MSN SPORTS HUB 2.0
DESIGN SPRINT
Summary
The HUB 2.0 project is a complete revamp of the sports experience on MSN (now Microsoft Start.com). Through a design sprint, we aimed to create inspirational concepts that explored new directions for sports engagement, laying the foundation for a richer, more dynamic experience for users.
Early concept during team showcase
Sprint Principles
Our approach was guided by three key design pillars:
Personalization & Freshness
A tailored landing page focused on user interests, ensuring newest content visibility and higher engagement
Scalability
A modular, templatized approach that adapts seamlessly across various sports with available data points
Navigation Optimization
A redesigned navigation model for improved usability and intuitive access to sports content
My Role
I partnered with two segment designers within MSN space, leading the design process for Premier League soccer as a pioneer project, successfully shaping the North Star direction for the sports experience on MSN.
Teams
MSN Sports Engineering Team & Leads
Sports SMEs and PMs
Segment Designers from MSN Sports & News
Design Researchers
Partners
Bing Search Team
Accessibility Support
MSN Design System Org
The Journey
To reimagine the Premier League sports experience, I began with an extensive research phase, including:
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Premier League brand storytelling
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Current MSN Sports platform analysis
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Competitive deep dives & industry benchmarking
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Moodboarding for inspiration
These insights provided a solid foundation for data displays, IA structure, visual language, and UI design decisions, ensuring the revamp felt cohesive and user-driven.
User Interviews
To design a truly user-centric experience, we conducted global fan interviews to understand their content consumption habits:
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12 NFL fans + 12 soccer fans (US, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, UK)
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Key insights gained:
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User motivations behind sports engagement
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Preferred information channels (websites, apps, social media)
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Most valued content & features
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Mobile vs. desktop consumption behavior
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Personalization expectations & game-day experiences
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Biggest frustrations with existing platforms
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More importantly, from the researches and interviews we conducted above, I came up with the initial set of data modules based on research insights.
Iterative Design Process
With those module ideations, I began the iterative design journey, refining concepts from low to high fidelity.
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Landing Page & Game Center - two design directions explored:
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Safe Approach: Following MSN's existing framework for familiarity
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GO WILD Concept: A single, dynamic layout, pushing the boundaries of sports engagement
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For the Game Center, which provides match details for users' favorite teams and players, I addressed three key game scenarios:
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Pre-game insights
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Live game tracking
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Post-game analysis
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Mobile responsiveness enhancements
Official Release & Future Plans
The segment team continues polishing and implementing the new MSN Sports experience on Microsoft Start.com, with plans to:
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Support additional sports leagues
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Expand content offerings for deeper user engagement