The Commander's Quarters
Designing Digital Experiences That Elevate the User Journey
Designing Digital Experiences That Elevate the User Journey
In July 2018, I embarked on a passion project, creating The Commander's Quarters, a YouTube channel centered around budget-focused content for the popular game Magic: The Gathering. What started as a fun creative outlet quickly grew into something much more. With a commitment to high-quality design and thoughtful content, I developed a community-driven channel that became a key resource in its niche. Eight months later, after witnessing the channel's rapid growth and the community’s positive response, I took a leap of faith and transitioned to working on it full-time.
YouTube ChannelLaunching and scaling a content-driven digital platform with no prior experience required building everything from the ground up—brand identity, content strategy, community engagement, and monetization—while maintaining high design standards. A significant challenge was learning to adapt to evolving user needs and feedback while ensuring consistency in both content quality and visual identity.
My goal was to create a welcoming, budget-friendly resource that made the game more accessible. I wanted to design a unique digital experience that engaged users, encouraged community participation, and delivered high-value, consistent content while remaining approachable and fun.
As the founder and digital experience designer, I wore many hats, including:
• Brand Designer: Created the logo, brand assets, merchandise, and visual identity.
• UX/UI Designer: Designed layouts for videos, thumbnails, and social media assets in Sketch and Figma to ensure a consistent and intuitive visual experience.
• Content Strategist: Developed and refined content strategies based on user feedback and analytics.
• Community Manager: Built and maintained a thriving community across YouTube, Discord, and social media platforms.
• Video Producer & Editor: Self-taught in video editing, producing over 2,000 videos using iMovie and later Final Cut Pro X.
The design approach centered around user feedback and iterative improvements. From the outset, I emphasized a clean and approachable visual style, using a piggy bank logo to highlight the budget-friendly theme. Pink became the primary brand color, helping the channel stand out visually in a crowded digital landscape.
Key Step #1: Brand Identity Creation
The name The Commander's Quarters was carefully chosen to reflect both the game format (Commander) and the focus on budget (Quarters). I designed a piggy bank logo to reinforce the channel's core theme.
Key Step #2: Community Feedback Loop
I engaged directly with the community through comments, social media, and the channel's Discord server, ensuring that design and content decisions reflected user needs.
Key Step #3: Content Evolution
Initially focused solely on budget deck-building, I expanded content offerings to include strategy discussions, gameplay episodes, news coverage, and opinion-based content, all guided by audience preferences.
Building a thriving community was a cornerstone of the channel’s success. I started by interacting with the community through the comments section on my episodes, hearing directly from them about what they liked and what could be improved. I then expanded engagement by launching a Discord server and fostering connections across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, where I accumulated over 28,000 followers. I also hosted a monthly contest to encourage community involvement, helping shape content around what users wanted to see. Additionally, I successfully launched four Kickstarter campaigns, working with artists to create merchandise that deeply connected with the community. This approach cultivated a loyal and engaged audience, enhancing the overall experience.
Consistency in design across all touch-points was critical. I developed a modular design system for thumbnails and video assets, ensuring a cohesive user experience across platforms. The design principles were rooted in clarity, accessibility, and visual appeal. I utilized a variety of tools and resources.
Sketch & Figma
For creating wireframes, layouts, and visual assets.
Adobe Creative Suite
For graphic design and image editing.
Final Cut Pro X
For video editing and production.
Over time, The Commander's Quarters grew into one of the most popular channels of all time in its niche, with over 300,000 subscribers and a community of 50,000+ followers across various platforms. Key results include:
Rapid Audience Growth
Achieved 300,000+ subscribers within five years, driven by high-quality, user-centric content.
High Engagement Rates
Consistent interaction from the community, with increased engagement following design and content optimizations.
Brand Recognition
The distinct visual identity helped The Commander's Quarters stand out, leading to partnerships and sponsorship opportunities.
Creating and growing The Commander's Quarters has been an incredible journey, filled with learning and growth. The experience honed my skills in digital experience design, user engagement, and brand development—skills that I am excited to bring to future UX/UI design roles. This project taught me the importance of designing with the user in mind, iterating based on real-world feedback, and building meaningful digital experiences that resonate.
Throughout this journey, I gained invaluable insights into user-centered design, content strategy, and community engagement:
Adaptability is Key
Continuously evolving content and design based on user feedback kept the channel relevant and engaging.
Consistency Builds Trust
Maintaining a consistent brand identity and content quality fostered a loyal and supportive audience.
Iterative Design
Small, continuous improvements based on analytics and feedback drove long-term success.
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Shaping Unique Gameplay Experiences Through Strategic Design
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"We are made to persist...that's how we find out who we are."
