Designing the Puzzler App from Scratch
Transforming a legacy puzzle brand into a digital-first experience with measurable impact.
The Journey
From legacy print brand to digital success story.
The Puzzler brand is one of DC Thomson’s most iconic titles, yet it had limited digital presence. I led the creation of the Puzzler App from scratch. Taking a legacy print product into the digital space.
The Puzzler brand is one of DC Thomson’s most iconic titles, yet it had limited digital presence. I led the creation of the Puzzler App from scratch. Taking a legacy print product into the digital space.
What I did
My Role
Leading UX strategy from vision to execution.
- Led UX strategy + product vision
- Facilitated workshops with product, editorial, and engineering
- Drove research, prototyping, and testing
- Mentored design team and aligned stakeholders
As Head of UX Design, I took ownership of shaping the vision and execution of the Puzzler App. My role spanned strategy, facilitation, research, prototyping, and mentoring, ensuring both the product and the team were set up for success.
Methods
Discovery & Research
Understanding puzzle players, their needs, and habits
- Competitor analysis
- User interviews
- Journey mapping
To design an engaging digital experience, I first needed to understand our users. Through competitor analysis, user interviews, and journey mapping, we uncovered what motivates puzzle enthusiasts and where they experience friction in existing products.
Process
Design Approach
From ideas to tested, validated experiences
- Ideation workshops
- Interactive prototypes
- Iterative testing
Armed with insights, we moved into ideation and prototyping. By co-creating concepts in workshops, testing interactive prototypes, and validating with real users, we built confidence in our direction while reducing risk.
Impact delivered
From ideas to impact, backed by data.
Screens Designed
Users Tested
Faster from idea to prototype
Opportunity
Launch & Early Results
Strong downloads, but retention lagged behind.
The app launched successfully with strong download numbers, but early retention rates fell short of industry benchmarks, creating a clear opportunity for improvement.
Actions Taken
Retention Workshop
Collaborative problem-solving to boost engagement
- Ran retention-focused workshop
- Improved onboarding experience
- Enhanced notifications & rewards
To address retention, I brought the team together in a collaborative workshop. We analysed drop-off points, redesigned onboarding, and refined engagement features such as notifications and rewards, all aimed at encouraging players to return.
Retention Uplift
Our interventions delivered measurable impact. Retention rates improved across every stage, with Day 1 jumping from 13% to 30% and Day 7 rising from 2.3% to 8%. This represents a 2-3x uplift and brings us closer to industry standards.
%
Day 7 • from 2.3%
%
Day 3 • from 4.6%
%
Day 1 • from 13%
Reflection / Impact
Design-led thinking, grounded in research and data, can drive tangible business outcomes. Beyond improving retention, the project proved the value of embedding UX at the heart of digital our transformation.
Next Steps...
Apple Arcade!
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