In our last blog post, we explored the creation of problem statements, hypothesis statements, and goal statements. These elements are crucial in defining the problems we need to solve, hypothesizing how our solutions will address these issues, and setting clear objectives for what we want to achieve. This time, we’re moving forward with the next step in our process: performing a competitive audit on direct and indirect competitors in the market.

What exactly does that mean? Referring to our goal statements, we’ve already identified the product type and actions, as well as the type of user our product will affect. A direct competitor will have a similar product and similar target user. An indirect competitor, on the other hand, will share either a similar product or serve a similar target user. Our next step is to establish clear goals for what we’ll be grading in each of our competitors' products during our UX testing.

Competitive audits are a key part of the UX design process, allowing us to analyze and evaluate the products already on the market. By understanding what our competitors are doing—both directly and indirectly—we can identify best practices, spot gaps in the market, and uncover opportunities for differentiation.

Competitive audits are particularly important at this stage because they help inform our design decisions. By grading each competitor on specific criteria that align with our goal statements, we ensure that our product not only meets but exceeds user expectations. Before diving into this process, it’s crucial to keep in mind the importance of objectivity and thoroughness, as these audits will form the basis for our design strategy moving forward.

Let’s revisit our user’s goal statements, as these are instrumental in guiding our competitive audit process. Each goal statement not only defines the purpose of our product but also highlights the key user needs it must address. This directly informs how we identify our competitors and what criteria we’ll use to evaluate their products.

Jamie’s Goal Statement:

Our mobile app will let users find and track varied and meaningful rewards for in-character roleplaying, pursuing in-character goals, being a VIP in combat, or helping their GM with admin tasks and rules. This will encourage players to remain engaged and attentive during sessions, benefiting both players and GMs.

Finding Competitors: We’ll look for mobile apps or tools that offer similar functionalities, such as reward tracking, player engagement features, or GM assistance tools.

Grading Criteria: We’ll evaluate how effectively these tools engage players, how intuitive the reward systems are, and how well the apps support both players and GMs.

Alex’s Goal Statement:

Our webapp will let users easily tie in their player character details and choices into their session preparation. This will help GMs make their players feel like their choices are vital to the story, which should, in turn, encourage players to take more initiative in roleplaying and action.

Finding Competitors: We’ll identify webapps that facilitate session preparation, especially those that incorporate player choices and backstory elements.

Grading Criteria: The focus will be on how seamlessly these tools integrate character details into session prep, the user experience for GMs, and the perceived impact on player engagement.

Taylor’s Goal Statement:

Our webapp will let users design encounters and other challenges that are dynamic and encourage creative thinking. This will help players who often struggle to stay engaged without snappy combat or interesting social encounters to feel more invested in the game.

Finding Competitors: Competitors include webapps that specialize in encounter design, dynamic challenge creation, and tools that promote player creativity.

Grading Criteria: We’ll assess the flexibility of challenge creation, the balance between structure and creativity, and the overall engagement level these tools provide.

Casey’s Goal Statement:

Our worldbuilding app will let users collaborate in real-time to create adventure locations and NPCs, adding interesting and useful details directly tied to their characters. This will help players who typically feel lost or unsure about initiating roleplaying or exploration become more confident and engaged.

Finding Competitors: We’ll explore worldbuilding apps and collaborative tools that allow for real-time creation and integration of story elements.

Grading Criteria: The evaluation will focus on the ease of collaboration, the depth of customization, and how well these tools enhance player confidence and engagement.

Tools we found and what they offer

During our competitive audit, we analyzed several tools that serve GMs and players in various ways. Here’s a summary of the tools we evaluated and the unique features they offer, based on our detailed analysis:

1. Roll20 (Direct Competitor for Taylor, Indirect for Jamie and Alex):

• Unique Features: Roll20 is a virtual tabletop platform with robust features for encounter design, player engagement, and session management. It supports dynamic combat scenarios and integrates various roleplaying elements, which align well with Taylor's needs for engaging and creative challenge design.
• Value: For Taylor, Roll20 offers flexibility in creating and running encounters that keep players invested. For Jamie and Alex, it indirectly supports their goals by providing tools that maintain player focus and integrate character choices into gameplay.

2. World Anvil (Direct Competitor for Casey, Indirect for Alex):

• Unique Features: World Anvil excels in collaborative worldbuilding, allowing GMs and players to create and manage detailed campaign settings together. This tool is particularly strong in real-time collaboration and customization of world elements.
• Value: World Anvil directly addresses Casey's need for collaborative campaign creation, enhancing player engagement by tying in character backstories and NPC relationships. For Alex, it indirectly supports session preparation by providing a platform for integrating character details into the broader campaign narrative.

3. D&D Beyond (Direct Competitor for Alex, Indirect for Jamie and Taylor):

• Unique Features: D&D Beyond is a comprehensive digital toolset for managing character sheets, running campaigns, and integrating player choices into session planning. It offers a structured approach to session writing, which aligns closely with Alex's needs.
• Value: For Alex, D&D Beyond provides tools that make it easy to incorporate player decisions into the story, enhancing the sense of player agency. For Jamie and Taylor, it indirectly supports their goals by offering features that keep players engaged through detailed session preparation and narrative integration.

4. Obsidian Portal (Indirect Competitor for Casey and Alex):

• Unique Features: Obsidian Portal is a campaign management tool focused on community-driven content creation. It allows GMs and players to document and share campaign details, including character backstories, maps, and NPC information.
• Value: For Casey, Obsidian Portal supports collaborative campaign building by enabling players to contribute to the campaign setting. For Alex, it offers a way to document and integrate player decisions into the session narrative, indirectly supporting his goal of making player choices central to the story.

5. Fantasy Grounds (Indirect Competitor for Taylor and Alex):

• Unique Features: Fantasy Grounds offers a rich, immersive virtual tabletop experience with extensive features for encounter management, player engagement, and session writing. It provides a high level of customization for GMs who want to create dynamic and engaging gameplay experiences.
• Value: For Taylor, Fantasy Grounds allows for intricate encounter design and real-time player interaction, directly supporting his need for dynamic challenges. For Alex, it offers tools that help tie player choices into the broader narrative, enhancing the storytelling experience.

6. Kanka.io (Direct Competitor for Casey, Indirect for Alex):

• Unique Features: Kanka.io is a worldbuilding and campaign management tool designed for collaborative storytelling. It supports real-time editing and extensive customization of campaign elements, making it a strong candidate for collaborative campaign building.
• Value: Kanka.io directly addresses Casey's need for a collaborative worldbuilding tool that engages players by involving them in the creation process. For Alex, it offers a platform for integrating character details into the campaign, indirectly supporting his goal of making player choices impactful.

We’ve outlined how our goal statements guide the competitive audit process. By identifying both direct and indirect competitors and establishing clear criteria for evaluation, we ensure that our design decisions are informed by a thorough understanding of the market. We’ve also shared some of the tools we found during our audit, each offering unique features that bring value to GMs and players alike. Understanding these tools helps us pinpoint what works well, what could be improved, and where there are opportunities for innovation.

Next, we’ll be grading the features and UX of these tools, and more that were identified, in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses in their design as compared to each of our audit goals. This information can later help us identify gaps in the market, which will help us determine how to design our product to stand out and provide unique value to our users. The insights gained from these audits will directly inform our ideation process, ensuring that the solutions we develop are not only innovative but also address real user needs in a meaningful way.

As we move forward with our competitive audits, I’d love to hear from fellow TTRPG enthusiasts and UX designers—what tools are you using in your sessions? Have you noticed any gaps or areas for improvement in these tools? Your insights could help shape the next big thing in TTRPG tools! Feel free to comment below or reach out directly. And for more updates on our journey, follow my blog on Itch.io. Let’s work together to create the ultimate TTRPG experience!