next play network
UX design (wip)
Student-athletes often miss out on career-building opportunities, though their experiences develop skills and connections that are incredibly valuable. Let’s build a platform that connects them with alumni to help apply their athletic experience in the real world.
Services
UX Research
Affinity Diagrams
Website design
Client
Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Students
Project Team
Duo
Timeline
March 2025-Present
Newest Update! (05/12/25)
Check out the latest prototype walk through made by Steven Yang (Software Developer)
Step 1: Research
Objective:
• Affinity diagrams and initial idea ideation was all completed prior to my onboarding
• Understand the needs, goals, and behaviors of target users and identify pain points and motivations
• Make user insights easy to understand and reference for developers, investors and other designers
Personas
Jordan Matthews
Age: 22
Role: Senior Student-Athlete
Location: Waterloo, ON
Sport: Men’s Basketball
Education: Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, University of Waterloo
Needs: Quick, athlete-focused career tools and mentorship
Motivations: Prepare for life after sport, gain confidence, stay competitive
Pain Points: No time for internships, unsure how to translate athletic skills, feels unsupported
Olivia Brooks
Age: 30
Role: Manager at a Health Care Company
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Sport: Women’s Soccer
Education: Bachelor’s in Science, University of Waterloo
Needs: Simple way to give back through mentorship without a big time commitment
Motivations: Stay connected to the athlete community, support younger students, share her journey
Pain Points: Feels disconnected from campus, unsure how to get involved, limited availability
Affinity Mapping
Translating athletic experience into professional value
Limited time for career development due to athletic commitments
Hard to connect with alumni who “get it”
Mentors have little time to connect with current athletes
Mobile tools with flexible, quick-access resources.
A fast, all-in-one platform designed for busy student-athletes.
Smart matching by sport, program, and goals.
Flexible, low-commitment mentorship options
Step 2: User flow charts
Objectives:
• Help clients visualize the user journey, align expectations, spot gaps early, and build confidence in the design direction.
• Serve as a blueprint for consistent design, speed up decision-making, map required screens, and catch usability issues early.
Step 3: Sketches and Initial Screen Design
Objectives:
• Create sketches and wireframes alongside clients to get a better understanding of intended styles and layouts
• Create primary UI and first round of screens to pitch to clients
