David Marecek: "Casino Guru strives to understand user needs, behaviors, and preferences"

David is Casino Guru’s UX Lead, spearheading the company's UX team's efforts to make our site easy and pleasant to navigate on any and every platform possible. He also works closely with the Design Team and dedicates considerable time to conducting crucial testing and research, ensuring that the proposed enhancements align with user expectations and preferences.

In this interview, David explains the role of UX in the online environment, points out the areas that Casino Guru focuses on and brings valuable insights into the processes in which he is involved.

How does David find out what players want, in what form they want it and why? What types of testing does he use in his work and how is the implementation of his findings going? What is he dealing with right now and what new functionalities can users look forward to on the Casino Guru website? Let's find out!

Q: David, what does user experience (UX) involve and what is Casino Guru´s approach to UX?

The goal of UX is to provide Casino Guru's website visitors with a simple and clear experience, giving them what they need without confusion. We aim to ensure users don't get lost, but rather easily find what they're looking for and understand the process. In essence, our focus is on meeting player expectations. To achieve this, Casino Guru strives to understand user needs, behaviors, and preferences, emphasizing what users want, how they want it, and why they want it – the fundamental principles of UX.

Q: Does UX in the gambling industry have any specifics or a different form than in other industries?

One specific challenge for our website is that we lack direct customer contact. Unlike an e-commerce store where you can evaluate results based on purchases (satisfied or not), when a player clicks on a casino through our platform, we only know that they have reached the destination. We don't know if they found what they were looking for, if it met their expectations, or if they were satisfied. Collecting feedback becomes more demanding in our case.

Q: How does Casino Guru solve the lack of feedback?

We conduct research and employ advanced data analytics to gain insights into players' minds and draw meaningful conclusions. Typically, we hire an agency to assist us in finding 10 online casino players for hour-long interviews. During these interviews, we delve into topics such as how players initially started playing online games and their typical gaming patterns, as these factors significantly impact the user experience. Understanding these aspects is crucial because some players use online gambling for extended breaks during the day, while others engage in it as an evening relaxation activity.

Each player has distinct expectations and seeks to fulfil different needs from games. Some players are content with superficial factors like the casino's name, logo, or bonuses, and immediately jump into gameplay. However, others have higher demands. Consequently, we aim to gather specific details during these interviews. Additionally, we explore factors that influence players' casino choices, the frequency of switching casinos, and other related aspects.

Q: How do these in-depth interviews go?

They are primarily conducted online, with me taking notes as an observer while my colleague Šimon Vincze moderates the discussions. We adopt the motto "divide and conquer" because a single person would be inadequate for both data collection and managing the interview process. Recently, we carried out this type of research in three states in the United States, and our objective was to gather player feedback on new concepts we developed. However, our studies span the entire globe, including countries like Canada and Spain.

The testing research involved assigning specific tasks to the players, such as finding their current casino or favorite game on the Casino Guru website, and we closely observed how they completed these tasks. Instead of directly inquiring about their preferences, our focus was on analyzing their behavior as they pursued their desired outcomes on our platform.

During these testing scenarios, it's crucial for participants to communicate their procedures out loud. This helps us understand their expectations, compare them to the actual outcomes, and gauge their reactions. If there is a mismatch between these elements, it indicates a mistake or discrepancy that needs to be addressed and resolved.

Q: Are 10 people enough for such research?

These mentioned research studies are qualitative in nature, with the goal of gaining insights. In this context, the answer is yes, they are sufficient. Our focus is typically on uncovering specific issues rather than obtaining statistical data, which is the responsibility of our Data Analyst Team. Within the realm of UX, we dedicate our efforts to conducting individual case studies for specific markets and countries, with a keen awareness of the unique national cultures and differences.

For instance, in the German market, we need to adopt an analytical approach, while Spaniards tend to prioritize visual elements, and Swedes have a distinct payment method they frequently use. Understanding these specificities is crucial, and we rely on personal interaction to uncover them, as they cannot be discovered through other means.

Q: On what basis does UX testing begin?

Our approach varies based on what we want to test or when we encounter a problem. In some cases, the issue in our user experience (UX) becomes apparent to us before we actively seek it out. This was the case when we realized that the language and country settings on our website were confusing. The discovery happened while training new colleagues and assigning them tasks that involved navigating our language settings. It became evident that they faced difficulties in understanding and using them effectively.

To address this, we took a proactive step and recruited 10 individuals for specific tasks related to setting the website to their preferred language. Through this process, we uncovered that our system was unnecessarily complicated for regular users. This realization led us to simplify the process. As a result, we implemented a two-step setting: visitors first select their country and then choose their preferred language. The advanced settings provide additional options, streamlining the overall user experience and making it more intuitive.

By adopting this approach, we aim to ensure that users can easily navigate our website and adjust the settings according to their preferences. The changes we made were based on user feedback and observations, allowing us to optimize the UX and create a more user-friendly environment.

Q: What kinds of tests do you perform and how often?

Every two to three months, we conduct regular tests across multiple markets, as mentioned earlier. As part of our evaluation process, we also perform A/B tests. During these tests, we compare two variations of a specific element on our website to see which one performs better and how visitors respond to it.

For instance, when deciding on the most effective text option, we create two versions like "Read Review" and "Read More." We then involve a specific number of participants, who are randomly divided into two groups using our tools. By analyzing how these buttons are used, we can compare the two variants and determine which one is more suitable.

These A/B tests play a crucial role in our decision-making process, allowing us to optimize various aspects of our website based on user behavior and preferences. It enables us to continuously enhance the user experience and ensure that our design choices align with the expectations and preferences of our visitors.

Q: If an error is detected during testing – does this automatically mean that, for example, some functions will be changed?

When we encounter a problem, we initiate the process of addressing it. We convene with designers to thoroughly discuss and clarify the issue, engaging in a creative discourse where we share ideas on potential solutions and consider their feasibility. The designers consult their proposals with me, and I adapt the design to align with the user's requirements. We collaborate closely, involving people from various departments to ensure that our modifications do not disrupt established systems and are coherent with Casino Guru's global perspective. Consultations with developers play a crucial role, as they provide valuable guidance.

Currently, we are making strides towards streamlining this process. As a cohesive team, we have developed a better understanding of the limitations and possibilities when introducing new functionalities. We proactively involve developers at earlier stages, such as during the initial ideation phase, seeking their input on the feasibility of ideas. More often than not, they tell us that our ideas are impossible [laughter]. This initiates further discussions, and together, we ultimately find a compromise that satisfies both the design vision and technical constraints.

Q: How long does this process take?

When we encounter issues that are clearly identified as mistakes, we address them promptly, and the turnaround time is relatively short – typically within one to two weeks, the necessary adjustments are made, and the changes are ready to be deployed to the production environment. On the other hand, the implementation of new ideas follows a more extended timeline. It involves a thorough evaluation of the concept, careful planning, and meticulous execution. The duration of this process can vary significantly depending on the complexity and scope of the idea being implemented.

Q: What is UX working on right now? And what are the biggest challenges waiting for you?

Our current focus lies in the redesign process, aiming to enhance clarity and improve mobile-friendliness. After several years, it has become necessary to give our website a refreshing update. While we have made numerous additions and updates to accommodate the growth of Casino Guru and our expanding data, we now find ourselves at a pivotal moment to reevaluate our overall concept and redefine its purpose.

The most significant challenge we face revolves around the intricate aspects of individual casinos, user reviews, and discussions. As our platform continues to evolve, we strive to ensure that these elements are presented in the most comprehensive and user-friendly manner possible. Our goal is to create a website that offers a seamless and enjoyable experience for all visitors, emphasizing ease of use and, as mentioned earlier, prioritizing mobile-friendliness. This focus on mobile optimization is crucial, considering the increasing prevalence of mobile devices in the realm of online gambling.

Q: How did you initially get into the work you do now?

During my computer science studies, I ventured into e-commerce programming, initially focusing on backend development before transitioning to frontend. It was during this time that I discovered the fascinating world of UX. The concept of creating visually appealing, functional, and effective websites intrigued me greatly. In pursuit of this passion, I joined a marketing agency where I delved into UX and CRO (conversion rate optimization), even authoring my thesis on the subject.

For around 5 years, I honed my skills at the agency, working with clients of varying sizes and industries. However, I soon craved a more stable and ambitious project, where I could witness continuous progress firsthand. That's when I stumbled upon an opportunity with Casino Guru. What drew me in was the chance to contribute to a globally recognized project and the sense of freedom the company offered. Moreover, I was impressed by the organization's recognition of the importance of UX, a value shared by the management.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

Probably the fact that things are happening. I don't just work on projects for the sake of it. Naturally, I enjoy the fact that we are globally successful, attracting a good amount of traffic, and that I can see the results of my work on a global scale. It's a daily challenge for me, as we are continuously growing, and coming up with new things, and the current 17 languages we operate in already present quite a significant task. So, there is always room for growth.

Q: What is the biggest UX challenge about operating in 17 different languages?

I like to say that the problem with different languages in UX is something you don't realize until you put a Japanese flag on a white background and then wonder why there's just a red dot in the design [laughter].

Q: What does your typical day look like?

In my daily routine, I engage in numerous meetings where we address various topics, including UX perspectives on data and our website. Research plays a significant role as well, particularly in preparing questionnaires on subjects like bonuses. This method is relatively new to us but proves valuable in gathering information. We distribute the questionnaires to our newsletter subscribers, ensuring a diverse global sample. The collaboration with our subscribers, who offer valuable feedback, is highly appreciated, along with the exceptional Community led by Daniel Dolejsi.

Despite the time-consuming process of reading and extracting valuable conclusions from these responses, it has proven to be worthwhile. Our subscribers went the extra mile to provide us with interesting feedback, even without any promised rewards for their participation.

This interview is part of Casino Guru Insiders, a series of interviews during which experts from Casino Guru share their unique workflow, reveal insider information, and offer an exclusive overview of experience-packed know-how.