Here We Go Again... Part II
The Design and Development Journey of cs2investments.com
This post is sponsored by cs2investments.com
Unlock the full potential of your Counter-Strike skin investments with CS2Investments - your ultimate dashboard for tracking, analyzing, and managing your skin portfolio.
Author: Fred
Fred is a product manager with a passion for building innovative tools in emerging markets. Connect with him on LinkedIn: Fred's LinkedIn
In Part I of this series, we explored the idea behind cs2investments.com and the problem it solves for Counter-Strike (CS2) skin investors. Now, it’s time to take a closer look at how the project is coming to life. This post will dive deep into the design and development process of cs2investments.com. From early sketches to building the landing page, I'll walk you through the steps I took to turn an idea into a real product.
If you're interested in design, development or even just curious about how to launch a SaaS product, this guide is for you.
The Vision – From Sketch to Strategy
Starting With a Clear Goal
Before jumping into design and development, I needed to establish a clear vision for the product. I asked myself:
What’s the main purpose of cs2investments.com?
Who is the target audience?
How should the product feel and look?
The answers shaped every decision moving forward. The goal was simple: create a user-friendly, visually appealing platform that makes tracking Counter-Strike skins easy and fun. The audience included both casual collectors and serious investors, so the design had to strike a balance between being beginner-friendly and offering advanced features.
Sketching the Concept
I started with basic sketches. On paper, I mapped out the key screens:
Home Page: A clean landing page that explains the value proposition.
Dashboard: The core feature where users can see their portfolio and track trends.
Sign-Up Page: A simple, frictionless way for users to create accounts.
These rough sketches helped clarify the layout and flow of the website. They weren’t perfect, but they gave me a starting point.
Design – Crafting the Look and Feel
Designing the User Interface (UI)
After sketching, it was time to bring the concept to life. I collaborated with a designer to create the first digital mockups. Here’s what we focused on:
Consistency: Every page needed a unified style. We chose a clean, modern aesthetic with Counter-Strike-inspired touches, like subtle references to skins and in-game textures.
Color Scheme: We used a mix of neutral colors (light black, white) with highlights of orange and blue to reflect the Counter-Strike theme. These accent colors also draw attention to key features, like buttons and charts.
Typography: Fonts were chosen for readability and style. A bold font for headings and a clean Lato for body text ensured clarity across the platform.
User Experience (UX) Design
Good design isn’t just about looks—it’s also about usability. We focused on:
Navigation: Ensuring users can move seamlessly between pages. A sticky navigation bar was added.
Onboarding: The sign-up process will be simplified using social logins.
Development – Building the Backbone
Building the Landing Page
The landing page is the first impression users get of cs2investments.com, so it had to stand out. Key elements included:
Hero Section: A bold headline and call-to-action button that immediately grabs attention.
Feature Highlights: A section with icons and short descriptions explaining the app’s main features.
Waitlist Form: A simple form that allows users to sign up for early access.
Implementing Core Features
The development team is currently working on integrating the main dashboard features:
Live Price Tracking: Fetching real-time data from marketplaces to keep prices updated.
Profit and Loss Tracking: Automatically calculating the value of users’ portfolios based on purchase prices and current market rates.
Analytics Charts: Visualizing trends so users can make data-driven decisions.
Each feature is being tested rigorously to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Challenges and What’s Next
Overcoming Design and Development Hurdles
No project exists without its challenges, and cs2investments.com was no exception. Some of the biggest hurdles included:
Data Integration: Pulling live price data from multiple marketplaces required custom APIs and a lot of trial and error.
Balancing Features and Simplicity: We wanted to include powerful analytics but without overwhelming users. Striking the right balance took several iterations.
Time Management: With limited resources, prioritizing the most critical features for launch was essential.
Building cs2investments.com Brick by Brick
Designing and developing cs2investments.com has been a rewarding journey so far. From sketches to a functional landing page, each step has brought the project closer to reality. By focusing on user-friendly design and robust technology, I’m confident that cs2investments.com will provide a better way to manage Counter-Strike skin portfolios.
Stay tuned for updates as we prepare for the beta launch. And if you haven’t already, join the waitlist today to be among the first to try cs2investments.com. Let’s replace Excel and make managing skins smarter, easier, and more enjoyable.
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