likelihood
Avg. 5‑point Likert score measuring intent to use (target ≥ 4 / 5).
Personas
Gen‑Z Gamer (13‑18)
Craves dynamic chat that matches gameplay pace; dislikes webcams.
College Streamer (18‑22)
Wants audience growth without face reveal; loves creative avatars.
Aspiring Esports Player (16‑24)
Needs low‑friction hype comms; values performance and personalization.
Socially Anxious Creator (20‑26)
Active on Twitter/Discord; seeks self‑expression minus appearance anxiety.
Methods & key insights.
Discord community build‑out
with 120 early adopters surfaced desire for “emoji‑plus” reactions.
In‑game observation
in Fortnite & Roblox showed players layering emotes over chat for quick hype moments.
Reddit thread analysis
revealed frustration with webcam pressure; avatars viewed as safe middle‑ground.
Insight:
Users equate avatar customization with identity ownership—more options → stronger attachment.
Design Process.
Ideation & sketches
Crazy‑8 workshop generated 40+ concepts; converged on location‑based threaded chat with floating avatar reacts.
Wireframes & low-Fi Prototypes
Built in Figma; Maze tests showed 92 % task success on avatar creation.
Iterations & trade-offs
Dropped live AR masks (high dev cost) in favor of lightweight voxel models.
Solution & Visual Design.
High-Fi Mockups
Home feed, location based message popup, avatar selector, emote picker.
Interaction highlights
Character jump functionality, custom color message builder.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Features
• Avatar‑first identity removes appearance bias; users choose any presentation.
• WCAG AA color palette; ≥ 4.5:1 contrast on text & icons.
Demo - Sending a message in location
How a user creates a custom message and views message story within a geo location.
Our impact & what we learned
Prototype Engagement Rate:
82 % of 50 testers completed at least one core interaction.
Wait‑list Conversion:
47 % of prototype viewers joined the beta (3,200 sign‑ups in 30 days).
Post‑Test Adoption Likelihood:
4.4 / 5 average across exit surveys.
Qualitative Feedback:
“Feels like Fortnite emotes for chat—instant fun without the anxiety.”
What Went Well:
Rapid iteration validated avatar‑first approach; community co‑creation boosted engagement.
What I’d Do Differently:
Conduct future‑oriented research earlier to avoid feature drift.
Future Roadmap:
Stage mode for live events, avatar marketplace, and automated moderation tools.
