With the Fans, For the Fans — Research & UX for Sports Digital Experiences
How Pulselive’s Research & UX (RUX) team plays an integral role in creating experiences sports fans can’t live without.
I think we can all say that we know someone who loves their sport. But here at Pulselive, we like to think we know them a little bit more. “How?” I hear you ask. Well, let me tell you about our Research and UX (RUX) team…
As you may have guessed from the name of our team, we’re a cross-disciplinary group of UX designers and researchers (with an added dash of data analytics) — and although we may come from a variety of different backgrounds and skill sets, there’s one thing we all have in common: our dedication to the sports fan.
Pulselive is a proud partner to some of the biggest names in sport — and we get to work with every single one of them! In addition to working on projects directly with our clients, we also run our own independent projects with sports fans and spend time on internal product development.
As we’ve touched on before, our job revolves around: solving complex problems, developing effective design solutions and helping other teams and our clients make more informed decisions. We do this by sharing our wealth of knowledge and insights that we’ve gained through analysing data, talking to fans and adopting best practices for a sports fan’s online experience. Engaging with all types of fan from all corners of the world is what drives both us and the work that we do. After all, what use is a product for fans without the fans?
From kick-off to the final whistle, we have a core set of principles that we carry with us and these talk not only to what defines us, but to what we can bring to the table:
We focus on people
“People ignore design that ignores people”
– Frank Chimero
Something we’re often shouting about is that we are ‘the champion for the user’. So, when people start to ask: “Who are we creating this product for?”, “What do we need to deliver?” and “What will work best?”, that’s when we come in! Involving fans and clients alike, we shape the future of sports technology from the voice of the people.
We start with data
Before we can solve a problem, we need to truly understand it. Using data, we search for and identify opportunities: from creating something new to improving something that already exists. And regardless of what we deliver, we always ensure there are clear ways to measure its success.
We challenge the status quo
Whilst recognising that iteration is just as important as innovation, we always believe that the next product should always be better than the last one.
We’re constantly experimenting — with everything from processes and tools to final products — in order to deliver the best experiences for sports fans and the greatest return on investment for our clients.
We always ask why
To create high impact products, we believe there should be a clear “why” behind everything we do. Whether running a research project, analysing a dataset, or working through a UX challenge, we rely on curiosity and strategic thinking to arrive at the best solutions.
We are both student and educator
We are always learning — everyone (sports fans and colleagues alike) has something they can teach us. And we are equally always advocating for, and educating on, the principles of design thinking. We work to help others understand the importance of UX and informed decision making. We act as thought leaders within the company and within the industry, setting the bar for fan experiences worldwide.
So with all this power, comes great responsibility. Knowing all we know and working the way we do, puts us in a good place to understand and innovate within the sports industry and create those experiences that sports fans can’t live without.
