Role
Design Lead
Team
3 Engineers
1 Brand Designer
3 Creative Writers
Timeline
Dec 2023 - Present
Platform
iOS & Android
Seeing so many people laugh and share stories validated the product at scale and proved that humor, nostalgia, and authenticity could bring people together through a polished, emotionally resonant experience.
Below is a look at the MVP in action.
The average person has nearly 2,800 unseen photos buried in their camera roll. We saw an opportunity to reinvent photo sharing, not through curated feeds, but through spontaneous play that brings those forgotten moments back to life.
To validate the concept, I facilitated 25 analog playtests, observing players as they revisited old photos together. Laughter, nostalgia, and vulnerability filled the rooms as stories surfaced naturally.
Those sessions confirmed our emotional core: ShowYaRoll isn't just a game - it's a safe space for genuine connection.
To ground design in real behavior, I conducted 200+ user interviews with casual gamers and social-app users to uncover what delights and frustrates them most.
Key insights
Visual overload
Flashing colors and pop-ups led to fatigue.
Poor pacing
Long pauses and ads killed momentum.
Too many steps
Setup often felt like work instead of play.
I translated these insights into five design principles that guided every product decision, from onboarding to micro-interactions.
Design principles
Emotional Ease
Create a safe space for unfiltered moments.
Social Rhythm
Keep the energy flowing and shared anticipation high.
Instant Play
Minimize setup so play begins within seconds.
Purposeful Simplicity
Every element has intent. No clutter.
Playful Spirit
Infuse humor and delight into each interaction.
By combining in-person observation with in-app analytics, I identified what drove engagement and where players dropped off.
This mix of qualitative and quantitative insight fueled a continuous testing loop with engineering - shipping, measuring, and refining to evolve the product.
Below are six examples of how user feedback directly shaped the product - and the measurable outcomes that followed.
Players skimmed the text-heavy “How It Works” screen, missed the core concept, and selected "Limited Access," breaking gameplay that required full photo access.
Response
I redesigned onboarding with clear visuals, concise copy, and trust-based messaging linking photo access to gameplay - resulting in a 100% increase in "Allow Full Access" selections.
Static waiting rooms killed anticipation, and hosts struggled to reshare game codes, leading to player drop-off.
Response
I redesigned it into a lively social space with animated join indicators, emoji avatars, and one-tap code sharing - driving a +40% reduction in app-switching and higher player engagement.
Players wanted to provide feedback on prompts but ignored post-game surveys because they felt like work.
Response
I replaced surveys with quick emoji reactions (👍 👎 😐) under each prompt - creating seamless, in-flow feedback that drove a +65% increase in response rate and real-time curation of top-performing prompts.
Players disliked when only the host controlled timing; they wanted shared control, like real-life games where someone shouts “Time’s up!”
Response
I introduced a shared timer that any player could trigger, mirroring real-world group dynamics and adding playful spontaneity players called “fun chaos” - strengthening social flow and amplifying laughter.
Players hesitated while voting, wanting to explore other photos without losing their choice.
Response
I designed a pinned-vote preview that anchored their original selection while allowing free browsing - reducing friction for indecisive players and becoming one of the most-loved features.
Traditional store tabs forced players to leave setup to browse packs, breaking momentum.
Response
I integrated pack browsing and purchase directly into the setup flow - removing store friction entirely and letting players start games instantly.
Building a 0→1 startup product meant designing under constant constraint. Every feature had to earn its place. I shelved about one-third of early ideas to keep the MVP lean and stable.
With shifting priorities and limited bandwidth, I frequently redesigned screens to align with engineering capabilities without compromising the user experience.
The biggest challenge was fitting a feature-rich, motion-driven game onto small screens. Each layout had to balance instructional text, buttons, and animation without crowding.
When performance dipped, I stripped back motion to improve speed, but the experience lost warmth. Gradually reintroducing purposeful animation restored that energy without sacrifcing stability.
This process taught me that simplicity isn’t about doing less, it’s about designing with intent so every element serves purpose, clarity, and delight.
Simplicity has limits - clean design fails if users feel lost. Clarity must carry as much weight as aesthetics.
Constraints sharpened my judgment on what to prioritize, balancing player needs with engineering realities. I learned when to push for craft, when to adapt, and when not to, because in a photo-driven product, visuals can’t be compromised.
And above all, early-stage success depends on designing with engineering from day one; when one side falters, the experience does too.