ROLE
YEAR

UI & UX

2023

Case Study

Community Competitions

Community Competitions is a feature concept designed to improve Apple’s Fitness app experience. This feature envisions a dedicated Community tab that invites users to join and participate in diverse competitions, all revolving around quantifiable goals that the Apple Watch already tracks.

BACKGROUND

In today's fast-paced world, individuals are increasingly seeking ways to stay active, motivated, and connected to like-minded individuals to pursue a healthier lifestyle. The Apple Watch has become a trusted companion for fitness enthusiasts and casual users, offering a range of health and activity tracking features through its companion iOS app, Fitness.

The Apple Watch primarily focuses on personalized activity tracking, encouraging users to meet daily goals through three key metrics known as Activity Rings: Move, Exercise, and Stand. While the Apple Watch and app have successfully encouraged many users to achieve their daily activity goals by closing their Rings, some users struggle to stay motivated.

One reason for this lack of motivation is the limited social engagement offered by the Fitness app. Not all Apple Watch users have friends who use the app, which means they can't share their progress or compete with their friends. The current social aspect of the Fitness app has limitations, which can affect user motivation and the overall effectiveness of the app in inspiring consistent physical activity.

Besides Apple's recent introduction of Fitness+ (its subscription-based workout program), the app has remained largely unchanged. This presents an opportunity for further innovation to enhance engagement and foster a sense of community.

THE PROBLEM

Many Apple Watch users struggle to consistently close their Activity Rings and participate in Fitness app challenges.

THE SOLUTION

A dedicated Community tab that invites users to join and participate in diverse competitions, all revolving around quantifiable goals that the Apple Watch already tracks.

To better understand the perspective of users, I started my research by conducting five one-on-one Zoom interviews with participants who own an Apple Watch and have varying activity and fitness levels. I asked about their current usage habits, motivations for using the Apple Watch, any concerns they may have regarding privacy, and their thoughts on fitness communities' competitive and social features.

I also created a Typeform survey to include those who couldn't attend the interviews. I was able to get data from fifteen people in total. The results from the interviews and the survey were then organised through an affinity map.

user interviews

  • 1 — Can you tell me a little about yourself, a bit about your fitness background, and what initially motivated you to get an Apple Watch?

    • How long have you owned it?

    • What were your initial expectation with it?

    2 — Can you tell me about your experience using the Apple Watch and the Fitness app?

    • How often do you use it, and what features do you find most valuable?

    3 —Do you try to close your activity rings?

    • If yes, what motivates you to do it?

    • If no, why not?

    4 —How would you rate your engagement in closing your rings?

    • Has the interest changed over time?

    • If yes, what do you think caused the shift?

    5 —Can you describe any challenges you’ve encountered when trying to close your rings?

    6 —How do you currently find motivation and support to stay active and close your activity rings?

    • Do you involve your friends or social circle in any way?

    7 —How important is the social aspect in your fitness journey?

    • Do you believe that sharing your progress with friends or a community would enhance your motivation?

    8 —What are your thoughts on the idea of introducing community challenges?

    9 —How likely are you to participate in them and what will motivate you to engage with them?

    10 —Can you describe past experiences where you participated in fitness-related challenges or competitions with friends?

    • What aspects were motivating or enjoyable for you?

    11 — Are there any concerns or barriers that you can foresee in participating in community challenges, such as privacy, competitive pressure, or other factors? 

KEY THEMES AND INSIGHTS

Users strongly desire social connection and are looking for opportunities to engage with others.

Beyond the metrics of steps taken or calories burned, users find value in the ability to connect with others who share similar health and fitness goals.

When it comes to fitness, most users thrive in a competitive setting but lack friends to engage in friendly competition with via their Apple Watch.

This insight sheds light on the importance of social integration within fitness applications.

Users are dissatisfied with the current challenge metrics on the Apple Watch.

The point system of Apple’s one-on-one competition is based on the percentage of the Activity rings that a user closes, and every percentage equates to around one point. Opponents are likely to have different goals, meaning it can take someone significantly more or less effort to close their Rings. 

DEFINE AND IDEATE

After debriefing the user interviews, I created an empathy map that gave a clear picture of who my users are.

competitive analysis

As the final step of my research, I performed a competitive analysis of Fitness' indirect competitors that offer group challenges. I studied the functionalities of these apps, identified their strengths and weaknesses and, based on that, found opportunities for improvement.

What apps do people currently use to compete outside of the Fitness app?

Strava excels in leveraging community engagement for various activities, while Nike Training Club focuses on curated challenges that enhance user motivation. Both platforms showcase the effectiveness of incorporating social and competitive elements to encourage consistent user participation and goal achievement.

During my interviews, I discovered that only a few people were aware of the popularity of these two fitness apps despite their widespread usage among individuals with active lifestyles. Those who were familiar with them believed that they were only designed for athletes. Given this perception, it became crucial to make the Community more inclusive.

How might we integrate features within the Fitness app that actively connects users who need encouragement and mutual support, fostering a community-driven approach to fitness and ring-closing goals?

FEATURE IDEATION

Most of my interview participants shared common concerns so it didn’t take long to list down features that could potentially address these issues. To prioritize these features efficiently, I used the Kano method to evaluate and categorize them based on their importance and ease of implementation.

In the end, I made the decision to prioritize the integration of community competitions within the Fitness app. This feature emerged as a comprehensive solution that aligns with the needs of our user:

  1. Immediate Engagement: Community competitions offer an instant mechanism for users to actively participate and engage with the Fitness app. It provides a tangible and motivating goal, addressing the expressed need for users to feel more connected and involved.

  2. Social Connection: By fostering friendly competition, this feature addresses the desire for social connection. Users can now compete with individuals who share similar fitness goals.

  3. Motivational Impact: Community competitions serve as powerful motivational tools. Users are more likely to move and stay consistent in their fitness endeavors when they perceive themselves as part of a larger, supportive community with common objectives.

ideation

My goal for this feature is a seamless integration into the current app so I took cues from the layout utilised in Fitness+. After sketching the initial design concepts, I immediately developed high-fidelity wireframes.

Fitness+’s art direction (as of writing) combines a mix of playful graphics and photographs of their trainers. I tried to replicate their banner aesthetic as closely as possible for visual cohesion.

Lastly, in a conscious effort to reinforce Apple's brand identity and evoke a sense of nostalgia, I chose to use graphics reminiscent of the iconic iPod ads. 

Usability Test

After building the prototype, I tested it with five participants. The testing focused on three main flows: finding the Community tab, joining a competition, and checking on ongoing competitions and competitors.

Here’s a quick rundown of the completion rate of each task:

  • Accessing the Community Tab - 100% completion

  • Finding a specific competition (Mountain Peaks, under Cycling) - 100% completion

  • Joining a competition - 100% completion

  • Accessing a competitor’s profile - 100% completion


Overall, participants shared that they had a great experience with the new feature.

“I can’t believe this feature doesn’t exist in the Fitness app yet!”
— PARTICIPANT #1
“I love how familiar the app feels but different from the other apps I’ve used so far.”
— PARTICIPANT #4

Introducing Community Competitions

FINAL screens

The Community tab provides a dedicated space for users to explore and join weekly or month-long competitions with fellow Apple Watch users. It offers a range of activities, such as hiking, walking, running, biking, and more, allowing users to choose challenges that align with their interests and fitness preferences.

Expanding Beyond Activity Rings

Community Competitons will have several categories, each focused on different fitness activities and levels. Users can choose challenges that align with their interests and fitness preferences.

It’s More Than a Feature, It’s a Shared Experience

Challenge your friends not just in closing rings but across a spectrum of activities. No friends with Apple Watches? No problem. Engage in spirited competition with other Apple Watch users across the globe.

It’s Not Just a Tap, it’s a Gesture
Nurture a supportive and inclusive community by acknowledging the efforts of other participants through sending kudos. User profiles offer a glimpse into their competition journey, displaying only relevant information such as recent competition logs, current competitions, and earned badges. This creates an environment where people can celebrate each other's successes and encourage each other to achieve their goals, all while maintaining their privacy.

A Seamless Experience
Navigate through your fitness journey effortlessly from both the Community tab within the Fitness app and the convenience of your Apple Watch

final prototype

What’s next?

I talked to many Apple Watch users throughout this project and it’s clear that there are still features I can integrate in the future. Here are some I plan on working on next:

  • Customised Competitions - allows users to create their own competitions with their Apple Watch friends

  • Anonymous One-on-One Competition - allows users to compete with strangers within the Fitness community based on their goals, fitness level etc.

  • Sick Day / Freeze Streaks for Rings - whilst not part of the Community feature per se, a feature that many Apple Watch users have been wanting to have