NRL: MyLeague
The NRL MyLeague is the official community
rugby league app
THE PROBLEM
The NRL MyLeague app is a platform designed to support local rugby league communities. It provides tools for managing teams, tracking fixtures and results, live scoring, and communication. Focused on grassroots rugby league—community-level clubs, players, and junior leagues—the app simplifies match-day organisation and fosters stronger connections between local participants and the professional NRL.
Whilst the application provided fundamental functionality, several critical issues impacted its effectiveness in serving the community:
-
Navigation complexity hindered quick access to essential match-day information
-
Limited personalisation capabilities reduced relevance for specific team followers
-
Players, coaches, parents, and referees all require different resources, such as training videos, match schedules, and notifications, which are not easily customisable in the current app.
-
When accessing external content, like videos and articles from the NRL website, the experience does not feel seamless.
-
Users are often redirected outside the app, disrupting their journey and making it harder to return to the home page.
HIGH LEVEL TIMELINE
7 weeks
MY ROLE
Research analysis and product design
KEY GOAL
To optimise the MyLeague app user experience to strengthen engagement with local rugby communities.
THESE ARE SOME SNAPSHOTS OF
THE ORIGINAL APP LAYOUT
The original NRL: MyLeague app was in need of an update. It had a single continuous scroll interface that was not very intuitive or customisable for users. This made it difficult to find and track specific information within the app.
While it served its basic purpose, the MyLeague app was outdated in terms of design and functionality. The NRL MyLeague team saw an opportunity to completely overhaul the app to create a more modern, user-friendly experience for fans to better follow their favourite teams and players.
MY ROLE
My work involved translating insights into actionable strategies to drive value and innovation within the rugby league community.
I conducted comprehensive research and applied various UX design methodologies to reimagine the grassroots rugby league experience.
Key activities included:
-
Conducting user research to identify pain points and opportunities.
-
Developing user personas to represent key grassroots stakeholders.
-
Creating customer journey maps and service blueprints
-
Designing wireframes for improved digital touchpoints
-
Aligning the platform with the needs of grassroots participants and NRL goals.
-
Implementing service design thinking principles throughout the process.
-
Proposing value propositions and strategies to enhance community engagement.
In order to create a solution that truly meets the needs of the users, I focused on synthesising a variety of research sources, including best practices from similar apps, insights from the NRL's branding and website functionality, as well as direct feedback from user interviews and app reviews.
This comprehensive approach allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the challenges and expectations of the target users, and ultimately inform my design decisions.
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
Synthesising Existing Research
-
Reviewed and categorised user complaints, usability issues, and general feedback to identify recurring patterns. T
Mapping Overlapping User Roles
-
Recognising the diversity of user roles within the grassroots community was critical. Parents of junior players, referees, coaches, and players each interact with the app differently.
-
I uncovered areas where these roles shared similar needs, such as ease of navigation, seamless communication features, and accurate real-time data.
Jobs-to-be-Done Framework
-
To unify these insights, I applied the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework to create a holistic user story that captured the goals of all roles within the NRL grassroots community.
As a UX designer on the MyLeague app redesign, I first analysed prior user research to uncover core pain points in the existing app experience. This informed my high-fidelity wireframing and prototyping of solutions to simplify sign-in, better categorise homepage content, and keep external links within the app.
MY ROLE
User Story Statement
"When using the NRL MyLeague app, I want to easily manage and switch between my different roles—whether as a player, parent, coach, or referee—so that I can receive tailored notifications, access relevant match information, and review content specific to my involvement in rugby league. I want to customise my experience to suit my needs, ensuring that all resources, such as training videos, match footage, and coaching tips, are easily accessible, and that navigating between different sections feels seamless and intuitive. This will allow me to stay organised, informed, and engaged with the rugby community."
I want a consistent experience when accessing external content on the NRL website and an easy way to navigate back to my home page.
I would like to set up individual profiles for each of my roles (player, parent, referee, coach) to better manage my participation in the rugby league.
I want to easily switch between profiles without needing separate login details, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience.
I want to review the footage and results of the games I took part in to evaluate my performance and stay updated.
I want to customise my home page with relevant resources, including training videos, coaching guides and age-specific materials.
I would like to receive tailored notifications and updates regarding match schedules, training sessions, and events related to the teams I participate in.
BREAKING DOWN THE PROCESS
To redesign the MyLeague app experience, I utilised a range of UX processes, including;
-
research analysis
-
competitor analysis
-
user story development
-
sketching
-
wireframing
-
low and high fidelity prototyping
-
user testing
Initial ideas were sketched before wireframes fleshed out the details.
Low-fidelity prototypes enabled quick validation before developing high-fidelity interactive prototypes for more comprehensive user testing.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |
REFRESHED UPDATE FOR THE NRL: MYLEAGUE APP
The revamped MyLeague app aimed to provide an enhanced user experience through an updated layout and new features.
Based on user feedback, the login and signup process has been streamlined to be simpler and more customisable.
The homepage now utilises categories to better organise content and help users quickly find what they are looking for. All external links will open directly within the app to provide a seamless experience.
During testing, users responded positively to the easy account setup, improved homepage layout, and in-app article pop-ups.
However, they wanted the ability to skip signup and go directly to the homepage as well as have a profile button on the homepage for signing out.
The first iteration of the new app layout still contained the previous single scroll for all content, which testers disliked which is what led to the decision to categorise the pages.
Overall, the proposed version focuses on modernising the interface and functionality to create a more immersive experience for fans following their favourite teams and players.
The login and signup process has been simplified and made more customisable. Users can choose one or more profile types to switch between or opt to skip this step for now and complete it later.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Users can easily search for their connected teams and make selections. Information such as home page details, game schedules, locations, and scores will be readily available for those selected teams, eliminating the need for repeated searches. Additionally, message boards and player details will be accessible for the chosen teams.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |
The homepage is now customisable, allowing users to select preferred content. External sites, including videos and articles, will open directly within the app, ensuring a smoother experience without redirecting users to a new site.
 |  |
|---|---|
 |
User research analysis revealed core pain points around signing in, customising the homepage, and external links. To address this, the sign-in flow was simplified and personalised, homepage content recategorised, and external links set to open within the app.
LESSONS LEARNED
User testing showed people liked the simplified sign-in and recategorised homepage but wanted easier account management and homepage content improvements. To capitalise on these insights, the next iteration could allow skipping sign-in, add a profile button for account controls, and refine content layout and grouping.
By thoroughly analysing prior research and conducting generative testing, key user needs were uncovered. The prototype iterations leveraged these insights by directly targeting identified pain points and honing the design based on user feedback. This user-centred, iterative approach led to an experience better tailored to fan needs and preferences.
"After testing the NRL MyLeague app prototype, I must say the sign-in process is incredibly seamless – a user-friendly experience from the get-go. The customisability of the homescreen is a game-changer, allowing me to tailor the app to my preferences effortlessly. It's a refreshing take on user interaction and showcases the app's commitment to providing an intuitive and personalised experience."