Detour- A Social Platform for People who Exercise

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, a large part of the world shifted to virtual platforms to ensure the safety of society. This provided room for adjustment and versatility during that controlled period.

Detour leveraged people's freedom and the desire for community to highlight the significance of physical activity in steering individuals away from their daily work routines.

My Role: UX/UI Designer

Tools used: Figma, Miro

Challenge

Finding target audience who would use this app to its full potential and connect socially with the community around them as a source of support.

Goal

Allowing users to connect with known contacts through social media and group events.

Why is this important?

To develop a workout app that fosters community and nurtures healthy relationships with those nearby. As an adult, forming new friendships and ensuring they are beneficial can be challenging. Detour promotes a healthy lifestyle among individuals who wish to sustain it, assisting users in overcoming the seasonal slump, where outdoor activities and staying active may seem more like a chore than fun.

Desk Research and Surveys

Most of the research had a general understanding of why workout is important.

• It increases serotonin levels and helps with self-esteem.

• Working out in a group gives you the same benefits but it's seen as fun because of the added people.

The online surveys, helped in understanding the user's feelings toward individual and group workouts. Fifteen people filled out the survey and found that most don't mind working out in a group or by themselves.

There were differences between working out in a group and by themselves. Such as people needed to be able to match stamina levels. Also, most users track their own progress through speed and duration of chosen exercise.

Interviews

To collect sufficient information to establish a solid foundation for an ideal user profile, I interviewed four individuals who have previously participated in group workouts. Additionally, the participants were open to the idea of meeting new people for group exercise sessions. The research questions I utilized included:

Do you track your progress?

What metrics are important to you?

How many people are you willing to work out with in a group?

One of the most intriguing aspects was the realization that participants were aware they would not be challenging themselves to the fullest extent while exercising with new acquaintances.

My decision was to introduce the option to log solo activities and extend invitations to group gatherings. This way, users can tap into the support network they already have in place. This adjustment aims to make the experience of meeting new workout partners less daunting.

Personas

From the interviews and surveys, I created two personas representing the extremes of personality types: introverted and extroverted. These personas, Mike and Crystal, were referenced throughout the product development process. They both contribute to the app's social dimension by engaging with social media and encountering new people in group classes organized by professionals or community members.

Inital Sketches

The primary goal is to generate as many ideas as possible. The information for this layout is derived from online preparation and heuristic analysis. The layout flows from right to left, starting with:

1. the sign-in screen

2. profile view

3. social platform separation

4. various screens to explore.

App Navigation Map

The optimal user journey for this app would begin with access to the user's profile,

• Which would display statistics and feature a navigation bar with events, group invites, and community activities.

• Integration with other social media platforms could enhance the app's following and promotion. The design should cater to both introverted and extroverted users.

Lofi - Wireframe

Figma served as the primary design tool, with low-fidelity wireframes I utilized for guerrilla testing. Following the testing phase, a profile view page and a "create activity" button were added. Additionally, the Blood Pressure reading was updated to display "Heart Rate" instead.

Mid Fidelity UI Design

High-fidelity design for the iOS Apple Phone 11X using Figma.

I'm particularly proud of the Record feature, as it offers extensive versatility to users, catering to both advanced and beginner fitness enthusiasts.

User Testing

During user testing, I identified usability issues within the app's structure. Specifically, the athlete's filtering page was found to be confusing.

The fitness levels are located in the settings page. My aim is to make it less daunting for users to engage with others at different fitness levels.

Embarking on a fitness journey is an incredibly personal and vulnerable endeavor. It involves challenging oneself to achieve visible results, a process often marked by failures and small incremental victories that may take time to recognize. Ensuring that users feel comfortable and enjoy the experience is crucial for facilitating the necessary shifts in mindset.

Initiating a workout journey is always challenging. It's vital to acknowledge this. While we cannot control who uses the app, instilling a genuine understanding of the app's core values—positive mentality, friendship, and dedication—is essential. These principles should be consistently reinforced throughout the app as users step out of their comfort zones.

High Fidelity Designs

Reflections...

The most challenging aspect of developing this app was the differentiation between fitness levels. It was crucial to strike a balance between fostering a community feel and maintaining the app's fitness focus. My goal was to ensure that the app did not become intimidating to users.

Next steps:

- Establish partnerships with gyms for local group events.

- Collaborate with other apps to discover or promote local events.

- Enhance the clarity of the rating system for users.

- Implement a point system that allows users to progress to higher fitness levels.