Action Face:
Scan Success at Scale

Designing a smoother face scan experience for high-volume, fast-paced NBA events.

Overview

Action Face is an app that lets users scan their face, customize a 3D avatar, and order a personalized 3D-printed action figure.

This project focused on improving the 3D face-scanning experience used by Action Face across major NBA events, including All-Star Weekend, Summer League, and Abu Dhabi Games. My role was to identify and resolve friction points during the scanning process—particularly in unpredictable event settings with variable lighting, noise, and large crowds.

I designed the onboarding flow and real-time scanning interface to help guests self-correct issues like bad lighting or blocked faces, ultimately reducing scan failures, increasing speed, and lowering staff intervention. These updates supported a smoother experience for over 14,000 users scanned in person.

Video shows recap of NBA Summer League event in Las Vegas, 2023

Challenge

Designing for Chaos, Not Control

At NBA events like All-Star and Summer League, guests scan their faces in crowded arenas using iPads to generate custom avatars. But lighting, glasses, and distractions caused frequent scan errors—slowing lines, frustrating users, and burdening staff.We needed to design a self-correcting flow that worked for everyone—kids, parents, and basketball stars alike—in less than 30 seconds per user.

How do you help first-time users successfully scan their face in a noisy arena in under 30 seconds—with little to no assistence?

Goals

User Needs

  • Successfully complete a scan

  • Get clear, fun instructions

  • Feel excited, not confused

  • Share the experience with friends

Business Needs

  • Increase scan completion rate

  • Reduce need for staff assistance

  • Increase scan quality

  • Maximize throughput at booths (seat-cycle)

  • Drive social engagement and purchases

Design KPIs

✅ Fewer failed scans

⚡ Faster average scan time

😊 Higher guest satisfaction

📈 Boosted share rate & purchase conversion

Design: Full User Flow

Onboarding -> Prep for Scan

🔍 Click to enlarge.

💡 UX Wins

  • Step-by-step visual instructions helped users self-correct before even attempting a scan.

  • Progressive disclosure kept the flow from feeling overwhelming — one tip at a time.

  • Clear do/don’t visuals for:

  • Removing glasses

  • Pulling back hair

  • Finding good lighting

  • Good vs. Bad examples showed users what success looks like, not just what to avoid.

Scan Experience

🔍 Click to enlarge.

💡 UX Wins

  • Live facial outline + symmetry guides helped users self-correct positioning.

  • Real-time tips like “Move closer,” “Clear hair,” and “Remove glasses” gave users feedback before failing.

  • Countdown and progress bar added clarity and anticipation.

  • Motion + color cues guided user focus without needing sound or staff prompts (to look at the camera).

  • Fun microinteractions (like the face outline “snapping in”) gave instant feedback that users were “doing it right.”

Scan Experience Video Sample

Smooth. Fast. Designed for real-world use.

This video shows the full face scan experience—optimized to be fast, intuitive, and frictionless for users across two environments:

  • iPads stationed at events (NBA, LA Marathon, Game Developers Conference, etc)

  • iOS app for fans to scan from home

The flow was designed to work seamlessly on both tablet and mobile, ensuring wide accessibility without compromising performance.

Scalable Design System

  • Created a scalable design system to unify the iPad app, iOS app, and browser-based flow.

  • Built mobile-first components—including buttons, icons, and scan feedback—that adapted across platforms.

  • Designed with reusability in mind, streamlining dev handoff and reducing design debt.

  • Ensured a cohesive and intuitive experience no matter where users interacted.

  • Enabled fast iteration and cross-platform consistency during future launches and updates.

User Testing

Outcomes

Quantitative Impact

  • ✅ 34% reduction in failed scans

  • ⚡ Scan time dropped from 42s → 27s

  • 📱 60% of users shared their avatar video

  • 🛒 66% converted to purchase (via QR follow-up)

  • 🌎 Scaled from hundreds to 14K+ users across 10+ major events
    Started at niche college football bowl games, and scaled to NBA Summer League, NBA All-Star, NBA Con, LA Marathon, MLW (Major League Wrestling), and Game Developers Conference.

Qualitative Wins

  • Booth staff reported fewer guest questions

  • Guests were excited and shared more

  • Kids and older fans completed flows independently

  • Guests were able to self-correct and re-scan if the first scan didn’t work

  • Guests often stayed longer to scan in multiple expressions!