Gameplay Lead UX Designer

At Firaxis Games, the Gameplay Lead UX Designer is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end UX vision for upcoming projects. This includes leading a team of UX/UI designers, collaborating with various departments to translate gameplay goals into user-friendly designs, conducting user research, and establishing best practices in UX. The role emphasizes understanding player psychology and ensuring an inclusive gaming experience.

To qualify for the Gameplay Lead UX Designer role at Firaxis Games, candidates should have at least 6 years of UX design experience, with a minimum of 2 years in a senior or leadership position within the gaming industry. A strong portfolio showcasing relevant work, along with proficiency in design tools like Figma and Adobe CC, is also required.

User research is a crucial aspect of the Gameplay Lead UX Designer's role at Firaxis Games. This practice ensures that design decisions are validated through usability testing, allowing the designer to iterate quickly and effectively cater to player needs. By prioritizing user research, the designer helps create a more engaging and enjoyable gaming experience.

A Gameplay Lead UX Designer at Firaxis Games should be proficient in tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, Unity, Unreal Engine, and various rapid prototyping tools. These tools are essential for creating wireframes, prototypes, and final implementations that enhance game interactions.

Firaxis Games places a strong emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity in game design. The Gameplay Lead UX Designer is expected to advocate for and implement design solutions that accommodate players with diverse needs, ensuring that the gaming experiences are enjoyable for everyone.

When answering this question, highlight your previous leadership roles, the size of the teams you've managed, the projects you worked on, and how you guided your team to achieve their goals. Showcase your collaborative approach and how you foster an environment of creativity and open feedback.

In your response, outline the user research methods you prefer, such as surveys, interviews, usability testing, or A/B testing. Discuss how these methodologies have impacted the design process in your previous projects and how you’ve used insights to enhance user experience.

Explain your strategy for balancing player needs, gameplay mechanics, and functional requirements. Discuss how you align these factors with project timelines and team capabilities to deliver the best user experience.

Describe your experience working closely with game designers and engineers. Emphasize the importance of ongoing dialogue, regular feedback loops, and how you ensure that design decisions align with the technical feasibility of the game.

Detail the practices you follow to incorporate accessibility principles into your designs. Mention any guidelines you adhere to, such as WCAG, and your methods for ensuring that games are accessible to all players.

Prepare to discuss a highlight from your portfolio that showcases your design approach. Talk about the specific challenges you faced, your design rationale, user feedback, and how the final product aligned with your vision for user experience.

Explain how you integrate player feedback into your design process, whether through alpha/beta testing phases, surveys after gameplay, or community discussions. Highlight instances where feedback led to significant design improvements.

Identify specific challenges you've faced, whether technical or subjective. Explain your problem-solving approach, how you gathered insights from your team, and how you iterated on designs based on that feedback.

Discuss the key performance indicators (KPIs) you track to measure UX success, such as engagement metrics, player retention rates, or satisfaction scores. Explain how you use these metrics to inform future design decisions.

Articulate your passion for Firaxis Games and your admiration for its titles. Talk about how the company’s core values resonate with you, and how you see yourself contributing to the mission of creating epic gaming experiences.