Kinect Sports 1 & 2

Kinect motion games for Xbox 360

Season 1 released: November 4, 2010

Season 2 released: October 25, 2011

Role: User Experience Researcher

Where: Microsoft

When: 2009-2011

Contributions:

Iterative usability testing

One of my first major game usability projects was to serve as a research assistant and necessary second set of eyes during usability studies for Kinect Sports Season 1. Researching one of the first titles developed for Kinect, we had to adapt our research methods to be able to measure the usability of a new and dramatically different input device.

I was able to take a more prominent research role during Kinect Sports Season 2, where I conducted months of iterative usability sessions unassisted, analyzing data and compiling the findings. By applying the many lessons we learned from the first generation of Kinect games, we had a better understanding of how to evaluate the motion gaming experience and could achieve an even more usable product in the second generation.

"For a renewed sense of wonder about Kinect, simply play this game. In exactly the same fashion as last year, Rare is at the cutting edge of what the device is capable of and as a result Kinect Sports Season 2 is, yet again, an essential sports game."

- Mike Channell of totalxbox.com