I worked with Vanta on a 6-month agency contract. In this two-week sprint, I contributed to the end-to-end design of a check-in system that increases match participation and saves Customer Support over 20 hours per week by automating match-related tasks.
Product Designer
Product Manager
Software Engineer
Product Designer
User Research
Interaction Design
Visual Design
With over 25 popular games and tournaments at both the local and national levels, Vanta gives 20,000+ young gamers the chance to compete in a safe, moderated environment. Getting started is simple: athletic directors sign up, add gamers, and register for a tournament. Vanta handles the rest—from scheduling to standings.
Vanta gives students a sense of purpose and belonging, often reaching those who might not participate in traditional sports. Whether they’re new to esports or seasoned gamers, students develop valuable skills, including teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking.
"I have firsthand seen gaming help students find purpose and connection. It's more than just playing a video game. Esports teaches kids how to solve problems and work as a team."
Vanta Coach
Over several tournaments, we noticed a rise in match no-shows. Coaches often cancel last minute without notifying their opponents, leaving teams frustrated with nothing to do.
A check-in system that simplifies match setup and gives teams alternative gameplay options when their opponent cancels.
How are matches currently coordinated and what challenges do coaches experience? To answer these questions, I interviewed Customer Support and three middle school coaches. Here's what I discovered:
Customer Support oversees league operations and is responsible for scheduling matches, enforcing rules, and managing disputes. Most surprisingly, they spend over 20 hours per week creating match credentials for every single game! Automating this time-consuming task would allow Customer Support to focus on more complex issues.
Coaches can message their opponent through the in-app chat; however, during a no-show, they often struggle to make contact. This leads to confusion and frustration when trying to confirm if their opponent is playing. Therefore, coaches need an easier way to get in touch with their opponent during a no-show.
Coaches set aside time after school for practices and matches for their students. When a match is unexpectedly cancelled, coaches are left with unused time. Therefore, coaches need alternative ways to keep their gamers engaged during a no-show.
To reschedule or forfeit a match, coaches must contact Customer Support. Enabling coaches to mange reschedules and forfeits in-app would improve efficiency and reduce Customer Support dependency.
Coaches struggle to build and maintain their teams due to a lack of acceptance from school administrators and parents. To increase buy-in, I suggest allowing matches to be live-streamed by peers, parents and school administrators.
I'm happy to share more details about this project, as well as a few other projects I completed for Vanta.