Elevate
My Role
Product Designer
Ux Researcher
Industry
Matchmaking, Social
Platform
Mobile App
Timeline
2 Months
Elevate is a social matchmaking app designed to seamlessly bring together fitness lovers who share common goals and change the way people connect at the gym. Whether you're interested in running, lifting weights, or practicing yoga, Elevate helps you find workout partners with similar interests. No more searching for someone to exercise with—Elevate connects you with a community that supports your fitness journey.
I created the look and brand identity of the app as well as designed the end-to-end user experience for the app and its features, focusing on creating a seamless matchmaking platform for fitness enthusiasts. My work included developing interface designs and integrating features such as customizable filters for finding workout partners. Additionally, I conducted user research to understand fitness users' needs and preferences, which guided the design decisions and ensured the app provided a meaningful and engaging experience.
Many people struggle to find the right gym partner. They faced challenges like not knowing where to look for someone with similar goals, feeling uncomfortable approaching strangers at the gym, or simply not having anyone in their social circle who shared their fitness interests or similar schedules. This can make working out alone feel isolating and sometimes demotivating. Some people even missed out on the benefits of having a workout buddy, like staying accountable, pushing each other to do better, feeling more confident, and making exercise more enjoyable.
Elevate was created to solve these challenges head-on by offering an easy-to-use platform where users can effortlessly discover compatible workout partners through customizable filters such as age range, preferred gyms and locations, gender, distance, and shared interests. This not only enhances the journey to fitness but also ensures a more enjoyable and successful experience for all involved.
The goal of Elevate is to revolutionize the way people connect and support each other in achieving their fitness goals. By providing an intuitive platform that seamlessly connects users with compatible gym partners, Elevate aims to eliminate the challenges and barriers associated with finding the right workout buddy. The mission is to create a space where individuals can find motivation, accountability, and enjoyment in their fitness journey.
To gather insights for the development and my design of Elevate, I conducted a survey using Google Forms. The survey was designed to capture valuable feedback and preferences from individuals regarding their experiences and challenges in finding a suitable gym partner. The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions, ranking exercises, and open-ended questions, allowing participants to provide detailed responses.
A total of 25 participants took part in the survey, representing diverse demographics in terms of age, gender, fitness levels, and workout preferences. This ensured a broad spectrum of perspectives to inform the development of Elevate.
Responses from the survey were analyzed to identify recurring themes, common pain points, and preferences expressed by participants. This qualitative analysis provided valuable insights into the needs and expectations of users when it comes to finding a gym partner.
The survey revealed several key findings, including the importance of compatibility in fitness goals and interests, the desire for an easy-to-use platform, safety features, and the need for features that facilitate communication and scheduling between potential gym partners.
These insights from the survey served as the foundation for the development of Elevate, guiding decisions regarding features, user interface design, and overall user experience.
92%
84%
of people believe having a gym/ workout partner keeps you more accountable, motivated, and helps you better reach your goals.
60%
of people surveyed feel more confident in the gym when working out with others.
64%
of people surveyed prefer working out with a gym partner vs. working out alone.
61%
of people surveyed feel more likely to achieve results with a gym partner
60%
of people surveyed claimed they struggle to find gym partners.
I developed user personas based on the insights gathered from the research survey to represent the diverse needs, preferences, and behaviors of Elevates' target audience. These personas serve as fictional representations of typical users and are instrumental in guiding the design and development process.
The user personas provided a clear framework for decision-making, ensuring that features and functionalities align with the expectations and priorities of our users. Ultimately, the user personas enables me to design a more intuitive and user-centered experience with the users as my priority.
Goal/Stat Tracking
Set and track fitness goals, monitoring progress over time.
Matchmaking
Easily connect with potential workout partners.
Advanced Filtering
Filter potential matches by age, gender, gym, and distance.
Customizable Preferences
Adjust fitness goals and interests for better matches.
In-App Messaging
Stay connected and coordinate workouts with partners.
Safety Verification
Account verification for added security.
Blog / community
Engage with the Elevate community through blogs, forums, and group challenges, fostering motivation and support from like-minded individuals.
During the early stages of designing Elevate, I started with simple sketches to visualize the layout and features of the app. These sketches helped me explore different ideas and arrangements before diving into the detailed design process. Sketching out my ideas also allowed me to quickly iterate on designs and make improvements based on feedback from peers and potential users.
Drawing inspiration from my initial sketches and informed by insights gathered from the research survey and user personas, I created low fidelity wireframes using Figma to outline the app's layout and functions. These wireframes provide a solid foundation for the app's development, ensuring a cohesive user experience that meets the needs of our target audience.
I experimented with a different approach compared to my usual method. Instead of creating wireframes with specific content, I simplified the process by using placeholders for content. This allowed me to focus more on layout and functionality, without becoming overwhelmed by unnecessary details.
Creating Elevate was a journey of continuous refinement and improvement through an iterative design process. With each iteration, I sought to enhance the app's functionality, usability, and overall user experience. During the design process, I ended up fully redesigning two of the major screens of Elevate with simplicity in mind: the Match Profile page and the Discover Matches page.
Discover Matches Page
The original layout of the discover matches page showed multiple profiles at once, leading to endless scrolling and making it difficult to find genuine connections. To improve this, I redesigned the page to focus on one profile at a time. At the top of the new match page, I introduced the ability to search through three different categories of matches: "For You," "Active," and "New." This prioritizes new and active users, increasing the likelihood of finding matches and fostering connections while users are actively using the app.
Match Profile Page
When redesigning this screen, I focused on simplifying and organizing the profile page for potential matches. Initially, the page presented a lot of data upfront, which could be overwhelming for users. To address this, I simplified the layout and organized the information more effectively. Additionally, I increased the size of images and implemented the ability for users to add multiple pictures while allowing users to easily scroll through images to get a better sense of potential matches.
For the UI of Elevate, I aimed for a sleek and bold look. I decided to go for a dark theme with a bold accent color to give the app a cool and energetic vibe. I drew inspiration from exercise and training apps like "Ladder" to create a design that feels modern and dynamic. These design choices helps Elevate stand out and creates an exciting atmosphere for users as they embark on their fitness journey.
Throughout the journey of creating Elevate, I embraced the concept of a new word I stumbled upon during the design process, "Kaizen" - the philosophy of continuous improvement. This approach taught me invaluable lessons about the iterative nature of design and the importance of listening to user feedback. I learned that every iteration, no matter how small, presents an opportunity to refine and enhance the product. By remaining open to feedback and willing to make adjustments, Elevate evolved into a more comprehensive and user-friendly platform. Additionally, I discovered the power of simplicity in design and the impact it can have on the overall user experience. Simplifying the wireframing process and focusing on essential features allowed me to iterate more quickly and efficiently. Overall, the journey of creating Elevate reinforced the importance of adaptability, perseverance, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Thank you for reading my case study!
I hope you enjoyed learning about my design and thought process.