Project Statement
To design a user-friendly fitness app tailored to beginners who struggle to maintain a consistent fitness routine. The app aims to motivate users to stay engaged with their workouts, offering exercises that can be done anywhere.
My Approach
I focused on user research to gather insights and ran usability tests to design an effective app. I also developed a brand identity that reflects the app's straightforward nature while maintaining a calm and engaging aesthetic.
Challenge 1
Jump Right In
Many fitness apps provide too many selection of workouts, which often lead to confusion and distraction. Most beginners prefer being told what to do, so to accommodate that, the app recommends a single workout upon entry, personalized based on data collected during onboarding. However, users still have the flexibility to browse categories or explore other workouts if they choose.
Challenge 2
What Did They Say Again?
Many beginners struggle to hear or understand instructions during workout playback and often have to rewind. This feature allow users to see what the current exercise is and how to perform it, along with upcoming exercises to help users be prepared.
Challenge 3
Feedback & Scheduling
After finishing a workout, users are prompted to give feedback and schedule their next session. This helps the app tailor future recommendations and keep users engaged over time.
Gathering Insights
To get a sense of users’ wants and needs, interviews were conducted with 6 individuals, consisting of three fitness experts and three individuals seeking to incorporate fitness into their daily routines.
"Beginners are often overwhelmed with the vast amount fitness information and exercises. I always only give them a few exercise that align with their current level." - Andy 26, Strength and Conditioning Specialist
"An app should offer a variety of yoga routines, progress tracking, meditation guides, and a community forum for sharing experiences and motivation." - Van Anh 32, Yoga Instructor
"Exercising at a comfortable pace are excellent for building cardiovascular endurance and motivation. Gradually increasing intensity and duration keeps beginners engaged." - Jimmy 25, Cardio and Endurance Coach
"Yes, I've tried a few fitness apps, but they often didn't cater to seniors' needs. I found them difficult to navigate, and they lacked a sense of community." - Joyce 64, Saleswoman
"The app should offer short, effective workouts, the ability to schedule workouts around my busy day, progress tracking, and a supportive community for motivation." - Mayur 47, Store Manager
"The initial challenges included finding motivation, feeling overwhelmed by fitness options, and self-doubt about my abilities." - Dini 21, College Student
Competitive Analysis
Several direct and indirect competing apps were looked into to understand the current features being offered and opportunities for improvements.
Most fitness apps provide well-structured guidance, intuitive navigation, and a variety of workouts tailored to different goals. Many offer personalization, adaptive plans, and integration with health tracking, making workouts more effective. However, accessibility features vary. Some apps can feel limiting, while others may overwhelm users with too many choices. I concluded that striking the right balance between ease of use, personalization, and accessibility is key to creating a seamless and engaging fitness experience.
Wireframe
To get a sense of users’ wants and needs, interviews were conducted with 6 individuals, consisting of three fitness experts and three individuals seeking to incorporate fitness into their daily routines.
Wireflow
To get a sense of users’ wants and needs, interviews were conducted with 6 individuals, consisting of three fitness experts and three individuals seeking to incorporate fitness into their daily routines.
Insight From Usability Testing
A usability test was conducted with 5 participants. They were asked to run through different scenarios in the prototype, hoping to gather enough feedback for the next set of iterations.
Instruction Misunderstanding
Some users wonder whether if they could follow along the video playback from start to end. They thought it would be a pain having to rewind the playback to hear the instruction again if they didn’t catch it the first time.
Workout Scheduling
Some users were afraid they might forget to schedule their next workout, because after a tiring workout, they just want to get off their phone to rest or clean themselves up.
Page Layout
Some users noted that the similarity in layout between the "Workout Page" and the "Plan Page" often leads to confusion regarding which is which.
More Progress Information
Some users want too see their progress in daily, weekly, and yearly basis, not just overall progress.
Iteration
To get a sense of users’ wants and needs, interviews were conducted with 6 individuals, consisting of three fitness experts and three individuals seeking to incorporate fitness into their daily routines.
Change 1
At first, the workout card took up half the screen and displayed all the workout details. However, feedback showed that while it seemed straightforward, it was actually overwhelming and lacked intrigue. To fix this, I kept the card’s size but only showed essential info upfront, with more details revealed when clicked, making it more inviting and engaging.
Change 2
Users liked the straightforward activity overview but wanted a way to track their progress over different time periods for better comparison. They also requested more data visualization to identify trends. In response, I added options to view progress by week, month, year, and all-time, along with a graph to display trends more clearly.
Change 3
Users found the similar layouts of the "Workout Page" and "Plan Page" confusing. To differentiate them, I gave the Workout Page sharp corners to create a more energetic feel, encouraging users to jump right into their workout. The Plan Page features softer corners for a friendlier look, making it more inviting and encouraging long-term commitment.
Inter
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This font will be used throughout the app in various weights and sizes.
Black
#101010
Dark Gray
#606060
Gray 1
#AEAEAE
Gray 2
#C2C2C2
Light Gray
#EAEAEA
White
#FFFFFF
