A company (fictitious) launched a social fitness app 3 years ago. User engagement is heavy for the first 3 weeks, but it drops off soon after and users deletes the app.
MISSION
Design an integrated messaging experience that creates sustained engagement and repeated usage.
My Role
Solo Designer - discovery, user research, design, prototype, testing
Time Frame
1 month
Discover
I opted for secondary research, as it is a strategic choice that allows analysis of existing data without the significant time and financial investment required to conduct primary research through user interviews. offer insights from a wide range of sources, such as market analysis reports, academic papers, and competitor case studies. This breadth of information can provide a comprehensive understanding of the fitness app landscape, helping to inform design decisions that are aligned with industry standards and user expectations.
In a rapidly evolving market, secondary research provides the latest information on technological advancements, emerging trends, and new competitors, which might not be captured in user interviews that quickly become outdated.
Cause of user drop-off
The pre-dominant cause of user drop-off from fitness tracking apps is a loss of interest or motivation, with users often trying and discarding multiple apps before choosing one that fits their needs. Other significant reasons include a lack of desired features and an interface that's not user-friendly or enjoyable.
Leverage humans’ competitive nature
Fitness apps that tap into users' competitive nature and desire for social approval see better engagement, as features that allow progress sharing and community building keep users motivated and involved. Gamification, through leaderboards and challenges, also plays a key role in maintaining user interest over time. Successful fitness apps like Strava, Freeletics, and Noom highlight the effectiveness of these strategies by fostering strong communities, interactive experiences, and personalized support.
Findings
In summary, engagement in fitness apps is driven by features that cater to user motivation, social connectivity, and personalised experiences.
All about the user
Our target user is a dynamic individual aged between 18 to 34 years old, who seamlessly integrates technology into every aspect of their life.
This tech-savvy user is inseparable from their smartphone, relying on it for a myriad of daily tasks and as their primary gateway to the world. They are highly budget conscious.
They value apps and platforms that enhance this connectivity, offering a blend of efficiency and ease of use to maintain their social ties.
Images generated by AI, no real person’s image is used
User pain points
Brand & Visuals
Haven is where it is a safe place you trust, which reflects the trustworthiness of the brand.
X symbolises infinite possibility and transformation. In mathematics, it is a variable that symbolises a wide range of values. Fitness will transform an individual, and with an integrated messaging feature, it engages and motivates a community to strive for infinite possibility.
Ideation
Sketching
Started sketching the main screen using the crazy 8 technique, essentially sketching 8 ideas within 8 minutes.
The sketches aims to produce the best idea for people to connect in-app through shared interest in fitness.
Mapping out user flows
To build the app’s fitness community:
I’ve referenced the ease of communication apps (ie. Whatsapp) to make starting groups and connecting with friends a smooth experience within Havn X.
created a ‘challenge flow’ where users could create a challenge and complete or share with the community to address the lack of in-app interaction. The aim is to stimulate friendly competition.
To personalise this interactive feature, I designed with specific user notifications control in mind, where users can choose whether to receive messages from the app, notifications from friend activities and track their ongoing challenges with friends and family.
Low fidelity screens
Guerrilla Testing of the sketches revealed:
Users would like more options to add friends to challenges
The user flow is logical, and feedback was positive
Below you will find the low fi screens, with changes made according to the issue revealed during guerrilla testing.
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