Group Gains Fitness App
The Problem
In this project, I had to work with existing wireframes representing a fitness app in order to add messaging and increase engagement within the app. The app allows people to reach their fitness goals in group settings.
The Solution
In order to solve the problem, I added a familiar and easy-to-use messaging feature and created a weekly challenge system that allowed for either competition or co-op and included trophies and leaderboards to increase user interaction.
Starting Place
The Initial Screens + UI Kit
These initial screens were very basic lo-fi designs and as part of the assignment, we were encouraged to use a UI Kit to help support our design and represent making changes to a completed app.
The combination, along with my design solutions were the starting place for this app design.
Discovery Phase
I conducted user interviews with questions focused on what keeps users engaged with their fitness goals.
Major pain points:
• Finding people who are at the same/similar fitness levels
• Connecting with people you know
• Not being able to leave group chats
• Too many notifications
• Not knowing what to say
What users are looking for:
• Badges/Trophies/Leaderboards
• Freedom to leave and join groups
• Managing notifications
• Option to select from pre-determined responses
• Things that integrate with their native fitness tools (Apple Watch/Samsung Health)
My design decisions had to balance strength, and approachability.
I want my design solutions to be inclusive, making sure that different types of users feel comfortable and excited about the design.
Lo-Fi Designs
Testing - Round 1
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Takeaways
Top priority:
• Correcting navigational errors (make sure users can easily get to all pages)
Mid-priority:
• Change main navigation icons
Mid-priority:
• Clarify current home page and social feeds -
What Worked
• Users able to navigate to messaging quickly
• Enjoyed the co-op feature -
What needed improvement
• Lack of clarity with icons in the main navigation bar
• No quick way to view your profile
• No quick/easy way to get to the feed -
Challenges
• Working from incomplete wireframes and using a UI kit
• Things look nice, but architecture and connectivity is lacking
Hi-Fi Designs
Testing - Round 2
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Messaging Feature
Users had no issues starting a new message or finding an existing message.
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Challenges
• users had difficulty navigating to groups and user profiles
• initiating weekly challenges -
Solution:
• adding a search feature to allow users to quickly find friend’s profiles
• adding an invitation within messages
• prompting users with suggested friends to challenge
Conclusion
Between the two features, I believe that these solutions would help reach the client goals. The messaging feature was easily integrated.
The most challenging piece of this was building out an incentive and reward system in order to engage users. The most interesting and engaging part of this design is an opportunity for co-op/collaboration.
Many apps use competition to fuel engagement, but that does not help everyone connect. The option between co-op or competition provides a more inclusive environment that supports the group fitness focus of the app.
Moving forward, I would fine tune the design and incentive systems so users felt confident what they needed to do to achieve their weekly goals.