Design is Direction

Soccer Player Analytic Dashboard

Overview

Team Lead

Senior Capstone Class

Figma

My Roles
Team Members
Tools
Client

As team lead for my senior capstone, I partnered with the Bradley University Men’s Soccer to design a data visualization platform for comparing players across D1 programs. We transformed complex, Python-based datasets into intuitive visuals, like interactive radar charts and field maps, so coaches could quickly interpret performance without relying on raw stats. I led the design direction, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and functional usability across all visualizations.

As team lead for my senior capstone, I partnered with the Bradley University Men’s Soccer to design a data visualization platform for comparing players across D1 programs. We transformed complex, Python-based datasets into intuitive visuals, like interactive radar charts and field maps, so coaches could quickly interpret performance without relying on raw stats. I led the design direction, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and functional usability across all visualizations.

Bradley University D1 Soccer Team

My Roles

Team Lead

Team Members

Senior Capstone Class

Tools

Figma

Client

Bradley University D1 Soccer Team

Spotlight

The Showstopper

Click to View Full Design

Research

Main Problem

Personas

Competitive Anaylsis

Interviews & Surveys

Tools like Wyscout separate data and video, making performance harder to interpret. They rely on raw stats and lack efficient comparison across players, teams, and seasons. This limits coaches’ ability to quickly make informed decisions.

We created multiple personas to capture the full range of user needs and technical abilities. Each group interacts with data differently, from high-level decision-making to deep analysis and personal performance tracking.

Plotting the Path

We analyzed platforms like Wyscout and StatsBomb to identify strengths, weaknesses, and patterns. We found most tools favor either depth or usability, rarely both. This led us to design a solution that balances powerful analytics with clarity and simplicity.

We analyzed platforms like Wyscout and StatsBomb to identify strengths, weaknesses, and patterns. We found most tools favor either depth or usability, rarely both. This led us to design a solution that balances powerful analytics with clarity and simplicity.

We gathered direct insights from coaches and players through interviews and surveys to understand real-world workflows and preferences. Coaches emphasized the need for visual comparisons like radar charts, while players preferred simple, table-based data views. This validated design directions and ensured the product reflects actual user behavior,

not assumptions.

Table of metrics for players

This UX journey follows the path from our project plan to clear direction through ideation, flows, and inspiration. Ready to keep going?


View the UX Journey

Click to view full process

We gathered direct insights from coaches and players through interviews and surveys to understand real-world workflows and preferences. Coaches emphasized the need for visual comparisons like radar charts, while players preferred simple, table-based data views. This validated design directions and ensured the product reflects actual user behavior, not assumptions.

Table of metrics for players

See it all in Figma

Want to view the first place wireframes? Click the button below to be taken to the design file!

Click to view design

Radar chart for Coach

Design

Image of what the coach wanted

What we designed

  • The high number of metrics made the visualization overwhelming.

  • The circular form reduced clarity between values and segments.

  • Overall, the chart became difficult to read and interpret quickly.

Initial Direction

Challenges
Design Takeaways

Iteration: Simplifying the System

  • Reduced 16 metrics into three categories (Possession, Attacking, Defending).

  • Limited each view to 5-6 key metrics for clarity.

  • Included toggle functionality to switch between player views.

Player

Team

Conference

Reports & Downloads

Admin

Team

Player

Admin

Conference

Reports & Downloads

50%

20%

60%

41%

80%

60%

30%

45%

77%

83%

Passes

Accurate Passes

Accurate Progressive Passes

Long Ball Ration

Fwd Ball Ration

Josh R.

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6’3

Weight: 195

Position: Center Back

Total

0

0

0

0

0

Goals

Category (Per 90 minutes)

Shots

Head Goals

Passes to final third

Passes to penalty area

Defending

Attacking

Possesion

Player

Team

Conference

Reports & Downloads

Admin

Team

Player

Admin

Conference

Reports & Downloads

50%

20%

60%

41%

80%

60%

30%

45%

77%

83%

Passes

Accurate Passes

Accurate Progressive Passes

Long Ball Ration

Fwd Ball Ration

Josh R.

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6’3

Weight: 195

Position: Center Back

Total

0

0

0

0

0

Goals

Category (Per 90 minutes)

Shots

Head Goals

Passes to final third

Passes to penalty area

  • Added a table beneath the radar for detailed stats.

  • Enabled player comparison, with indicator for compatibility across positions.

With the rise of AI in design, I explored whether it could replicate and evolve a human-designed radar chart.

Final output show here (Prompt 3 of 3)

Building on these insights, I combined the most effective elements from both approaches to create a more intuitive and refined final radar chart.

  • Human approach focused on reducing effort and improving flow.

  • AI expanded functionality, but often at the cost of usability and efficiency.

  • Best solution came from selectively refining AI-generated ideas.

  • Reinforced that AI supports exploration, while designers drive decision-making and clarity.

AI - Assist Exploration

Final Design (Refined Radar)

  • Replaced the circular form with a structured polygon, making comparisons easier to read.

  • Introduced side-by-side player views instead of toggling.

  • Added hover interactions for precise metric visibility.

  • Moved detailed stats to a separate view, reducing on-screen clutter.

  • Designed player cards with clear hierarchy (name, number, position, physical attributes) for quick context.

See it all in Figma

Want to view the first place wireframes? Click the button below to be taken to the design file!

Click to view design

Refining the Route Forward

  • The high number of metrics made the visualization overwhelming.

  • The circular form reduced clarity between values and segments.

  • Overall, the chart became difficult to read and interpret quickly.

Image 1: What the coach wanted

Image 2: What we Designed

  • Reduced 16 metrics into three categories (Possession, Attacking, Defending).

  • Limited each view to 5-6 key metrics for clarity.

  • Included toggle functionality to switch between player views.

Refining the Route Forward

  • Added a table beneath the radar for detailed stats.

  • Enabled player comparison, with indicator for compatibility across positions.

AI - Assist Exploration

With the rise of AI in design, I explored whether it could replicate and evolve a human-designed radar chart.

Final output show here (Prompt 3 of 3)

Design Takeaways

  • Human approach focused on reducing effort and improving flow.

  • AI expanded functionality, but often at the cost of usability and efficiency.

  • Best solution came from selectively refining AI-generated ideas.

  • Reinforced that AI supports exploration, while designers drive decision-making and clarity.

Building on these insights, I combined the most effective elements from both approaches to create a more intuitive and refined final radar chart.

Final Design (Refined Radar)

  • Replaced the circular form with a structured polygon, making comparisons easier to read.

  • Introduced side-by-side player views instead of toggling.

  • Added hover interactions for precise metric visibility.

  • Moved detailed stats to a separate view, reducing on-screen clutter.

  • Designed player cards with clear hierarchy (name, number, position, physical attributes) for quick context.

See it all in Figma

Want to view the first place wireframes? Click the button below to be taken to the design file!

Click to view design

Challenges

Impact

Final Solution

Impact

Lessons Learned

Next Steps

Expand the concept into a full dashboard, including homepage, player tables, and game insights. Further develop interaction patterns, user flows, and data-driven features to create a more complete and scalable experience.

Destination Reached

Simplified the radar chart into a clear, comparison-focused tool by reducing metrics, organizing them into key categories, and improving overall readability, balancing coach preferences with player usability.

Collaborated with the computer science team to translate design into build-ready solutions, gaining experience designing for real data environments.

.
Delivered a more usable alternative to the team’s existing tools, supporting clearer and more efficient player analysis.

Leading the team required balancing different design approaches while maintaining a cohesive direction.


I learned how to guide decisions through constructive feedback and questions, rather than control, while recognizing the importance of encouraging stronger design thinking across the team.

Final Solution

Collaborated with the computer science team to translate design into build-ready solutions, gaining experience designing for real data environments .

.
Delivered a more usable alternative to the team’s existing tools, supporting clearer and more efficient player analysis.

Next Steps

Impact

Where do you want
to go?

Let's find the next destination for great design together!

Preview Resume

Email

graceV6@icloud.com

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/grace_raatz

Where do you want
to go?

Let's find the next destination for great design together!

Preview Resume

Email

graceV6@icloud.com

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/grace_raatz