Recreational Pickup
Pickleball Players

Understanding and improving the experience for Recreational Pickup Pickleball Players (RPPPs).

Role

User Researcher

Team

Melissa Vozar
Melissa Cho
Emily Dooley
Corinne Hildebrandt
Mariam Saeedi

Timeline

January - March 2026

Tools

Figma
Trello

Over 10 weeks, my team and I decided to extensively research the target user group, which we termed Recreational Pickup Pickleball Players (RPPPs). We defined this group as players who primarily play an average of 1–12 times per month and primarily engage in open play.

Overview

In Northwestern’s User Research course, I developed practical skills for understanding user needs and applying research insights to inform product and service design decisions. Throughout the course, I gained hands-on experience selecting and conducting appropriate research methods to address real world challenges. I worked directly with users to gather insights, synthesize findings, and translate them into actionable recommendations. I also learned how to communicate research outcomes effectively by preparing a clear and compelling presentation.

Background

Pickleball's rapid growth has created a widening gap between player demand and the infrastructure available to support it. 44% of players cite overcrowded courts as the single biggest barrier to getting on the court, 39% of players struggle to find opponents of comparable skill, and no formal systems exist for most recreational players to find courts or compatible players. For casual, recreational players, the open play experience is filled with barriers that the sport has yet to solve.

Problem

  • Pickleball Players

  • USA Pickleball

  • Local Government & Parks

Stakeholders

To better understand the pain points and social dynamics at open play pickleball courts, my team and I conducted five field studies across diverse public court locations at varying times and days of the week, observing players in real-world environments.

Field Studies

My team and I conducted 11 qualitative user interviews with Recreational Pickup Pickleball Players (RPPPs) to gain deeper insight into the motivations, behaviors, and pain points.

Interviews

“A lot of times you drive 10, 15 minutes and you get to the court and you’re like, well, I’m like fourth in line for this game.” - User Interview Participant

“Nobody’s having any fun. The people who are bringing down the level aren’t having fun. The people who are playing way above the other people aren’t having fun.” - User Interview Participant

To gather quantitative data, my team and I developed and administered a survey completed by 330 participants, 161 of whom met the eligibility criteria. The results provided deeper insight into the behaviors, preferences, and needs of Recreational Pickup Pickleball Players (RPPPs).

Survey

RPPPs are engaged adults motivated by fitness first.

Partner coordination relies heavily on personal networks.

Open play rules are widely accepted but poorly communicated.

Uncertainty around court availability is the primary barrier to play.

Skill matching is important, but interpersonal compatibility matters more.

My team and I developed a user persona to better understand a Recreational Pickup Pickleball Player (RPPP).

User Persona

My team and I created a user journey map to visualize the end-to-end experience, identify pain points, and opportunities for an Recreational Pickup Pickleball Player (RPPP).

Journey Map

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Develop a real-time court availability tracking system.

Recommendation 2: Match RPPPs by skill level and intention.

Recommendation 3: Deliver queue and rotation clarity at the point of entry.

Recommendation 4: Create a court ambassador program.

Case Study Slides

Check out more of my work!