The Qatar Basketball Federation website plays a crucial role in connecting players, fans, and the broader basketball community, but its current experience falls short of that mission. The site feels outdated, difficult to navigate, and disconnected from the needs of its users.
This research takes a user-centered approach to rethink and redesign the QBF platform. By applying Jakob Nielsen's usability heuristics, identifying key personas, and reworking the site's structure and features, we aim to create a digital experience that's clear, engaging, and purpose-driven, all in time for Qatar's spotlight on the global stage as the host of the FIBA World Cup 2027.
16 · Al Rayyan, Qatar
28 · Wakrah, Qatar
Understanding user needs through the lens of our personas.
| Section | Yusef needs | Layla needs |
|---|---|---|
| Hero banner | Motivation to explore the journey in QBF | National pride; the World Cup banner could be the fit |
| Navigation tiles | Join the team, team view | Player profile, media room |
| Match info | Upcoming games | Real-time scoreboard, archives |
| Social space | Highlights and reels, fetched from linked social media | Behind the scenes / post match, fetched from the media itself |
| Footer | Contact support | Email and media kit links |
A critical look through the lens of usability principles, identifying what works, what confuses, and what needs redesign. This evaluation, guided by Nielsen's 10 heuristics, reveals the subtle gaps that disrupt user flow and highlights opportunities to enhance clarity, consistency, and control.
| Heuristic | Observed UX issue | Design breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility of system status | Users receive no visual feedback when switching pages | Missing progress indicators |
| Match between system and real world | Complex terms for each section | Compared to standard terms commonly used in sports and basketball platforms, the terminology in QBF's navigation is less intuitive. |
| User control and freedom | The QBF interface offers limited flexibility once users begin a task. There are no visible back buttons, undo actions, or clear exit points in forms or interactive areas. | Navigation menus are not sticky or context-aware, so users lose orientation when scrolling or switching pages. |
| Consistency and standards | The QBF website lacks visual and functional consistency across its pages, which confuses users and reduces their confidence in navigation and content comprehension. | Headings, subheadings, and body text vary in size, weight, and font family across different pages, disrupting visual hierarchy and readability. |
| Aesthetic and minimalist design | The QBF website suffers from visual clutter and an overloaded layout | Multiple competing banners, news sections, and image carousels are stacked without clear visual hierarchy or breathing space. |
A unified view combining multiple user personas into a single journey, highlighting shared touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities for a streamlined, cohesive experience.
| Stage | Shared user goals | Shared pain points | Design opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Find upcoming games | Hard and confusing to find the right key | Bring up card tiles, a quick click-through direction |
| Navigation | Access quick features / navigation | Nav labels are unclear | Simplify nav with clear terms, including language selection |
| Exploration | Understand schedule | Not mobile friendly | Make it mobile responsive |
| Action | Follow up | Not a structured web layout | Design dedicated landing sections where users can easily track ongoing activities or next steps without confusion |
Comparing regional platforms to uncover what works, what's missing, and where QBF can lead.
Restructured to align with user behavior, simplify navigation, and create a role-based hierarchy. The new IA ensures that fans, players, coaches, and sponsors can intuitively access the content they need, when they need it.
A structured layout built to match user expectations, organizing content by key needs and the IA sections above.
| User | Key needs | IA sections |
|---|---|---|
| Fan | Fixtures, tickets | Home, Fan Zone, Fixtures & Results |
| Athletes | Registrations, team info | Home, Join QBF, Teams |
| Sponsor | Exposure, contact and reports | Home, About QBF |
| Media team | Access to press and updates | Home, Media, Fixtures & Results |
The current UI lacks structured hierarchy and visual clarity, making it difficult for users to find what they need.
A reimagined layout built for performance, clarity, and user engagement.
From wireframe to game frame: the new QBF in full form.
