Objectives

Replace the existing bet fair apps
Replace Betfair EMS, Aus Mobile apps with a new iOS and Android app and replace the current web app

Acquire new customers
Attract new customers by ensuring the Betfair platform is more accessible, easy to understand and provides better odds than competitors.

Increase usage of Betfair by existing customers
Rectify issues with existing apps and allow smarter customers to manage multiple bet positions efficiently, wherever they are.

The Method

Research
Research discovered the primary role of mobile is to place a bet anywhere anytime. All Betfair punters used mobile to bet however the mobile lacked performance and speed due to the technology underpinning the Mobile EMS app.

There were also usability challenges with the previous design and recommendations to address these pain points. The mobile app was more compelling offer with the new design, increased usability, speed and performance. This delighted customers and increased retention and acquisition from Punters who were able to understand the exchange. Most Hi IQ punters worked in stock broking and attributed their finance expertise with the ability to learn the exchange very quickly.

The ability to acquire new Punters who were Punters with the Bookmakers was largely hampered by market perception of Betfair being a Bookmaker. Prospective punters had a plethora of Bookmaker apps to choose from, and didn’t feel the need for another account or a Betfair “Bookie” mode. Punters usually heard about Betfair through word of mouth and it’s point of difference being lay betting which sparked curiosity and intrigue but not necessarily to learn more or start betting with Betfair. They did not seem to hear about the Betfair “better value” message from friends. When the value proposition was explained, they believed their bet size was insufficient to reap the value of better odds. Most prospective punters saw losses associated with the cost of entertainment and enjoyed the wins and were not price sensitive. Even Punters who mentioned comparing odds between Bookmakers weren’t convinced by the Betfair “better value” message and was something the need to experience before believing it.

For Prospective Punters the app overall seemed confusing and was difficult to understand. The concept of a Peer to Peer exchange was appreciated but not well understood, and this information was insufficient for Punters to know how to interpret the app interface and understand how to execute a bet. The recommendation was to provide content that enabled Punters to understand the elements of the interface and how to bet through in app onboarding screens, content on The Hub.

The Method

Design & iteration
By using a pool of users with different betting styles we were able to establish a design/test rhythm which fit the agile sprint: design divergence and convergence on week one – workshopping the concepts with developers, business analysts and product owner to apply a Feasibility and Viability lens, and test with users (Desirability) and iteration on week 2 to achieve final designs to be taken to delivery.

Each feature was then designed, prototyped and tested separately, and testing was done with a wide cross section of Betfair users, ranging from novice to advanced punters.

When each feature of the app was iterated and signed off, it was added to the component library as a source of truth and for easy reuse.

When design was finalised and the relevant component created, it was handed over to developers to start building. Working with the developers to ensure what was built aligned with designs, called for a process of regularly testing what had been built in the app, and raising any inconsistencies witht hem on a regular basis.