GaaS

Gamification-as-a-Service – SaaS Platform Transformation

Role

Product Manager

Duration

6 Months

Platform

SaaS

Overview

GaaS (Gamification-as-a-Service) is a SaaS platform I spearheaded to replace Goama's internal Django-based admin system. The goal was to create a scalable, self-service product that empowered Goama's service teams (and, in select cases, clients) to seamlessly configure gamified experiences. This included setting up applications, tournaments, branding, and advanced gamification features such as Daily Login, Visual Reward Maps, Missions, and Leaderboards — all without engineering support.

Background & Challenge

The need for GaaS emerged as Goama scaled globally with dozens of clients (e.g., Foodpanda, iPay, Tele2, PepsiCo). The legacy Django admin was engineering-heavy, complex, and not designed for non-technical users. Every new tournament, branding update, or client request required developer intervention, slowing down onboarding and feature deployment.

Core Challenge

                "How might we build a SaaS-style portal that simplifies operations, empowers internal service teams, and gives clients visibility or control where needed?"

Role & Responsibilities

Role: Product Manager – Platform Gamification (Goama)

Core Responsibilities

Defined SaaS vision and product scope for GaaS Portal

Led end-to-end design of client, app, and tournament configuration flows

Translated complex Django functions into intuitive SaaS UI & journeys

Authored detailed PRDs for Application Setup, Tournament Configurations, User Roles & Permissions, and Partner Portal Specs

Benchmarked competitive SaaS and gaming platforms (GameZop, Joyride, GameZBoost, Anzu, Branded Mini Games)

Coordinated with design, engineering, BD, and QA teams to execute MVP

Oversaw adoption metrics, internal training, and iteration cycles

Skills Employed

SaaS Product Strategy & Design

Gamification Frameworks (Octalysis, Fogg Behavior Model)

UX for Configurable Platforms (multi-level hierarchy flows)

Stakeholder Management & Internal Pitching

PRD Writing & Sprint Planning

KPI Definition (Time-to-Launch, Self-Service Rate, Retention Uplift)

Tools Used

Design & Planning

Figma – Wireframes, UI design, user journey flows
Google Docs – PRDs, Specs, Documentation
Trello/Jira – Sprint planning, backlog management

Analytics & Monitoring

Amplitude – Analytics dashboards for usage & retention

Problems & Opportunities

Business Problems

Django Admin was not scalable or user-friendly

Every partner integration required manual developer support

Onboarding was slow, and campaign launches were inconsistent

No self-service capabilities

Limited role-based permissions

Branding and UI customization required code edits and lack intuitiveness

Configurations lacked standardization

Unfriendly UI/UX

Opportunity Identified

Build a multi-tenant SaaS platform with role-based access (Global, Client, App)

Application & tournament setup wizards

White-label branding & UI customization

Gamification feature toggles (Daily Login, Reward Maps, Missions, Leaderboards)

Clearer picture on how to productize and modularize the platform with scalability in mind

Key Outcomes & Metrics

Pilot Rollout Duration: 6 months

70%

Reduction in Engineering Dependency

600+

Tournaments Launched via Portal

90%

Operational Adoption Rate

55%

Reduction in Configuration Errors

Efficiency Improvements

Avg. tournament setup time: ↓ from ~2–3 hours in Django to <30 mins using GaaS

Internal team usage: 6+ service teams across multiple markets actively using portal daily

Error rate: Configuration errors dropped by ~55% (due to wizards, role templates, and previews)

Operational Impact

Training new staff on tournament setup reduced from ~5 days to 1–2 days

Real-time preview features cut QA rework by ~40%

Support tickets related to campaign setup declined by ~50%

Work Process

Research & Discovery

Phase 1

Competitive Analysis: Reviewed GameZop, Joyride, GameZBoost, Anzu, and Branded Mini Games. Learned that most had either tournament management OR campaign customization but not both.

Client Workshops: Ran multiple sessions internally with the Tournament Managers who use Django Admin on daily basis to understand needs (brand control, faster setup, and feature toggles).

Internal Pain Point Review: Engineers and ops flagged Django's rigidity as a blocker to scaling.

SaaS Design Approach

Phase 2

This was my first time designing a SaaS platform from the ground up. To guide my process, I studied Amplitude, a SaaS tool I was already familiar with. From Amplitude, I drew inspiration from hierarchical navigation (accounts → projects → dashboards), onboarding flows (guided setup, contextual tooltips), and dashboard modularity (moving from high-level metrics to detailed insights).

Product Design & Prototyping

Phase 3

Defined 3-level hierarchy: Account → Application → Tournament. Created wireframes for Application Setup, Tournament Config, Role Management. Designed role-based UI rendering (Super Admin, Client Admin, App Admin, Viewer). Embedded gamification feature toggles (Daily Login, Missions, Reward Maps).

PRD Writing & Development

Phase 4

Authored multiple PRDs covering core modules: User Roles & Permissions, Application Setup, Tournament Configurations, Partner Portal SaaS Specs. Prioritized MVP scope: tournament setup, branding, daily missions.

Testing & QA

Phase 5

Conducted usability testing with internal ops team to validate workflows and identify pain points before full rollout.

Key Insights

Design Philosophy

                "I consolidated all observations into a pain point map, which became the backbone for the improvements: intuitive wizards, role templates, white-label branding, and gamification toggles. This blend of external SaaS benchmarking, daily hands-on empathy, and direct input from internal users shaped my design approach and ensured the solution was rooted in real operational needs."