EverFit
There are many fitness apps designed to help users create workout routines that meet their goals. However, many people don’t have access to all the necessary equipment or are unable to make it to the gym regularly. Everfit aims to help users achieve their fitness goals with the equipment available to them, whether it’s at the gym, in a hotel fitness room, or own body weight away from home. Fitness options should be accessible to every user.
2023
Skills:
User Experience, UI Design, User Research, Competitive Analysis, User Testing, Branding
Partner:
DesignLab
The Challenge
Many fitness options on the market require access to every machine available at large gyms, which is unrealistic for most users, even experienced ones. Users frequently encounter the problem of needing “replacement routines” when they’re away from home due to equipment availability. New users often struggle to understand how machines work and how to create a targeted routine with them. For example, they may wonder, “What machines should I use on leg day?” or “What options do I have for a back workout?”
Project goals:
Create an app that new users can use to create a routine that meets their fitness goals and levels.
Experienced users should be able to complement their current routines and receive suggestions based on their previous workouts and current progress.
Implementing a workout equipment scanner to help users integrate it into their workouts, understand which areas it targets, and what exercises it can replace from their current routines.
Research
Core User
Jacob A. - The Fitness Traveler
Jacob is a 35-year-old business executive who travels frequently for work. He is passionate about fitness and prioritizes his health in general. He’s a regular gym-goer and enjoys using different machines and equipment during his routines, but doesn’t always have access to these amenities while traveling.
Goals
Maintaining his fitness level while traveling
Staying active and healthy without a full gym
Understanding possible exercise replacements for different locations/gyms
Tracking the progress of his current program
Challenges
Jacob struggles with finding ways to exercise without access to equipment he’s familiar with
He wants to avoid getting bored with his current routine and likes to try new workouts to stay interested
He’s frequently unsure about what could replace some of his current exercises
Needs
Knowing alternatives to fitness routines with and without equipment
Ability to create custom workouts that fit his fitness level and goals
User-friendly and accessible app
A way to fit workouts into his busy travel schedule and stay motivated towards his goals
Methodologies and Insights
Secondary Research
Executed to understand the general trends and fitness habits of traveling Americans. The research found the following as key facts:
“Business travelers who exercise during their trips report a 61% improvement in their work performance.”
“31% of business travelers exercise before or after a flight, and 27% exercise during a layover.”
“85% of business travelers exercise while on the road.”
“61% of US travelers say they would choose a hotel with a gym over one without. ”
Competitive Analysis
Understanding what others are doing in the online-centric savings space is key to create an offering that will be meaningful to users. Three key competitors were selected to analyze:
MyFitnessPal
Strengths
Large user base, wide adoption by different levels
Calorie and nutrition tracker
Integration with other fitness apps and tracking devices
Weaknesses
Limited exercise tracking options
Limited customization options
No workout planning features
JEFIT
Strengths
Large exercise library with an animated explanation
Detailed workout tracking and progress reports
Integration with other apps
Weaknesses
Limited customization
The workout library doesn’t support custom exercises
No social features
Fitbit Premium
Strengths
Tracks steps, exercise, and sleep
Integration with other apps
Large user community for motivation and support
Weaknesses
Limited customization
Subscription required for some tracking features
Lacks support for a lot of fitness devices
Products within the category offer customization to a limited degree and different tiers of free and paid features. While all of them aim to fully track and create a holistic picture of the user’s activity, all assume equipment is readily available when it’s time to start a routine. This gives EverFit the advantage of becoming an “anywhere with any equipment” app.
Survey Insights and User Interviews
To gain deeper insights into the way potential users use fitness apps to track their workouts and stay in shape, a survey was conducted. These are the key findings from it:
60% of respondents would use an app with only equipment-free workouts
82% of respondents consider it important for fitness apps to cater to different fitness levels
83% of respondents thought it was important to have alternatives for exercises
89% of respondents find it difficult to work out while traveling
Interviews Conducted
User 1: Struggles to find necessary equipment while working out during travel and modifies his routine, he uses Apple Fitness Plus and equipment-free workout apps to find workout routines
User 2: He looks for good quality workout equipment but adjusts his routine when traveling. He gets his workout programs from a fitness influencer
User 3: Uses a balanced workout routine of machines and free weights, but avoids hotel gym equipment and opts for body weight movements or training apps when traveling
Affinity Map
An affinity map was created to identify the areas to prioritize in the product roadmap. The main categories found were the following:
Routine Equipment
Routine Adjustments
Fitness Level
In-App Tracking
All users agreed that programs and fitness apps should cater to different fitness levels and provide alternatives when equipment is not available to make fitness accessible to everyone. Although their habits while traveling differed, they all had to modify their routines and improvise exercise substitutions to meet their goals.
Wireframing and User Testing
Features and User Flows
After conducting the survey and user interviews, the following flows were identified as key to developing the fitness app:
Create an account
Start a quick workout
Key Functions
No equipment options
Exercise adjustments and substitutions
Workouts by body part
Equipment Scanner
Fitness level-based selections
“Nice to Have” Functions
Calorie tracker
Nutrition tracker
External app integrations
Workout sharing/social features
Visual Design
Branding Exploration
Brand Tile
UI Elements
Mid Fidelity Wireframe
High Fidelity Wireframe
Prototype and Solution
The prototype was tested with three users who provided feedback on the design, layout, and content of the flows.
General feedback was positive, with users finding the app simple and easy to use, and liking the equipment scanning feature. The process and layout were clear, and outcomes were as expected. The main opportunities for improvement were:
Better differentiation of sets in the workout tracker
Separating the scanner button from the search bar
Fixing icon renderings and interactions
Before user testing
After implementing feedback
Create an account
Start a quick workout
Reflection
EverFit aims to help users achieve their fitness goals using whatever equipment is available to them, whether it’s at the gym, in a hotel fitness room, or just their own body weight in a location away from home. Research shows that many users struggle with finding the right routines and equipment for their fitness goals, and that experienced users may benefit from customized workout suggestions based on their previous workouts and progress.
It is essential for an app in this category to cater to different fitness levels, as some users may be more familiar with equipment than others, and guidance is crucial to keep them engaged.
