Overview

Pickup.Earth is a community-driven sports platform designed to help players find and join local pickup basketball games with less waiting, better organization, and more consistency. The goal was to eliminate the friction players experience when trying to find reliable runs.

Problem

Pickup basketball is highly unstructured. Through initial research, I identified three core issues:

• Players spend excessive time waiting for games

• There is no reliable way to discover active runs nearby

• Game quality and organization are inconsistent and unpredictable

This creates a frustrating experience that discourages consistent participation and weakens local basketball communities.

My Role

UX/UI Designer leading:

• User research

• Information architecture

• User flows & wireframing

• High-fidelity UI design

• Interactive prototyping (Figma)

Research & Insights

I conducted interviews with local basketball players to better understand their behaviors and frustrations.

Key Insights:

• “I never know where the best runs are.”

• “You can wait 30+ minutes and still not play.”

• “Sometimes the competition isn’t what you expected.”

Core Needs Identified:

• Fast, reliable game discovery

• Clear visibility into who’s playing and when

• More control over game quality and access

How Might We

• How might we help players find games instantly?

• How might we reduce wait time and uncertainty?

• How might we create a more structured pickup experience without losing its flexibility?

Design Process

1. User Flows
Mapped out the fastest possible path from opening the app → finding a game → joining a run.
Goal: Reduce friction to under 3 steps.

2. Wireframing
Created low-fidelity wireframes focused on:

• Clear hierarchy

• Minimal decision fatigue

• Fast scanning of available games

3. Visual Design (UI)
Designed a clean, modern interface inspired by sports and mobile-first platforms:

• Dark UI for a premium, focused feel

• Bold contrast for readability in outdoor environments

• Card-based layouts for quick game comparison

4. Iteration & Testing
Refined layouts and flows based on usability feedback, prioritizing:

• Speed

• Clarity

• Ease of navigation

Key Features

• Instant Game Discovery
  View nearby runs in real time with location-based filtering

• Quick Join Flow
  Join games in just a few taps with clear availability indicators

• Structured Pickup System
  Introduces light structure to improve fairness and organization

• Future Vision (Product Thinking)

  • Priority Booking (early access to games)

  • VOD (Watch, Save, Share highlights)

  • Earth Tokens (community-based rewards system)

Outcome

The final MVP delivers a streamlined experience that allows players to:

• Find games faster and more reliably

• Spend less time waiting and more time playing

• Feel more connected to their local b