Beach Data Layer: Product Case Study

At World Surf League I have ownership over a newly developed scoring system called Beach Data Layer (BDL). BDL is our system for judging competitive surfing, covering all aspects of operation from judge interfaces to on-site display boards and connecting to our digital products through our API. It was conceptualized and developed under my lead in 2017 and successfully launched in all international regions. Below are interfaces created for specific user functions.

1. Opportunity

The World Surf League has been rebranding as a digital-first sport since acquiring the Association of Surfing Professionals in 2014. There have been major additions to our offering in recent years, including improvements to the web experience and the launch of mobile and connected device apps.

Surfing was becoming a leader in the innovative sports technology space, but we were still relying on a legacy system operating at our events. Beach Byte had been the long-running platform for judges to enter scores, relay event status to athletes and calculate results. It had been capable of computing a surfing competition since the nineties, but was very self-contained. The result was an FTP solution for our new digital platforms that allowed BB to send event files to our core stack for ingestion.

There were massive complications to this, including connectivity delays in remote event locations and manual data entry occurring on the beach (often with errors or formatting issues). Our bug escalation system was sufficient, though, and a case could not yet be made for a new scoring system.

In 2016, it was announced that surfing would be an Olympic Sport at the 2020 games. It was not clear which surfing organization would be involved in those operations, and we knew that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would be investigating our system integrity in the coming years.

In late 2016, the World Surf League partnered with WSC Sports, an innovator in clipping tools for sports broadcasts. WSC promised a product that could create athlete highlights automatically, fully integrated with our O&O and social streams. I took this opportunity to propose the value of a new scoring system based on the investment WSL had committed to WSC, the limitations in valuable data from Beach Byte, and the effort that would be required during that integration. A new scoring system would not only provide value to WSC outputs, but also build the foundation for other innovations, such as VR/AR fan experiences, that were being discussed. Additionally, there were minor integrity holes in Beach Byte that would not hold up to IOC standards. These objectives were aligned well with our company vision, and the budget proposal was approved.

2. Process

The objective was to design a new, graphic integrated scoring system with API data distribution channels. The purpose was to increase the speed and accuracy of our data from an event site, redistribute it to our digital products and enhance the overall WSL offering. The new product, Beach Data Layer (BDL), would provide greater opportunity to drive engaging athlete stories, advance our user experiences with current and future technologies, create an additional revenue stream through API licensing, and provide the best option for operating at the Olympic Games.

The scope for BDL included a phased approach for the design, testing, operational trials, acceptance and transition. Success was defined as implementing a product which passed all performance and field testing, achieved the goal of data integration, received positive operational feedback during trials, and launched without significant setback or additional budget.

The research phase for an initial requirements document was extensive. First, I consulted each stakeholder group. This included our Commissioner Office and Head Judges in Australia, our Scoring Operations teams in South America, France, South Africa and Japan, the Beach Byte developers in Brazil, and our internal Editorial, Social, Marketing, Partnerships and Legal teams. Across these groups, I outlined the product opportunity and value it would serve each department:

Commissioner Office and Judges: Simpler admin and control interfaces will make judging easier. Reporting will make it simple to audit judging performance for quality analysis.
Digital Product: Streamlined scoring into core stack will automate front-end data with 100% accuracy. Richer data will provide digital with asset opportunities.
Broadcast: Simpler, local data will speed up graphics creation; richer, real-time data will influence high-end graphics deliverables and statistical commentary. Stats will also provide brand-able inventory for sales.
Post Production: Logging will simplify full stream tagging, making clips easier to use and find anywhere in the broadcast. Rich and real-time integration with WSC tools will deliver highly defined content to user screens with limited lag.
Social and Editorial: Logging (live clips) will provide teams a more accurate and agile system for search features, as close to real-time as possible.

Once aligned on this goal, everyone was invited to collaborate in a brainstorm document. We needed to exhaust all perspectives of how beach data affected departments other than our own, as well as identify as many edge-case scenarios as possible prior to development. I outlined four clear objectives for this document:

Operations
- Hardware itemization
- Personnel and roles
- Data structure and flow
Users
- Role and function
- Feature requirements
- Edge cases
Pain-Points
- What a new system can improve for each team
Additions
- Any additional feature requests

In parallel, I was working to find the best development team to fit our needs. Fight Metric Productions (FMP) had recently built a scoring system and graphics package for the UFC that dramatically enhanced broadcast and digital experience for fans. They emerged as the clear partner for our new product, as they had extensive experience with a complex niche sport in an international environment. Additionally, their bid was competitive and would allow for some flexibility.

With scope and requirements completed, I segmented the build into the following deliverables for a work-back plan:

Items

Beach Data System

API In & Out
Local Web Server
Scoring, Results, Logging, Stats Integration
Redundancy/Replication
Graphics System Upgrade to new BDS API

Tasks:

1.1 Research (WSL Internal)

1.2 Design BDL Data Model

1.3 Spec for API

1.4 Design Interfaces

1.5 Build Data Model and API Calls

1.6 Build Servers and Interfaces

1.7 Test API Calls to/from WSL

1.8 Test API Calls to/from Scoring/Graphics/Logging

2 & 3. Scoring System

Design & Development
Judge, Head Judge, Priority Judge & Admin for Scoring
Scores, Commentator & Analyst Screens
Master Clock

Tasks – Scoring:

2.1 Design Scoring/Priority/Head Judge/Admin/Timing Interfaces and Workflow

2.2 Build Interfaces

2.3 Build Timing and Scoring Back-End

2.4 Test Scoring Input (WSL)

2.5 Test Timing and Scoring Input and Output (FM)

2.6 Integrate Updated Scoring Data with WSL API

Tasks – Scores, Commentator & Analyst Screens:

3.1 Design Scores, Commentator Main, Commentator Analyst Screens

3.2 Build Scores, Commentator Main, Commentator Analyst Screens

3.3 Test Scores and Commentator Screens

4. Broadcast Logging

Logging App
Upgrades to BDS
Upgrade to Graphics
Clips/Tag Output

Tasks:

4.1 Logging System and Interface Design

4.2 Build Logging Interfaces and Back-End

4.3 Test Logging

4.4 Integrate Logging with WSL API

Throughout development I worked with the FM team over Slack for daily communication and Confluence for requirements documentation and stories. Finally, the project was broken down into epics, stories, tasks and sub-tasks in Jira for development and phased rollout.

We also researched the most appropriate hardware. By provisioning multiple devices and testing in realistic environments, we concluded that Microsoft Surface Pro tablets were best suited. These machines offered the longest battery life with maximum brightness, could withstand atmospheric moisture and heat, offered the least glare and were middle-class in weight and cost. This has presented an additional opportunity for our sales team and they have been discussing a partnership with Microsoft.

3. Outcome

To maximize value for each of three planned field tests, I aligned them around actual events with a replicated judging station. Because these dates could not be changed, it was critical to success that we hit each target date. I am happy to report that we did.

Each test exposed new international team members to the product; this allowed us to identify edge cases and nuance on a per-region basis. These tests resulted in new features and product versions that improved user experience and functionality. Here is a list of some of those iterations:

Head Judges
- Have both greater control to see scoring entry, including multiple score editing and interference, plus complete heat and clock control.
Judges
- Can score any wave in any order, vote electronically on both paddle and wave interference, see live heat time in their interface, no longer need to individually move on to the next heat.
Operators
- Faster event creation, simple management of every aspect of the system, data feed monitoring, and easy reporting (print and digital).
Commentator Screens
- Powerful broadcast support.
Commentator Clock Control
- Retaining control of the clock with beach commentators in an extremely simple interface.
Multiple Public Screen Views
- Service the general public with a clean, simple view and service commentators and athletes with a classic waterfall view or hide all screens for edits when needed.
Priority Reporting Screens
- Clients available on any device on the network that display priority live when it is being manually changed on large boards. Used in many small competitions.
Commentator Screens
- Powerful broadcast research tools surfacing existing data and new stats to broadcasters, updating live and touch-enabled.
Live Logging
- Noting the start, end, and wave direction, permitting stats on ride length and direction breakdown while also powering live highlight clipping for digital.

We mapped a full implementation plan for the end of 2017 that resulted in complete training for international operators and hardware distribution.

4. Summary

The development of this product was in addition to my day-to-day roles with managing our web and app products. I believe it best showcases abilities otherwise absent from a resume, such as aligning major stakeholders and organizing a vision across multiple teams, both internal and third-party. These qualities are somewhat intangible, but success is much more achievable when there is a community mindset and team atmosphere, and I believe I have the ability to unite people towards a common goal.

I am proud to have completed this successfully on time and under budget; BDL is already playing a key role in driving unique profit streams and will undoubtedly represent a turning point for professional surfing.

5. References

Alon Cohen, SVP at Zuffa LLC (formerly FM Productions):

“Michael manages the largest projects that we do with World Surf League. He has vision, organization and understands how to execute on complex projects in a corporate environment.”