Structuring the Navigation Framework

After understanding our users' mental model, using the card sorting insights, we created a sitemap, ensuring users can find what they need easily.

UI Component Library

High Fidelity Wireframes

User Research

I then conducted six user interviews with participants aged 23 to 50, each with different fitness goals and routines. I focused on understanding what motivates them, how they track their progress, and what tools they use.

Key takeaways from these interviews were:

1. Users found it frustrating to switch between multiple apps for fitness, nutrition, and tracking progress.

2. Social interaction and accountability were major motivators.

3. Users had unique fitness goals but needed a more evolving and personalized fitness experience.

4. Many felt that existing fitness platforms neglected the mental health aspects, which led to exhaustion and burnout.

Translating needs into features

From the touchpoints and needs identified , I created a Product Feature Roadmap to outline key app features and plan the next steps for design.

Gathering Insights from Real Users

Usability Testing

I conducted usability testing with five participants to evaluate the ease of use and functionality of the platform. The primary goal was to ensure that users could easily input data to create customized fitness plans and track their progress intuitively. Through this testing, we aimed to identify any usability challenges, gather valuable feedback, and make improvements to enhance the overall user experience.

Insights and Improvements

• Users found the fitness and nutrition setup too similar, leading to confusion. I merged the two flows into one for clarity.

• The "Sync Data" button confused users. Based on feedback, I moved it to the dashboard and added a smartwatch icon to clarify its purpose.

• The initial form design was long and cumbersome, so I simplified it, merging questions about preferences and goals onto one page, and grouped them with a stepper to improve clarity.

Takeaways

This project reinforced the importance of prioritizing key insights and making design decisions based on user feedback. I learned to balance user-centered design with practical constraints, especially when working with limited testing resources.

Next, I plan to conduct further usability testing with the high-fidelity prototypes and explore more community-driven features to enhance the user experience. The goal is to help users stay motivated, track progress, and maintain both mental and physical health through an all-in-one fitness platform.

Whats Next?

• Build community features.

• Conduct a second round of user testing.

• Prepare deliverables for development handoff.

Learning more about the users

I examined trends in the fitness industry to understand what users are seeking, discovering that people are looking for features like AI, mental health support, and virtual classes. This insight validated my hypothesis and confirmed the demand for a more complete platform.

• 40% of fitness apps use AI for personalized recommendations.

• There was a 25% growth in apps combining fitness and mental health.

• 50% of users preferred virtual fitness classes, especially post-pandemic.

Competitor Analysis

Following this, I conducted a competitor analysis of key online fitness platforms and explored market research to identify gaps and opportunities.

Key Findings

• Platforms lack comprehensive nutrition, AI-driven adjustments, and deeper personalization.

• Opportunity to deliver a more holistic, flexible fitness experience.

Illustrating User Navigation

After creating the sitemap to organize content based on users' mental models, I moved on to designing user flows. These flows build on the sitemap by mapping out the specific journeys users take through the site, focusing on key actions and prioritized features. This ensured that the structure not only made sense but also aligned with how users would navigate the platform’s main functions.

Flow 1: Creating a Personalized Fitness Plan

Style Guide

While designing the product's logo, branding, and user interactions, I aimed for a clean yet energetic aesthetic, using vibrant colors to balance excitement with professionalism. After discussions with my teammates, we chose the name "FitPath," and I crafted a logo to symbolize a clear, motivating path to fitness. This cohesive design approach ensures the platform feels both engaging and trustworthy, aligning with the AI-driven, user-focused goals of the product.

Bringing Ideas to Life

Low-Mid Fidelity Wireframes

I sketched out two wireflows, to reflect both paths of my user flow.

Final Product

Synthesizing User Insights

Affinity Map

To organize my findings, I conducted an affinity mapping session, identifying common patterns.

This helped shape the key features of the platform:

• Integration of fitness and nutrition tracking into one seamless experience.

• Adding social engagement features, such as performance tracking with peers and group challenges, to increase motivation.

• Prioritizing user-centric design, with personalized recommendations that evolve alongside users' fitness journeys.

• Focusing on mental health, incorporating features for self-reflection and emotional support.

How might we…..

Using these insights, I crafted “How Might We” questions to guide the design process:

• How might we create a platform that combines exercise, nutrition, and progress
  tracking seamlessly?

• How might we design fitness experiences that focus on mental and physical health?

• How might we leverage community features to increase motivation?

Understanding How Users Organize Information

To understand how users categorize information or features for my website and build a solid foundation for my website, I conducted a card sorting exercise.

Method: Participants were asked to sort the cards into categories that made the most sense to them, while also having the option to create their own categories.

Participants: 8 individuals with diverse fitness backgrounds.

Cards: 30 cards representing key features (e.g., Fitness Blogs, Customized Workout Plans, Nutrition Tracking).

This exercise revealed:

• Customized workout plans were grouped with nutritional advice, indicating users want a more holistic approach to health.

• Users suggested combining “Nutrition” and “Fitness Tracking” into one category for a seamless experience without switching sections.

• Users grouped community features and tracking progress together, showing how important social accountability is.

This informed the platform’s sitemap and user flows, ensuring a seamless navigation experience that mirrored user preferences.