Throughout July, we're all about celebrating the phenomenal game makers who breathe life into our wide array of beloved gaming experiences. No matter what your favorite game is, these talented Scopeleans are the true magic behind the engaging and immersive gameplay we enjoy today!
Say “hello” to Lucía.
Tell us a little about yourself and your journey at Scopely.
Hi! I’m Lucía Ojeda, senior User Experience (UX) designer. Originally from the south of Spain (Cádiz), I moved to Barcelona to pursue my masters in UX, and now I proudly work in Parallel, one of the Scopely Studios.
This is my first time working on games, which I've always wanted to do. 2 and a half years in, I'm enjoying all the steps of the journey!
What are you currently working on and how does your work impact the company?
I work full-time on “YAHTZEE® with Buddies”! With its strong IP, “YAHTZEE®” is one of the most surprising casual games I've ever played, so working on it is both a pleasure and a challenge! Having been live for so many years, it is full of content and provides innovative ways to play.
As a UX Designer, I represent the players during the design phase and ensure that whatever we're building will be easy to grasp, fun to play, and accessible for everyone. With my team, we're working on new ways to connect with our players to include their feedback and improve the game!
One of the things I enjoy the most is that no day is the same for me. I work closely with different crafts, so besides design work, I have the opportunity to improve our processes for better efficiency, visibility, optimal usage of our tools, etc. So it has a cross-department impact. This is really important to me, because it improves the quality of life of my team, and this translates into a better outcome for the game!
What does diversity in gaming mean to you?
Diversity has so many layers, like representation, education, offering fair and equal opportunities, providing a safe environment, a sense of belonging, understanding each other, etc. Representation matters inside a game, but also inside the company that makes them. The more diversity, the richer and broader the vision the team can have, and it translates inside the game too! Thanks to it, we can be more in touch with other people's realities and normalize them.
As humans, sometimes we fall into a "tunnel vision" where we think our tiny bubble represents the rest of the world. It couldn't be further from reality! Diversity is also about finding inspiration and references. For instance, a strong, diverse leadership allows more people to find relatable role models. Anyone should be able to picture themselves in those positions if that's something they want. Seeing people like you or with a similar story is empowering. Whether you're part of a minority group or not, anyone can contribute towards building a more diverse environment.
Which Scopely culture tenet resonates most with you?
CARE DEEPLY. As a UX designer, it is implied in our craft that we care about our players, giving them a voice in the design and development process. But I want to highlight how caring deeply about the people I work with leads to the best results. Spending so much time together, you need the best ingredients to make the best of each situation. Understand, empathize, and embrace vulnerability.
I've had the good fortune to feel valued since I started at Scopely. People around me genuinely cared about me. Surrounded by people I admire, through caring they transmitted trust. And trust is empowering. That's what I try to do every day: help others, and make them feel seen and heard, so they can reach their full potential while being themselves.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
One piece of advice that is very cliché to say, but it's true: get out of your comfort zone. You'll surprise yourself with what you're capable of. For example, back in college, I had such a hard time when I had to present. Nowadays, I'm comfortable and getting better at it, and so can anyone! We aren't born with these skills. Mastery comes with practice, so instead of overthinking, trust your knowledge and get out there!
Besides that:
- Be curious, ask questions, cultivate your interpersonal skills, don't make assumptions.
- If you have a drive for improving or trying something new, pursue it.
- Speak your ideas, and you'll find people that will support them and help you along the way.
I'll also share one last piece of advice that my previous manager at Scopely told me "Do not let others choose your path - you choose it." It's very easy to go with the flow and do whatever is presented in front of you, even if that doesn't align with your future goals. This is ok to do for a while, but make sure you always keep sight of what you want to achieve in the long run.
What's the last good movie/show you watched?
Since I want to avoid experiencing more disappointments in my life, I want to steer clear from engaging with good TV shows that become canceled or waiting for years for a new season, so I decided to watch shows that are already over. So I'm almost 10 years late to the trend, but I'm watching "Lost" for the first time now. Yes, remember that show about a plane crashing on an island and survivors trying to survive and weird things happen? That one. Though the hype train is gone (and I want to avoid spoilers), I feel a bit alone with no one to comment on it with, but better late than never, right?
What advice would you give to someone that wants to work as a UX Designer in games?
If you have yet to learn about UX, start with the basics. A very light read is "Don't make me think" by Steve Krug, "The design of everyday things" by Don Norman, the famous "10 Usability Heuristics" from Jakob Nielsen, Laws of UX, etc. You'll find tons of free resources online. For entering the gaming industry, I suggest you expand your knowledge about what makes games different from other apps. Players don't come to the game with a specific goal or problem in mind, they come here to play and have fun! Get familiar with some industry concepts and jargon, understand how games are built, theories of fun, player types, perception and cognition, and the strong power of emotion.
You can start by watching videos or attending meetups, conferences, or webinars about UX and game design (such as Game UX Summit, GRUX Online, GDC, etc.) Then, build a portfolio with 2-3 strong case studies, even if they are personal projects, that clearly showcase your thinking process. The final result isn't the most important thing, the journey is. It's about how you're able to navigate through the design in each phase, how you reacted to adversities, what would you have done differently if you did it again. Share the context of your designs and be confident.
Lastly, in the industry, there are UX roles that can be more hybrid (be able to work in UI and implementation) or more specialized (pure UX). It is always good, however, that you have knowledge or experience in those other fields. The more you understand how other crafts work and need, the more holistic view you'll have and the better you can contribute to the team.
Are you interested in becoming a Scopelean like Lucía? Apply for one of our open roles: scopely.com/join-us