Case study
Boardify
Boardify is a concept for a companion app that helps people choose, set up and run board games with less friction. The focus is on the messy reality of game nights: different experience levels, limited time and lots of distractions.
Role
UX & UI design
Scope
End to end concept
Platforms
Mobile, tablet, desktop
Focus
Flows and information design
01
Problem and context
Modern board game collections grow quickly, but the tools to manage them lag behind. Existing apps tend to behave like spreadsheets: dense lists, buried filters and very little support once the game actually starts.
The goal for Boardify is simple: help a host move from "We should play something" to a game on the table, with the right people and rules, in a few clear steps.
Audience
Hosts who regularly organise game nights with a mix of casual and experienced players.
Constraints
Concept project built without an existing data source, so flows and structure had to be designed in a way that could later plug into a public game database.
Success looked like
Hosts choosing a suitable game and starting a session with less hesitation, less back and forth and fewer rule searches mid game.
02
Understanding the host
I spoke with a small group of regular hosts and frequent guests about how they choose games, what stresses them and where digital tools help or get in the way.
- • Short interviews about how they currently organise nights
- • Walkthroughs of existing apps and wishlists
- • Notes from observing real game nights
A clear pattern appeared: hosts are the bottleneck. They carry the knowledge of the collection, know what each friend will enjoy and are expected to keep things moving.
Working persona
Olivia - regular host
Runs monthly game nights at home. Owns a growing collection of modern games, but often ends up replaying the same safe choices.
Goals
Pick something suitable fast and keep energy around the table high.
Frustrations
Hunting for rules on phones, teaching from memory and juggling different skill levels.
03
Key insights
The first question is almost always "How many are we and how long do we have", not "What do we own".
People skim. A cover image and 3 to 5 key stats are enough to decide if a game is worth a closer look.
Rule PDFs tend to live in group chats and downloads folders. Once lost, they are rarely recovered mid session.
Hosts like planning line-ups of games in advance, but still want flexibility when guests arrive late or plans change.
These insights led to a simple structure: do not start from a long list of titles. Start from the current group and time box, then narrow down to a small set of solid options with clear trade-offs.
Core journey
04
Information design and flows
With the journey defined, I focused on the information that actually helps a host decide. Anything that did not inform the decision was either removed or moved to a secondary view.
Game cards
Each card surfaces only what matters in the moment: player count, time, complexity, teaching time and quick tags like "good for new players".
Collection vs session
The collection is where you manage ownership and wishlists. The session view is a lighter layout for live play, focused on turn order, reminders and rules.
Search and filters
Search is always available. Filters default to player count and time, with more advanced options tucked away for people who want them.
05
Interface overview
The interface is built from a small set of reusable components that behave consistently across devices. The idea is to feel familiar whether you are on a phone next to the table or on a laptop planning the next night.
Mobile
Bottom navigation, large tap targets and a compact game card layout so hosts can comfortably use the app one handed.
Tablet
Two column layouts where the collection and details can sit side by side. Used mainly during setup and rules review.
Desktop
Wide overviews for planning and reviewing sessions. Hosts can compare options, manage wishlists and prepare line ups.
The visual language stays warm and neutral on purpose. Board games are already colourful and loud. Boardify sits in the background, leaving the table and people as the main focus.
06
Outcomes and learnings
This project was not shipped, but the flows were tested in low and mid fidelity prototypes with people who regularly host and attend game nights.
- • People preferred starting from group and time rather than scrolling lists
- • A smaller set of well chosen stats beat long descriptions
- • Separating collection from live session tools reduced clutter
What I would do next
Connect the concept to a real board game API, stress test filters on a larger dataset and refine the session tools around more complex games.
What I learned
Even hobby tools benefit from a clear split between planning and live use. Trying to serve both at once often helps neither.
Where it applies
The same approach fits other "hosted" experiences: running D&D campaigns, organising film nights or planning group trips.
Thanks for taking the time to read through Boardify. If you would like to talk through the process in more detail, I am happy to walk you through the flows and thinking.