Footsteps
Project Type
Product Role
Tools
Sketch, Invision, Procreate
Overview
Prompt
When I first tried to start running, I found it difficult to figure out the best way to proceed and learn. There were so many running applications available, but they were frustrating, daunting and expected for the user to have experience and knowledge in the field.
How might we make marathon training easier to access for people of all experience levels?
Solution
Footsteps is a mobile application that creates personalized marathon training plans for people from any experience level.
Research
Defining the User
To create context and summarize my intentions for the mobile app, I created a PACT analysis that studied Marathon Runners.
Using the PACT analysis, I created a user persona of my target audience.
Competitive Analysis
I conducted research on running and marathon training platforms with training plans in the market. I looked for features that Dave would find useful — experience levels, milestones, personalized training, marathon training and tracking statistics.
Insights
Through research and analysis, I found that beginners often experienced difficulties getting into marathon training because running applications felt too competitive and intimidating. Marathon training applications limited inexperienced runners to only one training plan and would not take into account previous experience.
- Lacks space for beginners and novices.
- Competitive atmosphere paired with statistic comparisons creates insecurity for novices.
- Lacks personalization and is limited to one training plan. If a user were to finish running a 5k marathon and wanted to start training for a 10k marathon, the app wouldn’t have a plan that built off of his experience.
Process
User flows
I created 2 context scenarios for my persona, Dave. These helped put the user flow of features in real-world contexts and I was able to identify how he would move through the application.
System map
Using the context scenarios, I created a system map on Sketch. The main features are tracking progress and statistics, creating personalized training plans and awarding the users with badges.
Final Outcome
My final solution was Footsteps. It is a marathon training application that creates personalized exercise plans by taking into account a person’s experience and goals. To encourage and gamify the experience, Footsteps uses a badge system that removes the possibility of a competitive atmosphere.
Onboarding
Dave can quickly get a personalized plan for his experience level and distance he's aiming for right when he downloads the application.
Activity dashboard
On the activity dashboard Dave can view his progress, today's exercise and immediately start a run.
Going for a run
While out on a run, Dave can see where he ran, pause and view his progress. The application tells him when to warm up, walk, jog, run and cool down. Footsteps customizes each run and the plan based on statistics from the previous runs and how easy it felt for the user.
Viewing progress
Dave can view his progress through statistics and looking at a journal of previous runs.
Challenge Runs
Another part of viewing progress is through challenge runs. Dave can attempt to run a specific distance and compare his time and more with previous runs.
Badges
It can be difficult to stay motivated when someone just starts training so Footsteps has badges for completing achievements.
Conclusion
Outcome
This was my first time creating an independent UX/UI design project. It made me realize how important it is to have a team to bounce ideas off of, catch UX/UI issues earlier on and design solutions through different perspectives.