Google Play Games' First Scalable Promotion System

How I approach complex, cross-surface design problems.

• End-to-end systems thinking - One promotion across four surfaces, context-aware flows
• Working within constraints - Rigid components, fragmented surfaces, competing proposals
• Scalable design - Reusable framework, not one-off build

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For over two years, every promotion campaign was hardcoded by engineers: one-off code changes for every offer, on every surface, every time. There was no scalable system.

One promotion, four surfaces, each with its own constraints

• Scalability - Plug-and-play framework, not one-off builds
• Fragmented surfaces - Four surfaces, different auth states and device constraints
• Rigid UI component - Header couldn't update dynamically after save
• Experience friction - Engineering proposed redirecting users out of the client

One principle, applied across every surface

• Context-aware flows - Each surface adapts: auth-first, redirect, or "Get an email invite" for iPhone users
• Pushed back on the redirect - Sending users out of the client after saving breaks the principle
• Worked within the rigid header - After saving, subtext becomes "Offer will be applied at checkout." One line. No redirect