ChessUp is the first project from Bryght Labs, a connected gaming startup backed by an experienced team of investors and product developers. Bryght Labs’ mission is to make STEM-focused games more approachable. The ChessUp mobile app is the companion for an incredible connected chessboard with a built-in chess instructor.
Onboarding
Frictionless first-time user experience.
Play
All the games in one place.
New Game
Simple interface with progressively powerful controls.
Playing a Game
Beautiful chess experience that doesn't get in the way.
Connecting to Chessboard
A quick and easy way to connect and see board status throughout the entire app.
Learn
Learning chess has never been so much fun!
Practices
Daily challenges for any skill level.
Activity
Notifications, requests, and updates. All in one place.
Settings
Who said settings should be boring?
Android
I've designed a first-class Android app too!
Senior Product Designer
2021
Designed and prototyped the companion mobile app for the most-funded chess product of all time. As a freelance Senior Product Designer, I led the end-to-end mobile app design process, from understanding the problems with the co-founders to defining and designing the solution.
Design
End-to-End Product Design, UI Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping, Figma
Platforms
iOS, Android, BLE
Business
Games, B2C, Hardware
Situation
Audience
ChessUp hardware was designed with everyone in mind. It doesn’t matter if you are new to chess or a master, young or old — the product was designed for anyone to pick up, play, and learn. The same audience would use the app to elevate the hardware experience with additional capabilities.
The Problem
Creating a companion app for a physical product with specific requirements and constraints. It needed to integrate seamlessly with the chessboard and elevate the physical product without getting in the way, while also working on its own and providing an engaging learning and gameplay experience if the user didn’t have the hardware yet.
Approach
The Process
As a freelance Senior Product Designer, I was responsible for the end-to-end mobile app design process, from working with the co-founders to understand the problems we wanted to solve to defining and designing the solutions.
We started with a kickoff call to understand the ChessUp physical product and how it worked. The Bryght Labs team had already conducted many interviews with customers to gather feedback and feature requests, which were prioritized. There were clear business goals, constraints, an established roadmap, and defined user stories.
I would then begin mapping flows and creating task lists of what users would need to do during each part of the flow. This would be followed with design - working first with rough UI, creating prototypes, gathering feedback from the stakeholders and developers, and then further refining and polishing the designs.
Once every UI state and interaction has been thought through and defined, I would then further discuss designs with the app developer and hand over design guides.
Outcome
Onboarding
Great first impression. When players open the app for the first time, they are greeted by a clear value proposition and an easy way to sign up.
No socials? No problem. Creating an account with an email address is simple and straightforward.
Natural conversation instead of filling out a form. Players are asked only the most essential questions that we truly need to make the experience as frictionless as possible. We're making it simple to share their details with us and guiding them along the way.
Play
Getting started. Right after signing up, we answer “What does the app do?” through the app structure and navigation. To get the best first-session experience, players are encouraged to play a game and explore what they can do. Past, ongoing, and future games are here too!
New Game
Starting a game is simple but powerful. With simple interface and smart defaults that progressively disclose options based on player selection.
Help is here! When adjusting assistance level, players can see which colors on the physical chessboard are used for move analysis based on their chosen level of assistance.
Choosing the right opponent made easy. When choosing an opponent, players can pick an AI with appropriate difficulty and assistance, play OTB (Over the Board) with another player in real life and select who it is to share the game, or play online against a friend or someone random.
Want to play fast? Choose time format. Players can choose from one of the presets or specify their own.
Disconnected? Keep on playing. When the board is not connected, players don't need to fret - they can have a great in-app chess experience!
Playing a Game
Beautiful chess experience. The app doesn't get in the way. It builds on top of the physical board experience and elevates it with more features. Players can see details about the game, last moves, AI level, assist, resign, accept a draw, or open a beautiful full-screen timer.
Making the connection between board and app. The chessboard lights translate directly into the app.
What are those colors? Players can tap the question mark button at any time to see what each color on the board means.
Started in the app and want to transfer to the “real thing”? Transferring a game is easy — just tap the button and set up the pieces. Or not, and let your family members play with the board while you play on your phone.
From software to hardware. Loading an ongoing game, starting a learning challenge, or revisiting a past game is super easy. The app guides the player on how to set up the physical chessboard.
I just need a timer. No problem! Players can use the app as a timer for the physical board. Put your phone on the side and the app just melts away for maximum immersion with the physical board. Oh, and it supports landscape mode too.
Connecting
Bluetooth pairing can be seamless. The board connects automatically. And if it doesn't, or if it's disconnected intentionally, it can be easily connected again.
I just want to play on my phone. That's ok too. Players can explicitly disconnect the chessboard and let someone else in the household use it while they play on their phone.
Learn
New to chess and keen to learn, or a master wanting to practice? The Learn experience is for everyone. It provides guided lessons and practices that are just pure fun!
Learning made fun. With interactive lessons and challenges, people are encouraged to complete each lesson and get rewarded along the way.
Lessons on the phone or with the board. Each lesson provides voiceover and guided prompts to help people learn. Need to revisit a move? No problem! No audio? Just mute it. Need a hint? There it is.
Many challenges and puzzles. Players can take on standard puzzles with clear feedback and a way to step through the challenges.
Light the square. Learn the moves with instant feedback.
The good old questionnaire. Multiple choice questions that make people think and learn.
Super piece. A superb way to have fun and learn.
Add a piece. This is a thinker. I didn't get it right on the first try.
Practices
More daily challenges. There's always more to learn and have fun along the way!
The most fun and challenging puzzles. Revisit the classics or learn something new.
Activity
All of the activity in one place. Friend requests, game invites, notifications, and events.
Settings
Who said settings should be boring? The app comes with smart defaults, and players share their info during onboarding or change things up later.
Find and invite friends. Right on this screen.
Control the notifications. Too many events? Not anymore.
Android
Android folks can have fun too! With an app designed with Material Design 3 in mind.
“Phil blew us away with his skill, professionalism, and his ability to make sense of our complex app requirements. His work has helped our developers work more efficiently, and we’re fortunate to have found such great talent for our project. Truly world class!”
Adam Roush
Co-founder & Chief Design Officer at Bryght Labs