ALL WORK
Fantasy Kooks
Fantasy Surfing Platform
Fantasy Kooks is an engaging fantasy surfing platform that lets users compete in real-world WSL-inspired events. Users build teams within a budget to earn points from surfer heat scores, create custom single-event or full-season competitions, and play in bracket mode by predicting heat winners for escalating points and bragging rights.
MY ROLE
Founder, Product Designer, Developer
METHODS
User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, UI Design, Usability Testing, Fantasy Mechanics Design
The Challenge
Traditional fantasy surfing games often feel rigid and limited to official tours, leaving fans wanting more control, creativity, and social competition—whether for a single heat, full season, or bracket-style predictions without complex salary caps.
BALANCING BUDGET STRATEGY WITH ACCESSIBILITY
CUSTOM EVENT CREATION FLOW
REAL-TIME SCORING & LIVE UPDATES
MOBILE-FIRST COMPETITION TRACKING
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Understanding the Problem
As Lead UI/UX Designer for Fantasy Kooks (live at kooks.vercel.app), I started with targeted research among surf fans, WSL viewers, and fantasy sports players. Interviews and surveys revealed frustrations with rigid official-tour formats, steep learning curves from complex salary caps, and limited social/custom options in existing platforms. These insights shaped the vision: a flexible, fun system where users could build budget-constrained teams for traditional scoring or predict brackets for quick wins—plus full control to create their own single-event or season-long competitions.
I then defined the information architecture and core flows, prioritizing intuitive drafting (with budget sliders and surfer previews), seamless event setup (drag-and-drop scheduling, invites, and rules), and an engaging bracket mode where correct heat predictions earn escalating points. Mobile-first considerations were central, ensuring live event tracking felt natural on phones during beach days or travel.
Rapid prototyping and iterative testing followed, with multiple rounds of usability sessions involving 15+ participants simulating real competitions. Feedback refined interactions—like clearer budget feedback, faster bracket navigation, and visual scoring cues—resulting in smoother onboarding, higher confidence in custom events, and a vibrant, wave-inspired design system that brings the energy of surfing to every leaderboard and heat update. Each step built on validated user input to deliver a distinctly community-driven experience.
DESIGN PROCESS
From Insight
to Interface
The platform delivers an intuitive, customizable experience with seamless budget-based drafting, drag-and-drop event setup for single heats or multi-event seasons, and an addictive bracket mode where accurate predictions multiply points and unlock leaderboards.
Discovery & Research
Interviewed surf fans and analyzed existing fantasy platforms to identify pain points in rigidity, scoring transparency, and social features.
Information Architecture
Designed modular flows for team drafting, event creation (single/season), and bracket predictions, reducing steps for key actions.
Visual Design
Created a vibrant, simple design system with dynamic leaderboards, heat visualizations, and responsive components for live tracking.
Testing & Iteration
Ran usability tests with 15+ participants during mock events, refining interactions for faster picks and clearer scoring feedback.
RESULTS & IMPACT
Measurable
Outcomes
Users embraced the flexibility, with quick onboarding, high engagement during live events, and positive feedback on the social, creator-driven competitions that go beyond standard fantasy formats.