Tafi Avatar Builder for Samsung. A pro-grade 3D avatar engine, rebuilt for a thumb.
50,000+ downloads in year one on Google Play.
The ask
Tafi's ASTRA SDK is a powerful 3D avatar engine, backed by one of the biggest libraries of 3D character content out there. But it was built for developers, not people holding a phone.
Samsung wanted its users to build their own avatars right on their phones. My job was to take that engine and make it feel easy on a small screen.
The approach
The avatar stays the hero. The 3D model holds the top of the screen at all times. The controls live below it and on a slim side rail, so every change shows up instantly.
A library that thinks like a player. Assets are grouped the way people actually build a character: body first, then skin and hair, then clothing, then the finishing touches.
Filters that cut the noise. An "only show what I own" toggle and search keep a huge catalog manageable.
Color without the guesswork. Preset swatches cover the quick picks, and a full color picker is there for anyone who wants exact control.
Monetization that doesn't get in the way. Coin packs, a cart, and item prices sit in the corner until you want them. You build first and buy later.
A finished moment. Poses, backgrounds, and VRChat export turn the avatar into something you can actually use.
The real problem: the library
Thousands of assets. Bodies, skin, hair, clothing, poses, backgrounds. Throw all of that at a phone and people bail.
So before I designed a single screen, I studied how people already build avatars. I dug into Monster Hunter, Elden Ring, and Hogwarts Legacy video game character creators to see how they group assets, how players move through them, and where they get stuck.
My role
UX and UI design. I partnered with a dev team, 3D artists, and a product owner at Daz 3D / Tafi.
The result
The app launched on Samsung phones through Google Play and hit 50,000 downloads in its first year.