MATCH
MATES

ENGINEERING REAL HANGOUTS. THE COORDINATION PLATFORM BUILT FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOCIAL LIVES.

High-fidelity mobile app UI screen showing a dark mode sports/social scheduling interface with purple accents, brutalist typography, showing a list of upcoming matches and player availability. Tilted in 3D perspective.
01 // CONTEXT

THE COORDINATION FAIL

Organizing a simple 5v5 game has become an endurance sport of its own. Between fragmented group chats, flakey commitments, and payment logistics, the friction kills the momentum.

Current tools are either too generic (WhatsApp) or too individualistic (Strava). There is no dedicated infrastructure for collective action.

OPPORTUNITY

Build a centralized command center that eliminates coordination friction, automates commitments, and guarantees the game happens.

Tool
Discovery
Commitment
Payments
WhatsApp
Meetup
Strava
MATCHMATES

The Failure Points

DATA EXTRACTED FROM 500+ USER INTERVIEWS

80%

Discovery

Players struggle to find games that match their skill level and schedule. The barrier to entry for finding new groups is critically high.

72%

Trust

Organizers cite "flaking" as the primary reason for cancelled games. Lack of accountability in generic chat apps destroys reliability.

65%

Logistics

Time spent chasing payments, confirming venue bookings, and managing waitlists consumes more time than the actual game itself.

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Design Process

01

Picture This

It's a crisp Toronto Saturday. Ryan, a 22-year-old CompSci student at UofT, loves pickleball. But every weekend? Same story. He texts his group chat: "Leaside courts free 7PM? Anyone?" Crickets. Or worse, five people say "maybe" and zero show up. Ryan sighs, grabs Netflix instead. This happens to 68% of young Canadians who crave local sports but can't coordinate to save their lives (StatsCan data).

Wireframe flowchart diagram with dark background, neon connecting lines, showing user journey for a sports app.
02
Dark mode UI screen showing a detailed match creation form with brutalist design elements, toggle switches, and neon green accents.

Pain Points

I started where it hurts: talking to real people. Chatted with people over coffee (virtually and Tim Hortons-style).

Ryan's story repeated: "I see courts on Instagram, but finding 3 reliable players + court time + payment? Nightmare."
Other person added: "Group chats die after 'yes,' and I end up alone at the badminton court."

03

Affinity Mapping

I mapped it old-school: pen, paper, coffee stains. First Discover (empathy), then Define (pain points).

Discover: Surveyed 80 students. 72% wanted weekly games. 65% cited "coordination hell" as the killer.

Wireframe flowchart diagram with dark background, neon connecting lines, showing user journey for a sports app.
04
Dark mode UI screen showing a detailed match creation form with brutalist design elements, toggle switches, and neon green accents.

Double Diamond

Grabbed my iPad, sketched like crazy.
40 rough ideas later: feeds, chats. Tested paper prototypes with 5 friends—"Too many taps!"
Refined to core loop: Discover → Detail → Join → Chat.

LOW-FEDILITY DESIGN

Low-Fedility Design

Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
HIGH-FEDILITY DESIGN

High-Fedility Design

Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
Low-Fedility Design
IMPACT

Reduction in Dropouts

40%
"By enforcing upfront commitments and streamlining discovery, MatchMates didn't just build an app—they engineered a reliable ecosystem for amateur sports."

MATCHMATES: ENGINEERING REAL HANGOUTS.

TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

92% completed loop. "Feels like Netflix for games," Ryan said.

Wireframe flowchart diagram with dark background, neon connecting lines, showing user journey for a sports app.