Players are the most essential users in a pick-up game community. They are the ones playing the games so they stake the most on the quality of play. Players will consider time/location constraints as well as the average skill of the participants and familiarity with participants in a game. Players need an efficient way of searching through games and filtering the ones that are most relevant to them.
Persona: Kevin Durant is twenty year old kid in college looking to play basketball when he has time to kill. He loves to play, but hates when he comes to the court and there are no good games to join. Durant does not play at regular times because he's trying to fit basketball in around his other priorities, such as school work and extracurricular activities. He'll play three to four times a week at the gym at his school. Ideally, Durant would rather play with people he knows, or at least people with similar skill levels.
Organizers propose games that others can choose to participate in. They have editing privileges over the game parameters, so they can control changes that need to be made to time, location, or players. Organizers are the initiators and often are found recruiting others to play in their games.
Persona: George Karl is a fifty year old anaesthesiologist working in Boston. Karl does not have a lot of time to play, but needs the exercise to stay fit. He usually finds it difficult to just walk in to a gym and run with the kids he finds. He would much rather play with adults his own age, who play at his pace. He has a few friends in his private practice that he likes to ball with. Karl is typically the one to get things started. He will take care of the details to bring his friends together.
Observers watch games from the sidelines. They may be interested in just watching some games live. More likely, they are interested in following people they know. Observers may stop in on a game to cheer on their friends.
Persona: Spike Lee is a film director who loves the game of basketball, but isn't physically capable of playing himself. The next best thing for him is to watch games played out by others. Spike prefers to watch games played at a high level because he has a sophisticated taste for basketball. He has made friends with a few players at his local gym. When his schedule permits, Spike likes to watch the friends that he has made so he can cheer for them and jeer at the other guys.
Casual interlopers like to drop in on games whenever it suits them. They do not necessarily schedule themselves to play in a game ahead of time. Interlopers may just be fickle or they prefer to scope out the competition before they commit to playing.
Persona: Cheryl Miller is 40 year old news analyst who played some professional basketball in her earlier years. Cheryl goes to the gym quite frequently. However, if there aren't any quality games going on, she is content to just shoot jumpers on her own. She wants to check if good competition will be around before she heads to the gym, but will not step on the court unless that games are being played hard.
Referees also exist within this ecosystem if the games require strict adherence to the rules. Referees tend not to partake in recreational pick-up games, but they may be honing their officiating skills or just have a passion for rules and regulations.
Persona: Dick Bavetta is an 80 year old retired bond trader. He can no longer play basketball, but is still an avid supporter of the game. He has played in college so he has a strong understanding of the rules. He thinks it's important for young people to appreciate the fundamental regulations of the game. Bavetta voluntarily gives his time at his local gym to referee the recreational games that are played there. He likes to take part in games where the average skill level is low so he can do a little teaching as well.
Goal: Register on the website
Goal: Suggest a game for others to join and play
Goal: Join a game of interest
Goal: Leave a game because of other commitments or because the game is no longer of interest
Goal: Change the details for a game
Goal: Change information on public profile
Goal: Add buddies to buddy list
Goal: Remove buddies to buddy list
Goal: Find a specific game easily