TIMTHIANTHAI
SAP Tennis Analytics for Coaches
We went through numerous iterations, from conception to post-implementation. Wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes allowed us to quickly get feedback on the content from the coaches.
My Role
Exploratory Research & Design
The preliminary research and design exploration were completed by my two colleagues in Germany at the end of 2014. Early the following year, I continued the design process by conducting an exploratory research with tennis coaches during WTA tournaments in the U.S. and designing the app based on what I learned. After the product launched in August 2015, I also made design improvements to the app based on user feedback.
Communications Management
In addition to the tennis coaches, I lead communication efforts with our customers (the SAP Global Sponsorships Technology team and the WTA), our developers, and occasionally the media. To communicate as effectively as possible, I created artifacts such as the design specifications, InVision prototype, and media presentations.
Sharing My Experience
I found this project’s journey so exciting that I decided to submit it to a few design competitions. I wrote up some content and, with the help of our team’s videographer, produced a simple process video. We ended up receiving 11 international recognitions including the prestigious Red Dot Award in 2016. I also shared my experience and learnings with the design communities via events such as Interaction Design Association (IxDA) Conference 2016 in Helsinki, General Assembly SF’s UXD classes, and multiple SAP events.
Knowing which data points to display and how to highlight them visually were key to helping coaches make faster decisions.
The positioning of the navigation allowed coaches to use their thumbs to move from screen to screen while analyzing the game and without losing their tablet grip.
Challenges & Takeaways
Content
Advanced technology like SAP HANA provides access to thousands of data points for player analytics. With only 90 seconds for the coaches to communicate with their players, it is critical to provide just enough data insight without overwhelming coaches with too many statistics and figures. I worked with them closely on various design iterations to reach the right amount of information and visualization on each screen. For unique personal preferences, the app also provides a quick-filter feature.
Environment
Even though our early prototype contained the right content, it failed completely when tested under the sun. In typical outdoor tennis matches, the glare of the sun, combined with the fact that coaches often wear sunglasses, made it difficult to view the screen. To respond to the inevitable environment and coaches’ habit, I adjusted the colors and created the indoor and outdoor viewing options in our design.
Personal
As a competitive tennis player and the designer of this project, I felt I had some advantages such as the understanding of certain tennis rules and terminology. However, I had to keep reminding myself that I’m not the user of the product and draw the line between my assumptions and what the actual users, professional tennis coaches, needed. What helped me overcome this challenge was to always go back to the users to validate my design, regardless of my confidence.
The indoor view uses natural colors of a tennis court for easy viewing under controlled lighting conditions.
The outdoor view uses a high-contrast color scheme, which allows the information to be clearly viewed under intense sunlight or even through sunglasses.
Results
The project went live in 2015 and can be seen during televised WTA tennis matches around the globe. Our research showed that user adoption continued to increase in 2017 among the WTA player community. More professional WTA players, who traveled without their coaches, also used this app to self-coach including a former world number one and current Top-10 player. In 2017, our customer also asked me to work on another project, SAP Tennis Analytics for Media, due to the success of the first project and the relationship we have built.
One of my career's proudest moments is to see the world's top players and coaches using the app I designed.
