SUZA
A Way to Connect With Like-Minded Fitness Enthusiast
Suza is a mobile app that motivates and connects fitness enthusiasts and friends to work out together by joining or sending out an invitation to join niche group classes around the area.
The Project
Suza Fitness is a platform for millennials exploring new ways to stay happy, healthy, and fit to connect with the community and find group fitness classes. During the team collaboration, I was a UX Designer. The project was a time duration of 5-6 weeks in a team of 5 designers where each member had the role of Product Manager.
Duration: 5 weeks
Methods: Exploratory Research, Competitive Analysis, Affinity Diagramming, Site Map, Brainstorming,, Sketching, Wireframing, Prototyping
The Challenge
While our task was to design a digital experience, we had a broad range to design for any technology as long as our research shows it to be the best choice.
Our team focused on defining the platform's UX strategy, starting from initial research to delivering final MVP specifications.
The Design Process
Research on the Fitness Industry
An average American
% 60 of individuals have little to no physical activity
% 25 have no physical activity
Group Exercise
98.8% adhere to group fitness classes
Who are our competitors?
For direct competitors, we chose platforms that specifically focused on bringing individuals together to achieve shared fitness goals.
The November Project, Jefit, WW (Weight Watchers)
For indirect competitors, we chose social networking and community platforms that may tangentially host fitness groups but that do not solely focus on health and wellness.
Meetup, Facebook, Instagram
In reviewing the platforms, we had a few different goals.
Better understand the value proposition and business models of existing options available to users.
Highlight areas of weakness and opportunity that could be leveraged to differentiate our product.
Identify common features among the platforms to establish what users expect in similar products.
To accomplish these goals, we focused on a few key areas of comparison:
Platform availability across Android, iOS, and wearables
Business model (such as pricing model, third party involvement)
Features related to community building and social interaction (such as “liking” posts, RSVPing to events)
Usability and UX/UI choices
Overall strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
Our Interviews
Over the course of this research, the team will be exploring opportunities for Millennial Fitness, to break into the fitness market. Millennial Fitness prides itself on its core values and expects that they are displayed in this new project. This research plans to unveil potential alternatives for millennials to stay healthy in the current fitness application market. Each team member conducted 2 interviews each. We had 8 interviews total
Target Audience
Research participants include:
Tech-savvy millennials (ages 24 – 40)
Frequently on their mobile phones
Utilizes many app services to get things done
Has a fitness routine
Subject Matter Experts
Extremely well versed in health, wellness, and fitness
Fitness app creators
Living in a metropolitan area
Methodology
• Users will be asked to complete a moderated usability test. Sessions will be scheduled for 30 minutes and include pre-test questions, a number of distinct tasks, and post-test questions. The specific tasks to be completed for each user is documented below.
•Users will also receive a short survey after the session to be completed as they reflect on the experience of using the application. Participants will be asked to think aloud as they complete each task and moderators will use retrospective probing after each task to better understand the user’s perspective on each task.
Our Interviews
Interview 1
Melissa is 31 years old nurse living in Texas. She likes to workout to build her stamina and maintain her good health. She would like to try kickboxing classes but would prefer to go with someone.
“If we can do it ourselves, we will, but it doesn't make sense to pay money for supplies to try and DIY something, do it wrong and have to hire someone anyhow. That’s a waste of time.”.
SME Interview 2
Linh is a 30 years old business owner living in Texas. She retrieved her Bachelors in Kinesiology and works out 3-4 times a week. She is very active and sometimes trains her friends.
“I redid my basement floors, the ceiling walls, repainted shutters, added stone in front of the house. I prefer to DIY but if it’s not something I know how then I will contact a home service professional. I used professionals with jobs like this”
Persona
Maya Miller is a 28 years old Graphic Designer, living in Brooklyn New York.
Archetype: Tech Savvy Social Butterfly
“When life gets busy I forget to prioritize exercise so I want something that can motivate me to get my workout in, and connect with people like me“
Problem Statement
Millennial exercise enthusiasts need a way to connect with like-minded fitness enthusiasts because having a strong fitness community helps them be more motivated to remain consistent with their fitness routine.
Creating User Stories to describe user wants to achieve
Cost
As a budget-conscious user, I need a way to know which places offer the best deal for the type of activity I’m interested in so that I can save money and continue going to these kinds of activities.
Discovery
As a millennial professional, I want to find adventurous and thrilling activities (rock-climbing, kickboxing, etc) near me so that I can explore new areas of fitness.
Time
As a busy young professional, I need a seamless way to fit activities into my existing schedule.
Social
As a user who craves social interaction, I want to be able to sync up with my friends' schedules so that we can workout together.
Design Principles
Community-building
Users looking to interact with like-minded people. They also crave connections with other members of the fitness community. The product should make users actively want to keep in touch with others and encourage communication and connection where possible. The online community should be fun and engaging.
Personalized
Users value when a product makes recommendations that suit their preferences and take into account their habits and history. The product will make them feel like they are receiving suggestions from trusted sources like family, friends, instructors, or trainers.
Motivational
Users work out with goals in mind and the product should help inspire them to make progress. The product itself should act as a supportive and encouraging partner.
Diverse
While the target audience for the product is Millennials, the product should aim to represent a variety of different body types, abilities, races, and genders in imagery and content.
Affordability
Users value access to a wide range of unique and engaging activities. Millennials especially look for a product that focuses on value and affordability.
Divergent Concepts and Wireframes
6-8-5 Sketches
Feedback: During the process of sketching, we each sketched a way for users to connect with other like-minded fitness enthusiasts. For my sketch, my team members liked my map idea and users being able to send a message. One of my team members also explored the map feature but instead of seeing only one class, you can view several. My team members and I liked that concept so I developed that idea.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Site Map
Empathy Map
Solution
Solution 1: Synching users contacts to personalize community aspect and being rewarded with a badge for signing up
Solution 2: Discover Groups to join
Solution 4: Connect with a friend with similar interest for the opportunity to join a similar group class
Usability Testing
Testing environment:
The participants completed the un-moderated study through Validately. The tests were done April 27, 2020 throughout the day. Test was held remotely.
From all the data collected all users completed all tasks with 100% completion rate with a 49.5% average error rate.
Usability Test Results
Feedback and Insights:
• From the User feedback, users liked that they could find fitness classes while also connecting with their friends. The users liked how the app allows an easy, automated way to know what type of fitness classes their friends are engaging in.
• A feature that seemed useful was being able to sync their app to the contacts. Although some users liked the idea, others found this as a concern.
• Some users found that a lack of privacy is an issue. Although it was intended for the app to have these safety features, it was not clear to the users that it was present.
Metric System and Analysis Chart
Feedback
After reviewing users results, it is clear to build on creating a clear concept on the privacy feature of this app. There are several ways to build on this concept. During the onboarding process, a clear guide that explains to users that they have an option to select this feature and what happens after they do. After the user chooses to sync their contacts, the "friends" screen can show which users have the application. Users can then decide if they want to share their activity with that user.
The map feature is an area to explore and focus on improving. The map is the main feature of the app. According to Users' feedback, they mentioned that it lacked purpose and direction. Users were not sure if they were looking at the classes or the location. The design needs to be clear that when users type in the type of fitness class, they are only viewing location.
Final Thoughts
Fitness is a space that can be competitive, and it can break down into two goals; competing with others or competing with yourself. Learning about gamification and how it psychologically enhances the user to participate in rewards is a unique concept that keeps users engaged.
Moving forward, I would love to learn more about how gamification and how community connects the users to create a quality experience.
As a fitness individual, learning about how others' pain points and frustrations have allowed me to see what type of app features are the most important. By building a platform on the community aspect of joining niche fitness groups and inviting a friend with the same interest to join a class, tackles one of the struggles many fitness enthusiasts and beginners alike face.
Next Steps
• Creating an opportunity for rewarding elements that recognize users for using the app, participating in new activities, and supporting each other w/(badges, awards, and rewards for giving kudos to others.
Also
• Strengthen features that allow you to sync contacts and connect with existing friends & open relationships