Introduction
FitPix is a workout app designed to encourage users to lead a healthy lifestyle through a gamified experience. It was developed in Unity Engine as part of our GAM module where we collaborated with artists from the B.F.A. in Digital Art and Animation. FitPix was completed over the course of 12 weeks during my Freshman year in university.
My Role
I was the Lead UI/UX Designer of the team, my main role was creating wireframes, prototyping, conducting research, and usability testing.
Problem Statement
Source: The Straits Times
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in remote work and home-based exercise. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in a rise in exercise-related injuries due to a lack of proper knowledge among beginners.
My team and I identified this as a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. By educating people on safe and proper exercise techniques, we believe this problem can be effectively addressed.
Market Analysis
Existing fitness platforms like Nike Run Club and Home Workout often neglect the needs of beginners and require payment for access to workout plans. Furthermore, these apps lack flexibility in their rigid workout plans, leading to boredom and a lack of motivation for users. Our research showed the need for a fitness app that is both user-friendly and engaging.
Goal
The main goals of the project were to:
Help beginners get started on keeping fit
Keep users motivated through incentives
Educate users on the importance of exercising with proper form
Design Process
Core App Flow
During the ideation phase, we mapped out the Core App Flow, which provided us with a clear vision of the product's structure and the necessary screens that needed to be implemented.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
We began by creating a Low-Fidelity prototype in Figma, drawing inspiration from existing apps and incorporating only essential features.
Medium-Fidelity Prototype
The Medium-Fidelity Prototype served as a visual representation of what the final product would look like. It aided our artists to select a colour scheme that would seamlessly blend within the Workout screen.
Blue was chosen as the primary colour for its ability to evoke feelings of calm, trust and openness, making it appealing to beginners. Furthermore, Blue served as a versatile backdrop, allowing our artists to easily create eye-catching and vibrant environmental assets for the Workout Scene.
Playtesting
Similar to usability testing, we relied on playtesting sessions to gather feedback. After each session, users were given a survey to complete.
Here are some of the questions we asked:
App Features
Guided Process
Our mascot, Billy, brings a fun and engaging element to the app. Users will be guided along throughout the entire workout process. All they have to do is to follow Billy and complete the exercises at their own pace within the given time.
The Help Pages are designed with minimal text and maximum visuals for easy understanding. If users were unsure of how to perform an exercise correctly, the Help Pages provide clear visual instructions to help users perform each exercise correctly, reducing the risk of injury.
Daily Challenges
FitPix's short, efficient workouts are made even more engaging with our Daily Challenges, which allow users to target different areas of their bodies. These challenges offer flexible difficulty options, so users can choose a workout that matches their level of confidence.
By encouraging users to strive for a minimum of three workouts per day, FitPix makes fitness a fun and attainable part of their daily routine.
Incentivizing Users
The Rewards System is a unique selling point that sets FitPix apart from other fitness apps. By completing workouts and challenges, users earn points that can be redeemed for coupons, adding an extra layer of motivation. This extrinsic reward system encourages users to maintain a consistent fitness routine and work towards their goals.
By making fitness more fulfilling and enjoyable, the Rewards System promotes a healthy, active lifestyle.
High Fidelity Prototype
Project Restropective
Here are the key takeaways that we have learnt from this project:
Keeping Within Scope
Ensuring that project timelines are within scope is essential in order for a smooth production pipeline. Given our busy school schedules, we prioritized the key features and avoided adding any unnecessary ones.Be Adaptable
Unpredictable events are a normal part of any production process. It is imperative that team members should stay adaptable to keep the production going. We encountered issues with our artists regarding the animations with our character, but we quickly resolved it by providing support to avoid falling behind.Maintaining User Engagement
Maintaining user engagement was a challenge faced by the team. To address this, we implemented a Rewards System to incentivize users through extrinsic motivation. However, we recognized that true engagement also requires intrinsic motivation, which is ultimately dependent on the individual's drive and commitment.
In conclusion, the team's project management was based on three key principles: scope management, adaptability, and user engagement. By creating beginner-friendly fitness plans with attractive graphics and a rewards system, the team aimed to make fitness both simple and enjoyable. Despite challenges, such as limited intrinsic motivation, the team's commitment to prioritizing key features and supporting each other enabled them to deliver the project successfully with a smooth production pipeline.
© Min Ern Koh 2024