Product Design Challenge

User Research, User Flow, Wireframing, Prototyping & Testing

Client: Deloitte

What I did: User Research, User flow & Wireframing

Members: Aishvarya Tyagi, Ashley Patel, Jodi Sybersma, Megan Eng, Smrithi Indranil

Duration: 3 months

Meet the Team

Deloitte presented our group with a design challenge for a small boutique fitness studio in Toronto. This studio is aiming to innovate, stay ahead in the fitness industry, and bridge the gap between online & in-person fitness experiences while enhancing digital engagement with its members.

The Design Challenge

"How might we reimagine the future of fitness, health and wellness experience?"

Ashley, Jodi, Megan, Smrithi, Aishvarya

Our initial priority was to assign roles to team members, define our mission, establish our core values and guidelines, and articulate our collective goals.

We collaborated on Mural, using stickies to document our values, goals, rules, and other essential aspects of our group's purpose and operation.

Outline

The number of people engaging in exercise has been on a downward trend, which has worsened since the pandemic. This lack of motivation to participate in fitness-related programs is having a negative effect on both mental and physical health.

The Process

1.

Research

2.

Synthesis

3.

Ideation

4.

User Testing

1. Research

Goal: To bridge the gap between in-person fitness and digital engagement of the boutique fitness studio members

After formulating a plan, we conducted a screening survey to enlist participants for the interviews. A script was prepared, and each team member conducted one or two semi-structured interviews, either face-to-face or through a Zoom call.

To Understand: “What are the motivations and roadblocks impacting peoples ability to achieve wellness”

We discussed opinions regarding general well-being, nutrition, and exercise. The interview data was transcribed and then transferred to an Excel file, marking the beginning of our next phase of work.

2. Synthesis

Interview Coding:

The responses given by the participants were coded using both descriptive and interpretive codes.

Our group employed a method to ensure consistency in the categories used for both descriptive and interpretive codes.

Once we finished coding individually, as a group, we collaborated on creating an affinity diagram. This process aided us in narrowing down broader aspects such as barriers, motivations and well-being.

Affinity Mapping

Here are the key findings from the interviews:

Time management challenges due to busy schedules for exercise.
Participants gave detailed wellness definitions encompassing physical and mental health.
Dislike for running and weightlifting, but still engaged for health benefits.
Appreciation for the social aspect of going to the gym.
Preference for workout partners for accountability and motivation.
Motivation for healthy eating driven by feeling good.
Preference for indoor workouts over outdoor ones.
Average of four weekly workout sessions per participant.

Common pain points:

Cost of healthy food: Maintaining a healthy diet can be expensive.
Time management: Balancing exercise and other responsibilities can be challenging.
Need for social support: It can be difficult to stay motivated and engaged when trying to pursue health goals alone.

3. Ideation

"How Might We?" Canvas:

As part of ideation, our group engaged in an activity together where we explored opposites and flipped assumptions. During this process, I shared ideas related to diet based on my experiences with various diets over the years.

Some of the ideation prompts I recommended were "HMW try to eat healthy?", its opposite "HMW eat more junk?", and a flipped assumption "HMW get healthy while eating junk?", which sparked humor and relatability among the group.

User Persona:

After completing the ideation activity, we moved on to develop two user personas. This involved brainstorming and identifying the key characteristics and habits of the individuals we interviewed during the research phase. The personas were created to represent typical users and help guide our design decisions and strategies.

Having completed the research, analysis, and personas, it was time for us to begin building the product. This step was crucial as the product we developed needed to make a strong impression on the stakeholders.

Our group decided on Wellness Buddy - with our goal being, to create connections among the fitness boutique members by pairing them as fitness accountability partners. This is a mobile application with special features tailored specifically for our persona types.

Members Can:

Work out with a partner
Feel accountable
Get matched with individuals who have similar interests
Work out at gym or virtually
Experience gamification
Share healthy recipes

Studio Will:

Provide a platform to do the above
Increase motivation and engagement when exercising

Notable Features of the App:

Quiz for Buddy Matching: Users will take a quiz upon logging in to find a suitable fitness/wellness buddy based on their interests and preferences.
Buddy Matching: Each user will be matched with one or more buddies from the fitness studio.
Daily streaks: Motivating users with points/streaks for completing workout goals together. Streaks can be personal or shared, encouraging users to achieve higher streaks.
Accountability and Motivation: With a buddy, users can hold themselves accountable and stay motivated to achieve their fitness goals.
Flexible Workout Options: Users can choose to workout from the studio or at home, depending on their preference.
Shared Workout Goals: Users can set workout goals together with their buddies, share progress, and view each other's achievements.
Privacy and Safety: To ensure privacy and safety, the app will only connect users at the gym, which will be a safe place for them to meet and chat, reducing the risk of cybercrime.

User Flow

Mid-fidelity Wireframes

On-boarding

Homepage

Daily Streak
Option to add goals
Workout summary graph

Users can choose a known buddy by entering their membership ID, allowing them to skip the quiz.

Quiz to find a buddy

The user's buddy will be displayed post-quiz

Schedule to meet them at the studio to start your fitness journey together

The homepage after becoming active.

Profile of the user's buddy

4. User Testing

For testing our product, we used the DECIDE framework. The test was conducted on usertesting.com with random participants.

Feedback Analysis:

Our team thoroughly reviewed the recordings from usertesting.com, jotting down feedback on sticky notes. To craft a practical strategy, we utilized an Importance/Difficulty Matrix on Mural. This method helped us categorize feedback, making it easier to identify actionable insights for our upcoming testing phase.

The significant changes we implemented were:

We adjusted the colors of the app to a lighter and more approachable green.
The progress bar was removed as it was causing confusion.

During the second testing phase, we utilized a high-fidelity prototype to gather insights into the app's presentation, flow, and overall user opinions. The key changes we made were:

We adjusted the location of the "remove a buddy" function to be next to the buddy’s name for logical consistency and easier navigation.
The scheduling page now includes the day of the week for enhanced clarity and usability.

Final Prototype

View Prototype

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