Overview
This case study was completed as an independent project during a 4 month UX design course through IdeateLabs.
The task was to create a “Blue Ocean” digital platform. I chose to combine two areas of interest; my degree in Sport Psychology and professional fitness background to encourage users to create healthy habits, and improving mental well-being with social connection.
Problem
Millennial women felt a sense of isolation and lack of motivation to exercise during the pandemic.
Women who valued exercising with friends weren't given a roadmap for how to overcome the challenges of being quarantined and not having regular gym access.
Solution
Alma Fitness App.
A platform catering to millennial women to help find exercise buddies in their area.
Alma is an app that that tailors the users experience and preferences to find appropriate buddies and establish healthy habits.
My DESIGN PROCESS
Card Sorting
Through my discovery interviews and information gathering I distilled my users main pain points as:
Lack of Time
Work Schedule
Struggle with motivation
Using my knowledge and background in Sport Psychology, I identified these pain points as ones that I have seen repeatedly and as ones that can easily be addressed with the right approach. I added designs and features of the app how to make form and sustain fitness habits with psychology principles and apply that directly to my users, such as a schedule feature + reminders for added accountability, the customization to find a buddy of a similar level and has parallel fitness goals, and finally the messaging feature to encourage meet ups in person and build a foundation of trust and accountability.
Wireframes
This exemplifies the “Find a walking buddy” flow.
The goal was to maintain a simple, clean layout with the login automatically directing the user to their dashboard.
The UI was ultimately simplified, with the most significant change being the bottom navigation. I discovered that 5 icons was unnecessary, especially with the calendar icon taking up prime real estate in the center even though it didn’t need that much visibility.
The final prototype features a simplified dashboard with the users upcoming scheduled. If they have no meet ups scheduled, they are prompted to “start searching” to add a meetup to their schedule-which brings them to the activity search flow.
UI DESIGN
“Boomer simple, but make it aesthetic.”
My goal was to create a visual identity that’s aligned with the brand’s values and message, which is CALM and CONNECTION.
Themes reflected in the moodboard based on discovery interview feedback:
1. Approachability
2. Neutral tones
3. Minimal, clean aesthetic
I implemented this idea by prioritizing a streamlined but visually appealing interface.
next steps
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The current focus is acquiring a loyal user base and gaining a name in the fitness + wellness tech space. I am prioritizing the activity search and buddy match process with a lot of autonomy built in for the users to decide what they do once they migrate off Alma.
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The next phase of ALMA and set of features will be the option to book classes and instructors directly through the app. This phase will focus more on a sustainable monetization strategy so that the use of ads in the app won't be necessary.
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This phase will unveil the option to add more personalized wellness features such as a digital journal to track mood and wellness goals. This phase is integral to the longevity of the app- to maintain a loyal user base it is beneficial to show them they are making progress in the form of tracking and possibly gamification.