Research Phase
The process followed the Iterative Double Diamond Method, beginning with the divergent phase involving methods such as Persona Building and Empathy Mapping. These tools aided in developing a nuanced understanding of user needs and behaviors. Subsequently, the convergent phase incorporated User Interviews, facilitating direct engagement with users to gather specific feedback and preferences.
The research extended to a strategic level with the application of the Business Model Canvas, providing insights into the broader business context. To validate and refine the design, User Testing Design Iteration was implemented, ensuring that the final product resonated effectively with user expectations and preferences. This holistic approach, combining divergent and convergent methods, aimed to comprehensively inform the design process and enhance the user experience.
User Interviews
25 intermediate to advanced lifters were interviewed and have helped synthesize key needs and features that would be beneficial to supplement their training.
App Based
Majority of users utilize apps to track their workouts and programs
Clean and focused UI is important
There is a desire for empathy and understanding in the fitness training process.
Progress Representation Matters
Majority of users utilize apps to track their workouts and programs
Clean and focused UI is important
There is a desire for empathy and understanding in the fitness training process.
Programming Specificity and Flexibility
All interviewed users heavily value the ability to quickly reference their progression in a digestible manner
Strong motivating value
Advanced users enjoy the utility of tracking progression to catch plateaus before they happen
Personalization
All interviewed users heavily value the ability to quickly reference their progression in a digestible manner
Strong motivating value
Advanced users enjoy the utility of tracking progression to catch plateaus before they happen
Extras
All interviewed users heavily value the ability to quickly reference their progression in a digestible manner
Strong motivating value
Advanced users enjoy the utility of tracking progression to catch plateaus before they happen
Understanding the User
I created 3 personas touching different levels of experience and broad training styles to empathize and keep the focus of the end user in mind.
Bart - Advanced Lifter
A seasoned trainee with a wealth of experience but limited time to create and regularly update programming.
Damian - Intermediate Lifter
An intermediate body builder with a good deal of time but not enough knowledge to build proper programming and a tight budget restricting his ability to try programs out.
Guila - Pro Lifter
An athlete on the verge of going pro. With the intensity of her training and importance of hyper-specific programming it's extremely challenging to manage her progression on her own.
Empathy Map
Challenges
Users desire personalized programs that suit their needs.
Convenience and stress-free training are important desires.
There is a desire for empathy and understanding in the fitness training process.
Desires
People desire personalized programs that suit their needs.
Convenience and stress-free training are important wants.
There is a desire for empathy and understanding in the fitness training process.
Wireframing
I created a user flow map to better understand the main user processes before the initial wireframing stage.
Wireframes
I facilitated user testing with a small group, addressing inquiries on functionality, app features, sorting, and the Profile section, among other aspects. Analyzing the feedback and results, I successfully formulated an improved user flow, paving the way for the next phase of mockups and prototyping.
Prototype and Design Features
I facilitated user testing with a small group, addressing inquiries on functionality, app features, sorting, and the Profile section, among other aspects. Analyzing the feedback and results, I successfully formulated an improved user flow, paving the way for the next phase of mockups and prototyping.
Dashboard
The Dashboard provides users with immediate access to their upcoming training, quick start to open training and analytics to their current progress in their current training mesocycle. Users have the ability to add additional widgets and customize the specific analytics to suit their individual needs.
Training
The Training page is the home for the user's active program to track workouts completed in the week and display upcoming workouts.
Once a workout is started the user can follow the programming or adjust on the fly with variations either in their exercise collection or create a new one.
Programs
The program page holds all of the users created and purchased programs. The user has the ability to filter programs and workouts as well as create and edit items.
The bottom search navigation hosts the shop icon that launches the page where users can view programming and content from partnered fitness influencers and professionals.
Settings
The setting page hosts all of the fun tools that make a user's experience truly theirs. There a bunch of typical settings that a user can manage as well as training specific settings that provide them with the tools to tune their training to their exact preferences.
Exercise Management
Users have the ability to create custom exercises and manage exercises that come preloaded with the app. In this section you can view charts and data of per variation exercises.
Conclusion
Within the project scope, this prototype effectively meets the needs of various training disciplines. It provides additional value through smarter analytics and metrics while maintaining a seamless user experience. It also establishes a functional marketplace for both buyers and sellers, promoting the business’ growth.
Insights and Future
Insights
Establishing multiple redundancies in key features is important to the overall user experience.
Designing complex ecosystems within an app is difficult! Building a design system with a variety of features and functionalities in mind is incredibly important to quickly build and test.
Future
Continued user testing and iterations.
Fully realize AI implementation using Google Gemini / GPT4.
Development in Swift.
App store!
