FitFocused: User Research for a Personalized Fitness Platform
Balancing academic commitments with the challenges of adapting to university life makes it difficult for students to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. By leveraging user-centered research methods, I conducted the foundational user research needed to design a personalized fitness platform that adapts to students' academic schedules and encourages consistent physical activity. Click here to see the Full Project →
solo project
Completed independently for my Senior Year User-Centered Design Methods Culminating Project.
purpose
This was my Culminating User Research Portfolio project, focused on applying User-Centered Design methods and showcasing the knowledge gained throughout the Systems Design Engineering program.
Design Challenge
"How might we conduct preliminary user-centered research to design a personalized fitness platform that tailors plans to students’ schedules and fitness goals, promoting consistent physical activity?"
what's the problem
The transition from high school to university brings increased responsibilities, requiring students to balance academic commitments while adjusting to a new environment. As a result, many struggle to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle, with studies showing nearly two-thirds of students gain weight in their first year due to reduced exercise. With demanding schedules and limited free time, students need a fitness solution that adapts to their individual routines and goals. However, many platforms offer generic plans that fail to align with students' schedules or goals, making consistency difficult. This creates an opportunity to develop a tailored solution that customizes fitness plans based on a student's individual needs, promoting lasting engagement and healthier habits.
reseach process
To tackle the challenge, I leveraged a variety of user-centered research methods to ensure the solution was grounded in evidence and user needs. I began by defining user experience and usability goals, aiming to create a fitness platform that fosters a supportive, personalized journey. Through a detailed stakeholder analysis, I identified primary, secondary, and tertiary user groups, their pain points, desires, and interconnections. Next, I crafted two proto-personas—a fitness beginner and an athlete—based on my experience and secondary research. To validate assumptions, I turned them into targeted user research questions and conducted a comprehensive literature review. By analyzing articles, forums, and studies, I refined these proto-personas into evidence-backed personas and concise persona briefs, eliminating biases. I then outlined initial user journey maps for both personas using secondary research insights. To validate these maps, I conducted user interviews with a focus on ethical considerations, including informed consent and distress protocols. Combining insights from these interviews and competitor analysis, I refined the journey maps to uncover key opportunities for improvement and innovation.​ The project concluded with a reflection on next steps and potential enhancements, reinforcing the critical role of iterative, user-centered research in designing impactful experiences.
takeaways
Reflecting on my experience, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how ethical and inclusive user research drives meaningful designs. By ensuring participant confidentiality, being transparent, and fostering a safe environment, I ensure users feel respected and empowered to share honest insights. These practices lead to actionable opportunities, leading to more thoughtful and impactful design decisions. While AI tools weren’t permitted in this project, I recognize their potential to enhance future research workflows. These tools could streamline tasks such as synthesizing feedback and identifying patterns, allowing researchers to focus on the human aspects of design. Ultimately, great user research is about understanding how users feel and translating those feelings into meaningful design decisions. Through empathy, ethics, and strategic thinking, I aim to create experiences that inspire, empower, and elevate users experiences.
Click here to see the Full Project →
