MVMTLAB is a sports performance clinic that helps injured athletes recover while also learning about their bodies. Unlike other similar clinics, it uses neuroplasticity to help with recovery. This is important because many people continue to feel pain (and cannot perform as well) after physical recovery. Our UX and UI team worked with MVMTLAB to deliver their project goal: an app that helps users do the exercises that are taught in class, in the form of a 30-day challenge.
Meet our amazing team:
As one of the UX designers on the team, my role was to conduct research, design a user flow, wireframes, etc. and eventually create a clickable prototype. The clickable prototype was then handed over to the UI designers.
Design process
The project was split in to 4 segments:
- Research (week 1)
- Planning (week 2)
- Design (week 3)
- Testing (week 3)
Research
Research goals
After the kick-off meeting with our client, we split the goals into business goals, app goals, and user goals:
Research methods
We used the following research methods for this project:
- Comparative analysis
- Survey
- Interviews
- Contextual inquiry
- Gut test (UI)
These methods helped us gather data for the planning stage.
Competitive analysis
For competitive analysis, we looked at various similar apps that helped users exercise. While MVMTLAB has no direct competitors due to its basis in neurological reprogramming, there are apps that are similar in other ways (e.g. by offering a 30-day challenge).
As we found out through our competitive analysis, none of the competitors had all 4 features (videos, coaching/accountability, contrasting aesthetics, and an account system). And so MVMTLAB will have all 4.
Survey
We conducted a survey that targeted people who were active, many of whom were current or previous customers of MVMTLAB. A total of 29 people were surveyed, with some questions focusing on those who answered a previous question in a certain way (e.g. answer question 5 if you answered “yes” for question 4). The survey helped us determine user demographics, which phone OS to design for, as well as how the app would function.
Here are some of the results from the survey:
Interviews
We interviewed 4 current and previous customers of MVMTLAB: Sion, Joanie, Lisa, and Nicole. They were all interested in using an app to help them with MVMTLAB exercises. Some had issues with accountability — they would be less motivated to do these exercises if they were not reminded. Others had trouble making it to classes at MVMTLAB, and would very much prefer to be given directions at home.
Below are some quotes from the interviews:
Contextual inquiry
We went to MVMTLAB to talk to our clients and to get a feel of what their clinic was like. We noticed that different parts of the clinic had different aesthetics, though the building’s brick structure was generally left exposed. Even their logo had gone through multiple iterations, and the different versions could still be found throughout the clinic. There was quite a bit of graffiti art too, and the place (as well as their website) felt both youthful and retro at the same time.
Affinity diagram
With the data we gathered, we put together an affinity diagram.
We grouped our observations by category. Here are some more detailed pictures:
From the affinity diagram, we were able to clearly see that users desired an app that helped them stay motivated, connect with coaches, etc. which we then used for our planning stage.
Planning
Using the data we gathered, we put together the following:
- User persona
- Storyboard
- Feature list
- User flow
User persona
Since the app is meant for MVMTLAB customers, our user persona featured a young man (based on demographics from the survey) from Vancouver who is very active, motivated, and busy.
Storyboard
Using the user persona, we created a storyboard for Chris Cooper to show how he got to MVMTLAB (and in a position where he would benefit from the app).
Feature list
From the data we collected, we came up with a list of features that the app needed to have.
Due to time constraints, not all of these made it into the initial (MVP) version of the app. In particular, the community feature will be added at a later date.
User flow
We created a user flow diagram based on the features we needed.
From the user flow diagram, we were able to create wireframes and paper prototypes.
Design
Paper prototypes
We created paper prototypes individually, then combined them into a finalized version. Here are some of the screens I designed:
And here is the final paper prototype, which incorporated elements from all the UX designers on our team:
Wireframes
After the paper prototype was completed, we digitized the designs using Sketch. This was a mid-fidelity prototype intended for iPhone 8, done in grayscale. We incorporated Apple’s design guidelines so that stuff like the navigation bar would be consistent with the rest of the operating system.
The UI designers then turned the mid-fidelity prototype into a high-fidelity prototype with more suitable aesthetics.
Testing
Throughout the design process, we tested the prototypes with users. We incorporated feedback with each iteration. This led us to change the position of various buttons (e.g. the settings button on the navigation bar, which was originally accessible via the hamburger icon in the top right corner, and which was eventually moved to the user’s profile page).
Clickable high-fidelity prototype
Once all the screens were ready, we made a clickable high-fidelity prototype:
This included a loading screen, the Ground Control page, descriptions of each pose, as well as access to the user’s profile (which helps Chris track his progress). Note that a coach can also log in via the same app to check on users.
Onboarding
We decided to add onboarding to the app so that the user would be guided through the app’s functions when it is first opened. The Ground Control interface, for example, is complex enough that the user could benefit from being guided though its functions.
This led us to create another clickable prototype:
Summary
- In summary, we understood that the goals for this project were to:
- Create an app that tracks clients’ activity and recovery (Business)
- Provide clients access to Ground Control outside of the clinic (App)
- Challenge clients to complete a 30-day program and experience great results from it (User)
- We also heard that one of the biggest problems that clients had was the lack of access to consistently come to clinic classes due to commuting and time constraints.
- Following RED Academy’s design process, we believe that we were able to design an app that solves the problem and meet MVMTLAB’s goals.
- With the ability to rate each daily session, coaches are able to track their clients’ activity and progress through the coach access feature
- Clients can now have access to the Ground Control routines and listen to Adrian’s calm and charming voice guiding them to a meditative state of nirvana
- The main feature of the app provides your clients to follow a 30-day program and have the ability review their progress along the way
- Finally, we believe that this app solves the problem by creating an experience that replicates all the best things that clients love about Ground Control and putting it in the palm of their hand — always accessible regardless of commuting or time constraints.
Future considerations
We designed a few other screens for the functions that did not make it into the prototype, though they do represent useful functions and will probably be added at a later date.
Community feature
This builds a community around the app and can be used to keep users accountable:
- New icon on the bottom navigation bar
- Feed to view your friends’ activities
- Comment
- Friends list
- View Karen’s profile to help keep her accountable
Privacy setting
This goes hand-in-hand with the community function:
- Changes how your activity and stats are shared with others
30-day reward
After the 30-day program, the user may gain a reward:
- Happens when the user is just about to complete the 30 day program
- Pop-up — Congrats! Come to clinic to redeem reward/swag
So with these future features, we believe that there will be improvements in the following areas:
- Accountability
- User engagement