Mobile UX
Interaction Design
University Project

Fitbit - Enhancing User Engagement through Community Interaction and Behavior Change

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UI element

Overview

Summary
Problem
Solution
Outcomes

Additional content

Research
Ideation
Usability Testing
Learnings
Summary

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Guided by the mission to improve user retention, particularly addressing the challenge of sustaining user interest on the platform, I led the project as part of a university project. Working collaboratively within a dedicated team of four, the primary goal was to overcome the inherent difficulty in keeping users engaged on the Fitbit mobile application and instigating meaningful behavior change.

Proposed features addressed identified community feature shortcomings. The final prototype prioritized personalized engagement and seamless tracking. Future recommendations include analyzing edge cases and refining data collection. Fitbit's vision is not only to track progress but to create a supportive fitness community catalyzing lasting behavior change.

Project duration

6 week

Role

Product Designer

Contribution

User Discovery
Stakeholder Meetings
Rapid Prototyping
User Testing
Problem

Unveiling the Challenge of User Retention

Through primary and secondary research we learned that , Fitbit faced a critical challenge related to user retention and sustained engagement on its mobile platform. Despite providing valuable fitness tracking features, the company encountered difficulty in keeping users actively involved over an extended period. This issue was particularly pronounced given the inherent challenge of altering user behavior, making it essential to address in order to ensure the long-term success and relevance of the Fitbit application.
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Initial Engagement Fade

Fitbit faced the challenge of users losing interest after an initial period, indicating a need for strategies to maintain prolonged engagement.
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Behavior Change Resistance

Changing user behavior, especially in the realm of fitness habits, presented a formidable obstacle, necessitating innovative approaches to encourage consistent positive change.
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Lack of Emotional Touch

Fitbit encountered a deficiency in providing emotional connections within its features. Users sought a more emotionally resonant experience, indicating a need for features that fostered a deeper connection and motivation on a personal level.
Solution

Elevating Fitbit Community Interaction and User Engagement

The solution feature organizes users with similar demographics and fitness goals into smaller, more intimate groups, fostering mutual accountability and driving behavior change.

Peer Support Network Platform

Introduce a robust Peer Support Network, allowing users to find and connect with like-minded individuals.

Personalized Fitness Goal Tracker

Leveraging the motivation and accountability provided by peers, this feature adds an extra layer of encouragement and support, enhancing the overall user experience.
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Fitness Accountability Challenges

Effortlessly monitor personal and group challenges. Cultivate a consistent exercise routine by engaging in challenges with peers, fueling motivation as you track and celebrate each other's achievements.

Enhanced Community Interaction

Boost user engagement through encouragement. Share your challenge victories and inspire others within your group feeds. Foster exercise accountability and motivation as you journey towards your fitness goals.

Gather with a small group of people with similar demographics

Community groups with millions of users offer a more personalized and motivating experience, as they allow individuals to connect with like-minded people who share similar fitness goals and experiences.

Track and manage your personal and group challenges

Establish a habit of exercising by participating in challenges with your peers and maintaining motivation by tracking and celebrating each other's accomplishments.

Engage and motivate users

Encourage your peers by sharing proof of challenge completion and foster exercise accountability by motivating them through group feeds.
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Mobile screen with design of the track
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Outcomes

Shaping the Future of Fitbit Interaction

Throughout this project, the team aimed to deliver impactful outcomes that not only addressed current challenges but also contributed to the academic and professional growth of its members.

Positive User Feedback

Iterative design processes, incorporating user feedback, resulted in positive responses, indicating that the proposed solutions resonated with the Fitbit user base.

Valuable Insights for Fitbit:

The project not only addressed current challenges but also provided Fitbit with valuable insights into user preferences, behavior change dynamics, and the potential for fostering a stronger sense of community within the app.

Foundation for Future Iterations

The outcomes serve as a foundation for future iterations and improvements, laying the groundwork for ongoing enhancements that align with user needs and industry trends.

Measurable Impact on User Retention

The implemented solutions aimed at sustaining user engagement are expected to contribute positively to user retention, providing Fitbit with a more loyal and committed user base.
Research

Literature Review

Before interacting with the current Fitbit application, we conducted a thorough study of behavior change models by reviewing articles and published research papers. This exploration led us to identify several techniques commonly utilized by various fitness programs.
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Competetive Analysis

We performed a comparative analysis of Fitbit in conjunction with four other fitness apps available in the market. Our goal was to uncover common features and distinguishable functionalities within these apps.

This analysis was pivotal in recognizing that most fitness apps emphasize progress tracking while providing limited guidance on sustaining a healthy lifestyle, shaping our design direction accordingly.
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Semi Structured Interview

We gathered varied perspectives and valuable insights about exercise habits and the effectiveness of fitness apps through user interviews with a diverse group of participants, including three distinct types of interviewees. This approach provided us with a comprehensive understanding of our users' needs and preferences, enriching our design process.

Research Insights

Our research reveals that the role of peers plays a significant role in shaping individuals' exercise routines. This discovery aligns with patterns identified in our secondary research findings.

The Impact of Peer Influence

Our research reveals that the role of peers plays a significant role in shaping individuals' exercise routines. This discovery aligns with patterns identified in our secondary research findings.

Peer Pressure and Emotional Impact

Peer pressure and the concern for others' opinions can lead to feelings of embarrassment or guilt when sharing exercise progress with a known audience

The Power of Exercise Buddies

Having friends who share a passion for exercise can serve as a motivating factor in maintaining a consistent workout routine.

Setting Short-Term Goals for Long-Term Success

Our research highlights the effectiveness of setting short-term and smaller fitness goals as a strategy for individuals to persevere and build a lasting exercise habit.

Beautiful analytics on accountability

Having a specific accountability appointment with someone results in a significantly higher likelihood of goal completion
30%
more likely to consistently engage
50%
higher chance of sustaining routine
Ideation

Insights to Actions

Peer Support Network Platform

Encourages users to find and connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, seek advice, and motivate each other to achieve their fitness goals.

Fitness Accountability Challenges

Encourages friendly competition and collaboration among users. It fosters accountability as individuals work together to meet fitness challenges and celebrate their achievements.

Personalized Fitness Goal Tracker

Helps users define and pursue their fitness objectives while leveraging the motivation and accountability provided by their peers. The social aspect adds an extra layer of encouragement and support.

User flow and inital designs

We started sketching out a normal flow of how and where the feature could go. Below is a better-looking version of the scribbling that we did on the whiteboard.
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Iterations

Issues with Current Fitbit Community Feature

The current Fitbit Community Feature presents several challenges identified through research and interviews, hindering user engagement and satisfaction.

Plain ,Unengaging Interfaces

The existing community interfaces lack visual appeal and fail to captivate user interest, resulting in a lackluster experience.

Lack of Personalization

In larger groups, content becomes less personalized and relevant to individual users, impacting the overall quality of the user experience and diminishing the value of community participation.

Limitations in Personal Groups

Users are restricted to inviting only their existing friends, limiting their ability to expand their social circle within the Fitbit community and hindering potential connections.

Overcrowded Groups

Large community groups suffer from overcrowding, making it challenging for users to receive the attention and support they desire, thereby diminishing the sense of community.
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Iterations after user testing sessions

We conducted user testing sessions and incorporated valuable feedback to deliberately refine the designs, ensuring a user-centric solution.
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Mobile screen with design of the track
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Final Solution Prototype

How does this work ?

The solution feature organizes users with similar demographics and fitness goals into smaller, more intimate groups, fostering mutual accountability and driving behavior change.

Below is the interactive prototype. Hover over the it and follow steps.

Personalized Group Formation

Create or join small, like-minded communities based on demographics. Find personalized motivation within Fitbit's vast user base, connecting with individuals who share your fitness goals and experiences.

Engage and Inspire

Boost user engagement through encouragement. Share your challenge victories and inspire others within your group feeds. Foster exercise accountability and motivation as you journey towards your fitness goals.

Challenge Tracking Made Easy

Effortlessly monitor personal and group challenges. Cultivate a consistent exercise routine by engaging in challenges with peers, fueling motivation as you track and celebrate each other's achievements.

Supportive Community Connections

Forge strong bonds within your fitness community. Leverage the power of peer support as you interact with like-minded individuals. Share your exercise progress, seek advice, and jointly work towards healthier lifestyles.
Learnings

Some Things that I learned during this project

Iterate as much as you can

The next step for this project could be analyzing more edge cases such as who will monitor the group, privacy concerns, and defining more points to collect demographic data.

Focus more on tradeoffs with each direction

I want to improve my ability to express design choices with the user in mind so that I can better convey my design decisions to myself, my mentor, and prospective recruiters.

You didn’t fail- you just found 100 ways that didn’t work

From identifying faults in my UI to exposing more fundamental UX issues in my app, I'm grateful to have asked for input from my peers and mentor on a regular basis.

Focus on Outcomes

making a positive change in the lives of the people who interact with your product or service. Involve metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect how well the design is meeting user needs and business objectives.
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