Olive is a fitness app that offers customized workout options, progress tracking, and expert appointments. It provides an immersive experience with animated workout buddies and aims to inspire users to pursue “Fitness my way!”.
Role
UX Designer
Tools used
Duration
Pen, Paper, Canva, Usability Hub, Zoom, Figma
July 13, 2023- March 16, 2024
Problem Statement:
A busy user needs a way to stay active because it would improve their health. We will know this to be true when we see constant user activities.
ResearchWriting the research goals, I was able to create questions for the user research. I surveyed 20 people and interviewed 4 users to understand their daily routines, how they feel about being active, and what motivates them to stay active. After analyzing the results, some of the most intriguing findings were:
50% of the users were unsure about the workout routine they should follow
users were open to getting input from experts
55% of the users would like to have the option to work with friends and families.
Using the survey and interview answers, I created a Bob, a persona to find out what features I would implement on the app and website. The mobile app will be designed to address his needs and for his convenience.
I believe Bob will benefit from a tracking feature if it’s implemented in Olive. He’ll be able to check his progress and track his activities.
I also did a competitive analysis on two fitness apps, Samsung Health and Finch. I chose Samsung Health due to its popularity and because it is the default fitness app found on Android phones. Finch is an innovative self-care app that has overwhelming positive feedback from users.
Both apps focus on users being able to take care of themselves on their own time.
Finch's simple UX and engaging UI attract more positive reactions from users.
Both app’s features are free for users, paid features are not necessary for the app to function well.
User Story:
As a working individual, I want to record my activities, so that I can see what workout goals I have accomplished.
IdeationBy conducting competitive analysis and user interviews, I identified key features that attract users to other fitness apps: health resources, tracking, and creating plans.
To ensure that Olive's prototype was user-friendly, I began by arranging the app's functions on a site map in the simplest and most logical way. I conducted an open and close card sorting exercise, which allowed me to reorganize the features based on user expectations. This exercise also helped me to label specific functions in the app more clearly, resulting in an improved site map.
Using this information, I incorporated features that Bob would find useful when using the Olive app. This included focusing on how users can navigate the app, as well as the first page they see, the ability to log in and sign up, the process of getting started, and three main features that I thought would help Bob reach his goal including:
Setting up appointments
Creating workout plans
Fitness tracker
User TestingUsing the low-fid prototype, I created and used a mid-fidelity prototype to test three main features of Olive: Onboarding, creating a personal workout plan, and scheduling an appointment with an expert. The purpose of the test was to see if Bob would be able to:
Go through the onboarding process making fewer than 2 navigational errors and/or questions about the app’s features.
Set up an appointment with an expert making fewer than 4 navigation and/or input errors.
Create a personalized workout plan making fewer than 4 navigation and/or input errors
See daily workout summary making fewer than 2 navigational errors.
Tested users were able to use the app easily with only a few problems. Testers completed all the given tasks and provided some suggestions to enhance the app's design. I compiled the results in an affinity map.
Looking over the affinity map, I categorized issues that I found as high, medium, and low severity. Based on their severity, I addressed the issues that will improve the app’s user experience.
Below are the 5 modifications I have made to improve Bob’s experience in using the app:
Adding daily summary on the homepage
Added a confirmation modal when “Book Now” button was tapped on the appointment page.
Gave an option for users to add videos on multiple days.
Added nutrition field on My Fitness page.
Added a filter option on the video search result page.
Polished UIBob's experience using the Olive app is a top priority, and I took user testing feedback into account to improve the app's usability. In addition to reviewing the interface, I made accessibility a focal point of the design changes. This included enhancing the text's contrast against the background and integrating a speech-to-text feature in the search bar.
Splash Page
The splash page is one of the most dynamic pages that underwent constant changes over time. Using low and high-fidelity prototypes, I gathered feedback from my peers and mentors on what to improve on the page. As a result, I changed the "Olive" title to a more legible format and changed the background design to improve screen contrast, resulting in an improvement in usability and friendliness.
Low-fid Prototype
Mid-fid Prototype
High-fid Prototype
Mid-fid Prototype: Improved layout
High-fid Prototype: Improved the “Olive" font
High-fid Prototype: Changed the background
Homepage
The homepage underwent continuous revisions, taking into account user testing, feedback, and accessibility. During the mid-fidelity prototype stage, the primary focus was on prioritizing goals for mobile app users. However, after conducting user testing, I decided that the videos should be placed above the goals since it was one of the primary objectives that users could achieve. Additionally, the title font was modified to enhance the visibility of the buttons. In the final design, the button colors were altered to create a contrast with the text, improving the overall user experience.
Low-fid Prototype
Mid-fid Prototype
High-fid Prototype
High-fid Prototype: Unbolded titles
High-fid Prototype: Improved the color of buttons
What’s next?
Bob would enjoy and will be immersed when using the Olive app to track his fitness. He can interact with a “buddy”, track his progress, and meet experts.
My TakeawayRun additional user research regarding the usability of the app
Increase user engagement by improving or removing features that are not popular or wanted.
User testing will focus on the tracking and customization features of the app
Working on the Olive Fitness app made me realize the different resources, tools, and techniques there are for UX Design. I enjoyed learning about Figma and creating different components. Going over the initial survey and user interviews, I was surprised at how an average user struggles to have a workout routine due to the lack of knowledge and resources.
