Designing a fitness service that motivates users

To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted confidential information in this case study. The information in this case study does not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Exercise is key to a healthier life.

A prominent European insurance provider sought to expand an existing service for health insurance policyholders.

This service, integrated into their app, incentivized physical activity by rewarding users for achieving health goals. In this case study, the service will be referred to as Fit.

Our team, comprising a project manager, a UX researcher, and myself as the principal Service and UX Designer, was tasked with:

  • Evaluating and suggesting improvements to the current design,

  • Uncovering opportunities for synergy with other services within the company's ecosystem,

  • Developing a B2B version of Fit tailored for corporate environments.

Exploration

Research activities

To lay a robust groundwork, our research spanned various methodologies:

  • We started with a comprehensive workshop with stakeholders, fostering insights into project history and current status.

  • A subsequent benchmark analysis evaluated key competitors on national and global scales, while desk research delved into behavioral economics' application and statistics on exercise trends.

  • Simultaneously, we embarked on in-depth stakeholder interviews to grasp the company's ecosystem and potential synergies.

  • Our understanding expanded through exploratory interviews with diverse corporate professionals, spanning varied industries and roles, offering insights into their experiences with physical exercise.

  • We also engaged in interviews with physicians and personal trainers, uncovering the clinical and motivational facets of exercise, enriching our grasp of the subject.

Main findings

The research findings unveiled valuable insights:

Users sought meaningful value beyond existing features, emphasizing practicality and customization. Achievable weekly exercise goals were preferred, maintaining motivation without being overwhelming.

Recognition through milestones and medals was seen as valuable, contingent on personal relevance. There was interest in tailored exercise plans aligned with individual objectives.

Users also expressed interest in vouchers for sports stores, clinics, and workshops, focusing on convenience and benefits. Community engagement was pivotal, with challenges with friends and discounted workshops highlighted by users.

These insights shaped the future version of the Fit service, focusing on user preferences and enhancing engagement strategies.

Ideation

Drawing from our research insights, we engaged in a dynamic co-creation workshop with key stakeholders. This session served as a bridge between the research phase and ideation, fostering an exchange of ideas and perspectives.

By synergizing the collective wisdom of stakeholders, we unearthed potential intersections between the Fit service and existing offerings. This collaboration steered us towards the service's second iteration.

In a concerted effort, we prioritized ideas according to their potential impact and the feasibility of implementation.

This process was instrumental in sculpting a strategic pathway for the evolution of the Fit service, poised to deliver a more rewarding experience to its users.

Since the B2C service was already up and running, our focus in prototyping was clear. We dedicated our efforts to the B2B component, hence:

  • Crafting a user-friendly backoffice, tailor-made for corporate users to efficiently manage the Fit program within their organizations.

  • Seamlessly integrating this new corporate feature into the existing app, creating a smooth user experience.

Prototyping

These low-fidelity prototypes transformed abstract concepts into tangible designs, ensuring that our vision translated into practical solutions that catered to both users and corporate partners.

Conclusion

As we reached the culmination of our project, we guided our clients toward strategic next steps:

  • Embarking on user testing for the current prototypes, facilitating iterative improvements prior to entering the development phase.

  • Shaping the trajectory of success by defining comprehensive metrics and closely monitoring user experiences post-development and implementation.

Our collaboration doesn't merely conclude here; it transitions to a phase of refinement and optimization, as we remain dedicated to delivering an elevated experience that seamlessly integrates fitness and well-being into the lives of our users.

Let’s discuss how this human-centered design project can inspire your innovative solutions.

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