TAGZ
Building a hunting platformacross web & mobile.
About
I designed TAGZ end-to-end as the sole designer at an early-stage startup: an analytical dashboard that calculates a hunter’s odds of drawing a US hunting license and doubles as a research database. In four months I took it from competitor analysis and user research to a web app, a faster mobile version and a design system.
Context
In the US, hunting licenses for many states and species are awarded by lottery. Applicants earn preference points, one for each year they apply without winning, and more points improve their chances. To estimate their odds, hunters had to piece together information from forums, state documents and a handful of third-party tools. Nothing brought it together in one place.
My role
Sole designer, end-to-end: research, UX, UI, mobile adaptation, design system and handoff. I stayed involved through implementation and adapted designs as requirements changed.
Challenge
The data is dense, and the logic behind it is complex. The goal was to make a complicated filter accessible to ordinary hunters, so that anyone can calculate their odds and find what matters without first learning how the lottery works.
Goals
- Show only the most important data first, with the option to explore deeper.
- Make a complex filter accessible to non-experts.
- Make the mobile version a faster, more accessible way to reach the same answers.
Research
I analyzed competing services and ran a qualitative survey with hunters. The key insight: people could see a percentage, but not why it was what it was or how their points affected it. A bare number was not enough. Users needed to understand what shaped it.
Key decisions
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A simple filter first, advanced options on demand.
Odds depend on many parameters, and showing them all at once would overwhelm newcomers. The default filter asks only for what every hunter knows, and advanced parameters open when needed. Experts get speed, and newcomers don’t get lost.
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Map and list side by side.
The odds are a geographic question as much as a numerical one. The map shows where the best opportunities are, and the unit list shows the exact numbers. Together they let users compare units without switching between views.
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Odds you can read at a glance.
The statewide map uses a colour scale with a legend, with the percentage shown next to it, so meaning never depends on colour alone. Each unit then opens into more detail, such as terrain and applicant trends, so users can see what stands behind the number.
Web vs. mobile
The mobile version is not a shrunken desktop. It is a more accessible, faster route to the same information. It is built around quick checks on the go, such as a unit’s map and its share of public land, with fewer steps between opening the app and getting an answer.
Design system
I built a design system covering both web and mobile: a shared set of components, styles and patterns. It kept the product consistent across screens and platforms, and gave developers a clear reference to build from, so new screens could be designed and implemented faster.
Outcome
Within four months, I delivered the complete product design for web and mobile, along with the design system, and supported the team through implementation. I stayed involved as requirements evolved, adjusting designs so the final product stayed true to the original goals.
“Not just a designer — a true partner from start to finish. She stayed fully engaged through implementation, adapting quickly to every change.”
Konstantyn ShyshkinCEO at Spiral Technology
What I took away
A simple visual language works best for data-heavy products. When the interface stays restrained, the data stays the focus and complex information feels approachable. The research also showed me that users don’t just want a number. They want to understand it, and that shaped how I presented the odds.
