Huddle
An application launched three years ago focused on family and friends health tracking. Though the app has ways to set, monitor, and display individual goals, there is no method to alert or message others any progress or goals that have been met. In order to increase engagement and repeat usage, my task for the capstone project was to design an integrated messaging feature. The messaging experience isn’t simply just adding a feature, but utilizing it in a manner so users have a desire to return and use the application.
With the guidance and instruction given, my goal was to create a messaging feature that was integrated throughout the application and add an additional feature to help with engagement. I completed the UX/UI design processes as well as user research on my own. As this was my second capstone project, I can witness how my capabilities have strengthened. From knowing what type of research was necessary, creating better high fidelity designs, incorporating gamification ideas, and being more critical I am proud of the product I have created.
Industry Leaders Analysis
I audited three companies specifically in relation to the social aspect of their application to aid me in my own design process. From the applications, I found that news feed were a recurring theme to engage with others. Furthermore, users are able to share classes/experiences with others. Something I specifically liked was the Fitbit personal messaging feature. Fitbit goes beyond just the public news feed but incorporates a more personal feature of communication that I think users would definitely benefit from for Huddle. Fitbit also adds a game like aspect by having “badges and trophies” which I think could really increase user engagement as well.
Secondary Research and User Survey Highlights
A common theme that I found was that friendly competition and working out with others helps to improve individual performance. According to a MIT study, exercise is “socially contagious.” Humans are inspired by observing others within our social network, and drives us to work out harder and at a higher frequency. In my survey, 80% of individuals found friendly competition to motivate them to further fitness goals/achievements. Reasons included competitiveness, extra incentive, comparison with fitness goals, discipline, fun etc. In addition, 24.5% of individuals “felt their best working out with others.” Along with social support, I found that gamification helps to increase user retention. Strava has elements of sharing data about workouts, announcements about challenges, and has a reward system of “trophies” which can be shown off. Even though Strava may not have as many users compared to apps such as Nike, it has created the most social fitness. It resembles a fitness version of many social media applications like Facebook. By having social feedback, it encourages users to increase interaction on the platform. In 2017, activities posted on Strava were 8 times more likely to receive a form of feedback than a post on twitter. My user survey responses also showed that 68% of individuals leaned towards the belief that “feedback is one of the biggest motivating factors”, regardless if it is positive or constructive criticism.
Individuals thrive when in a community with shared goals and interests. Survey respondents highlighted a various amount of fitness activities they like to do with others. With 83% of individuals stating going to the gym, 81% with regards to recreational activities, 52% with specific classes, and even adding additional options of their own. There are a variety of different activities that people want to share that experience with. Besides participating in fitness activities together, 41.5% of surveyees reported that they message with others to share goals/achievements/activities with one another regarding fitness. Furthermore, when prompted how they would utilize a messaging feature on a fitness tracking application 70% stated they would use it to take inspiration from others workouts. 57% of people would ask others for fitness advice, and 38% of individuals would share achievements and activity with others. Users desire a platform to feel supported, motivated, and inspired to pursue their fitness goals. By increasing one’s motivation to keep to their fitness goals through an application, it will therefore boost user engagement with the application.
UI Style & Pre-Existing Wireframes
Low Fidelity Designs
The challenge tab is a new feature I wanted to incorporate. Users are able to accept challenges as well as challenge their friends. This feature adds a game-like competitive aspect as there is a leaderboard and points system.
For the social aspect, there is a news feed and messaging feature. On a user’s news feed they are able to see what individuals post and interact with it, as well as share something of their own. The messaging tabs displays recent conversations, and upon expanding it is their chat. Users are also able to add new friends through multiple platforms.
The first image is the home screen which houses the for you and challenges page. On the for you page, users are able to browse classes and clubs and attend them. Upon finishing a class, statistics from the class will be demonstrated. The following screens show how a user can share their class through messaging or even posting.
The second hand-drawn image shows what the profile of an individual looks like. On the profile, it showcases individual statistics such as clubs, friends, and goals. There is also a ribbon showcase which is linked to the amount of challenges one achieves. To incorporate the messaging feature, users are able to share recent activity and goals to friends.
Interviews
Although I had some varying questions, the staple questions and tasks are below.
Test Script:
Prior to testing, I had users answer the questions below to know more about how messaging and fitness is incorporated into their lives.
Can you tell me about your fitness activity?
What are some key motivators that push you towards your fitness goals?
Are you motivated by friendly competition?
How often would you say you message your friends/family?
Do you message them about fitness?
The tasks I gave users to perform included:
How would you message your own personal goals and activity to your friends?
Imagine one day you see a fitness challenge that you know your friend would enjoy, how would you send that challenge to your friend?
Direct message one of your friends about a workout
Direct message someone who is not your friend about a workout
Where would you go to find a fitness class/club that you would enjoy?
Usability testing findings and High Fidelity Designs
Due to the pandemic, it is more evident than ever that physical fitness facilities and support are lower than normal. Interviewees explained that due to Covid-19, it has been quite difficult for them to feel motivated to exercise and that it has become an excuse for them. The main motivators for exercise include stress relief, competition, feeling fit, and mood boosters. Many of them agreed that friendly competition always pushes them to pursue and stick to their fitness goals, someone even stated to the extent “Yes! 1000%.” It was very universal that people are on their phones messaging friends/family almost 24/7, and some of these conversations include fitness related advice.
In terms of the first, second, and fourth task users were able to complete it without much confusion at all. However, with the third task I noted that users had more difficulty than normal. When approaching the profile page they were confused as to how to send a specific activity they did, and what certain icons mean (ie. the add post icon). As messaging is the main feature I wanted to incorporate, this was a big concern for me therefore I had some major changes I wanted to make.
As some users questioned what each page of the navigation bar would lead to (ie. workouts), I decided to redo the navigation bar. It would now include: workouts, challenges, messaging, and profile. Overall, I noted that individuals loved the challenge page as well as the personalized for you class page, and made sure to keep those elements. The workouts will be hidden as the home page, and include the tailored classes/clubs for the user. I decided to split up the for you and challenge page as they are distinct features of the application. The challenge feature was something additional that I added in to increase engagement by gamifying the application, and should deserve more attention. With my new iteration, I will show how the challenges pages as well as profiles are the places where you can send a message to a friend. By removing the news feed element, I will focus the application more towards direct messaging and group messaging. Discarding the news feed element and redesigning the main pages allows for less confusion surrounding different icons as well as flows in completing certain tasks.
The above wireframes were designed on Sketch. On the left hand side there is the profile and home page, and beneath it the class screens. On the right is the design of the messaging experience as well as the challenges feature.
Second Usability Testing Findings
With regards to the 2,3, and 5th task, users had little to no trouble at all completing it. In fact, users exclaimed how much they appreciated the gamification of the challenges page, the familiarity of the messaging component, and the tailored fitness activities on the home page.
In order to help users be able to share their personal goals and activities to friends, I realized that I need to provide more clarity on what users can achieve on the profile page. First of all, I would incorporate more of a dashboard feel. By having cards to hold information users will know how to interact and expand upon the features of the page. With the goals aspect I will make the pie chart more creative to display progress. Furthermore, I will add an additional screen to show the flow of opening recent activity and sending it to friends.
A main issue I wanted to deal with in terms of this round of testing was incorporating the add friends feature, as well as making users understand how to send message requests. When asking users to complete the 4th task, it was met with a lot of confusion. Moving forward, I will have a separate screen to add friends for users (through multiple platforms) and the ability to send message requests to those who users are not already friends with.
Some minuscule changes that I want to make is dealing more with style and typography. I need to have consistency throughout text colors in relation to the background color. Furthermore, I want to incorporate more universal icons such as changing the sending icon to the paper-plane. For the challenges page, I would change the word “accept” to something more along the lines of “play” or “compete” to provide more clarity. Lastly, I would make drop shadows lighter and make designs more card-like and coherent.
Overall, the second round of testing was valuable in furthering my high fidelity design. By adding the challenges feature and integrating a messaging experience, I believe that this can help increase user engagement and repeat usage.
