[Mobile App]
The Fitful App
Fitful
A social fitness app that motivates users through accountability partners, supportive communities, and gamified rewards to build consistent healthy habits.
Case Study
Fitness / Social Media
[Overview]
Fitful: Redefining Fitness Engagement
My 12 week capstone project at Brainstation explores the nuances of habit formation, motivation, and social reinforcement in the fitness space. By diving into the gaps left by traditional fitness solutions, it became clear that fostering consistency required more than just progress tracking—it needed a system that actively supports, engages, and empowers users in their journey.
This case study captures my design journey from ideation to implementation, weaving insights from user research, competitive analysis, and iterative design to deliver a solution that transforms how users approach fitness, creating a more engaging, inclusive and sustainable journey.
Context & timeline
BRAINSTATION CASE STUDY
12 WEEKS
Role
UX DESIGNER
UI Designer
tools
FIGMA
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
Disciplines
UX research - product strategy - rapid prototyping - user flows -
end-to-end UI/ux design - brand identity
[PROBLEM FRAMING]
exploring the problem
The Struggle of Fitness Goals
Fitness goals often share the same fate as New Year’s resolutions
They start with boundless enthusiasm but quickly fade into the abyss of forgotten aspirations, leaving nothing but unused treadmills and
a lingering sense of guilt.
the challenge
The objective was to craft a tool that fosters long-term commitment by embedding accountability and community, turning lost interest into sustained habits.
how might we?
How can we design a fitness app that transforms fleeting motivation into consistent action by leveraging community, accountability, and gamification for ambitious individuals struggling to balance everyday life and personal fitness goals?
[PROBLEM FRAMING]
research insights
First step? Research.
Unearthing a wealth of insights into the psychology behind fitness motivation, my initial insights delved into what drives individuals to not only start their fitness journeys but to persevere even when the initial excitement wanes. From social media influence to intrinsic rewards, the findings illuminated a few significant subject matters.
[Initial Research > User Research]
My initial research insights enabled me to curate important interview material that were bounded by these findings. My goal was to achieve a better understanding of this problem space while getting to know our potential users and their characteristics.
[USER RESEARCH]
Primary Research
Uncovering Fitness Motivations: User Insights
I interviewed six young professionals to better understand how they approach fitness, their motivations, and the challenges they face in staying consistent.
I chose to speak with individuals who have previously attempted to incorporate fitness into their routines, as their experiences provided richer insights into common barriers and needs.
Interview Script
01
How important is social encouragement
(likes, comments, check-ins) to your fitness journey?
02
Have you ever used an app that made fitness feel fun or rewarding? What specific features stood out to you?
03
Do you prefer working out alone, with a partner, in a group? Why?
04
How do you currently track your fitness progress? What would make progress tracking more useful or enjoyable for you?
Observations & Affinity Mapping
The main goals were to identify barriers users face in fitness spaces, understand how users stay committed, explore how community interaction impacts motivation and commitment, and learn what tracking methods are most effective and engaging for users.
This process would help me prioritize features
& design considerations that would
most effectively address user needs.
[Key Insights]
Important Findings
Key Insights
These insights collected from affinity mapping highlight the barriers that users face and
the opportunities to create a more engaging and human-centered experience.
AFFINITY MAPPING
accountability Systems
01
Users wanted accountability but not at the cost of guilt or stress rather something to create more sustained engagement.
Engagement Variety
02
A handful of users stated that fitness communities can feel overwhelming or discouraging, they favoured more inclusive community options in order to create supportive connections.
Gamification
03
Users agreed that variety in reward based achievements promotes motivation even when some goals are difficult
Dynamic Goal Tracking
04
Users prefer flexible goals & milestone instead of rigid boring streaks.
[Key Insights]
Competitive analysis
The Competitor Landscape Overview
After conducting user interviews and affinity mapping, I performed a detailed competitive analysis to identify industry standards, opportunities for innovation, and gaps in existing solutions. This analysis focuses on key features that align with our insights into inclusivity, goal tracking, gamification, and social accountability—all essential to creating an engaging and effective fitness experience.
gamification & goal tracking
Users want rewards and visible progress. Public tracking boosts motivation and accountability.
Inclusivity & goal tracking
Clear, inclusive goals with real-time feedback help users track progress effectively.
Social SupporT & Community
Community support and accountability partners help users stay motivated and committed.
inclusivity & goal tracking
Beginner-friendly, personal plans support diverse users through easy onboarding & goal-setting.
VIEW WHY
CLOSE
Strava
Leverages gamification with leaderboards, achievements, and progress tracking to keep users engaged.
MyFitnesspal
Emphasizes goal tracking with a user-friendly interface and data-driven insights on nutrition and exercise.
MEETUP
Fosters social support by connecting users with like-minded individuals through shared interests & events
Nike Training CLub
Offers personalized workout plans that adapt to user needs, promoting accessibility and inclusivity.
[design opportunity]
To stand apart, Fitful had to blend the best elements of these platforms while addressing gaps.
I envisioned a tool that combines Strava’s social motivation, Nike’s personalization, and Meetup’s connection-building—all wrapped in an intuitive, visually engaging package.
[Ideation]
Design Principles
Simple, yet profound.
I established three guiding design principles that would shape Fitful’s experience. These were as a reflection of the core needs uncovered in my research, ensuring that every feature, interaction, and visual decision serves a meaningful purpose.
simplicity
Design an intuitive, simple interface inspired by proven patterns in the competitive analysis, while staying true to user feedback
community
Foster approachable communities that integrates goals collectively, ensuring every user feels supported from the start.
Motivation
Keep users engaged & motivated by associating fitness with diverse, rewarding experiences.
[IDEATION]
USER FLOW
Motivation Fades Without Momentum: The User Flow
By designing a flow that reinforces consistency through social connection, rewards, and adaptive feedback,
this user flow is meant to create a system that makes fitness feel less like an obligation and more like a habit worth building upon.
[Ideation]
PRimary Sketches
Fitful Interface Explorations & Brand Identity
LOGO
LOGO
TYPEFACE
TYPEFACE
PAPER SKETCHES > DIGITAL VECTOR RENDER
Prototyping
The Design Process
The Design Process
To ensure the product resonated with real users, I embedded usability testing into four key phases.
V1
Prototype Setup
01
Created V1 designs based on initial goals and key user needs.
User testing
02
Tested with five users to gather insights on usability & functionality.
feedback analysis
03
Gather & consolidate user feedback, then present design rationale for V2.
v2
Iteration refinement
04
V2 Implements improvements developed from consolidated feedback themes.
Goal Setting : Defining Success on Your Terms
I focused on crafting an experience that prioritizes flexibility and allows users to define success based on their unique fitness journey.
I wanted to demonstrate my findings prior; showing that motivation thrives when progress feels personal.
GOAL SETTING
Setting a goal
V1
Setting a Goal - Overloaded and Unstructured
The first version attempted to capture all goal-setting details in one dense screen. Users had to enter their goal, frequency, and motivation all at once, making the process overwhelming. The lack of clear progression made it unclear what the next step was.
V1
SETTING A GOAL: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
Cognitive Overload
There was too much personalization in many places at once in an order which was confusing to the users.
02
Limited Personalization
Users couldn't define success in a way that matched their intent.
03
Lack of engagement
Static inputs didn’t reinforce progress tracking.
version 2 Design rationale
Prioritizing the necessity of simplifying interactions, breaking the process into steps, enhancing personalization & clarifying inputs could improve clarity, motivational impact, & flexibility for diverse goal types.
GOAL SETTING
Setting a goal
Version 2
v2
Goal Setting - A Straight Forward and Personalized Flow
Goal-setting was segmented into a clear, step by step process. Inputs became targeted
and intuitive, reducing cognitive load while and maintaining personalization.
01
Goal Type Selection Options
Clearly segmented goal selection
offering structured, predefined options.
02
Goal Customization Options
Modal interfaces now allow users to define success explicitly.
03
Clarified Calendar Interaction
Separating the calendar & highlighting start and end dates
V2
SETTING A GOAL: VERSION 2
GOAL SETTING
Feature expansion
Key success metrics
Redefining Progress – Key Success Metrics
User feedback showed a need for personal, measurable motivation. By introducing “key success metrics,”
I separated outcomes from goals, simplifying setup. This helped users define clear, personalized metrics.
The Key Success Metric
enabled users to do a few things:
01
Choose a Success Metric
Tailored specifically to diverse user objectives
02
Define the Metric Details Clearly
Making success feel customizable and measurable
03
Set Tracking Reminders
reinforcing consistency, and increasing long term engagement.
V0
FEATURE EXPANSION: KSM
GOAL SETTING
Defining Goal Requirements
V1
Defining Requirements – Ambitious but Slightly Chaotic
The first version boldly allowed users freedom to set diverse goal requirements and success indicators.
Users found issues distinguishing between routine habits and achievements.
V1
DEFINING REQUIREMENTS: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
There Was Poor Visual Differentiation
Colors muddled users' goal requirements, causing confusion.
02
A Need for Reminders
Users had concerns regarding reminders, and they had no ability to reinforce habitual actions.
03
Redundant Goal Achievement Section
'I know I've achieved my goal when:' felt too general to users due to the ability to add multiple goal indicators.
version 2 Design Rationale
I wanted to enhance visual clarity & practical reminders by focusing on clear distinction & actionable habit reminders that can prioritize accountability, clarity, & motivational impact.
GOAL SETTING
Defining Goal Requirements
version 2
v2
Defining Requirements – Structured for Clarity and Commitment
The revised design introduced clear visual differentiation color coding daily and weekly task indicators.
Customizable reminders were added and the redundant "achievement indicators" section was removed,
01
Color-Coded Clarity
Color distinctions visually separate "daily" and "weekly" tasks.
02
Action-Oriented Reminders
Reminders were added to boost accountability & user goal actions.
V2
DEFINING REQUIREMENTS: VERSION 2
GOAL SETTING
Finding Groups and Partners
V1
Finding Groups & Partners - Insufficient Structure
Users became overwhelmed by the lengthy scroll and unclear hierarchy.
My idea was to split these into separate, structured steps to enhance clarity and usability.
V1
FINDING GROUPS & PARTNERS: VERSION 1
GOAL SETTING
Finding Groups and Partners
Version 2
v2
Finding Groups & Partners – Clarity, Community, and a Cleaner Scroll
Each now has its own screen, contextual intro, and role specific content. This structure supports clearer decision making, improving visibility of each path. Community and partner tools now feel intentional rather than buried. This also left more room to further personalize suggestions.
V2
FINDING GROUPS & PARTNERS: VERSION 2
Progress Tracking : Making Milestones Feel Tangible
Users return here to log their workouts, adjust goals, and see how far they’ve come. A living record of effort, and built for consistency,
this space helps users stay grounded in their goals. They track what matters, course correct when needed, and keep progress moving.
By logging updates and reviewing past actions, they shape a feedback loop that’s both personal and purposeful.
Progress Tracking
Goal updating
V1
Goal Updating – It Was Too Familiar.
The first iteration closely mirrored the original goal setting interface.
It led to confusion and a lack of clear distinction between creating and updating goals.
V1
GOAL UPDATING: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
Overly Similar to Goal Creation
Goal updating closely mirrored the goal setting interface.
There were also concerns of the calendar taking up more space than necessary.
03
Updating A Goal Felt Inaccessible/Restrictive
Users encountered limited paths to update goals, resulting in frustration with ongoing goal maintenance.
version 2 Design Rationale
Taking user frustrations seriously, I wanted to first: reduce the design to be more sleek, and break away from mirroring the initial goal setting interface while introducing more options to update their goals.
Progress Tracking
Goal updating
Version 2
v2
Goal Updating – Visually Rich, Swift, and Actionable
The components I crafted leansed into visual clarity and more intuitive structure. I added tabs so users can access more dynamic goal tracking features. But this meant doing more work to create those new areas.
V2 - COMPONENTS
Implemented Changes
01
Visually Differentiation
Repositioned photos
Reduced the calendar
Goal statements distinctly differentiate tracking from creation, reducing confusion
02
Added Engaging Interface Enhancements
Tabs were implemented to introduce easier access to goal related insights & community interaction.
Key success metrics were implemented to motivate the user regularly and stay engaged.
03
Footer Quick-Action Button
A Strava inspired quick action button enabling instant goal updates & resolving accessibility concerns
A More intuitive Goals Tab
By applying a familiar weekly tab structure, timestamped logs, and subtle cosmetic refinements across the Goals tab, the design now clearly distinguishes tracking from setup
V2 - FINAL DESIGN
GOAL UPDATING: VERSION 2
Progress Tracking
Feature expansion
Dynamic Goal Insights
Dynamic Goal Insights - Numbers That Nudge
This feature was added to make progress feel fun but quantitative. By visualizing patterns and milestones directly in the profile,
the app transforms passive data into a fun visual statistics.
01
Context, not just numbers
Added Stats like streaks, skipped days, and completion rates.
02
Filterable Goal Statistics
Users can customize which metrics show up, keeping focus custom and personal.
03
More Visualize momentum
The insight graph gives users a visual understanding of their growth patterns.
V0
FEATURE EXPANSION: DYNAMIC GOAL INSIGHTS
Social Engagement : Progress Through Connection
Users receive encouragement, guidance, and feedback in fun, conversational ways that build connection and consistency.
From group energy to personal check ins, this section pushes users to stay on track with personally through community.
Social Engagement
Commmunity Feed
V1
Community Feed - Scrollable, But Limited
Community updates were shown in a simple scrollable feed. Users could see posts and partner activity,
but relied on filters for more. There were also some necessary key features missing on the feed that caused concern.
V1
COMMUNITY FEED: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
Discovery felt buried
The filter pop up slowed down
exploration across groups and partners.
02
Low visibility for interaction cues
Friends posts didn't show what goals they were working towards when they posted progress
Users had no access to notifications
version 2 Design Rationale
The goal was a create a more dynamic feed that didn't slow it discovery and had access to important areas like notifications. It was also important that I integrate progress visuals within posts to share wins
Social Engagement
Commmunity Feed
Version 2
v2
Community Feed - Redesigned for Discovery and Motivation
I introduced a tabbed browsing experience, replacing the buried filter with access to Groups, Partners, & Explore.
Goal progress is now surfaced visually within posts, and a reconfiguration of the header was done to add space for status/notifications.
01
Tabbed navigation
Tabbed navigation removed friction & encouraged a broader, faster discovery.
02
Overlays & A More Efficient Header
I integrated goal progress onto user activity, and the header space became
more efficiently used by replacing the filter with status updates, and notifications.
V2
COMMUNITY FEED: VERSION 2
Social Engagement
Messages (Groups & Partners)
V1
Messages - The One List Messaging Layout
Messages initially stacked all group and partner chats into a single vertical feed. While technically functional, the experience lacked visual hierarchy,
goal context, and separation between chat types and it left users to guess how messages tie into their progress.
V1
MESSAGES: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
Group vs. Partner confusion
Users couldn’t easily tell message types apart.
02
Messages Felt Disconnected from goals
Messaging felt detached from fitness progress.
version 2 Design Rationale
Organizing messages into tabs could help users stay focused. Integrating chats with goals may reinforce purpose.
Social Engagement
Messages (Groups & Partners)
version 2
v2
Message with Meaning: Goal-Linked Conversations
Separating chats into tabs and embedding them within goal views brings clearer structure and stronger context.
This layout appears both in the main messages tab and within goals to give users multiple touchpoints to stay connected.
01
Tabs separate chat types
Implementing this layout instantly clears up confusion between group chats and partner chats.
02
Goal based messaging
Goal based messaging integration
connects chats directly to each fitness goal for relevance.
V2
MESSAGES: VERSION 2
Social Engagement
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Feature expansion
distinct Messaging
Distinct Messaging - Turning Conversations into Progress
The chat functionality in this fitness app has been designed to serve two core purposes: personalized accountability and collective motivation.
Each chat function plays a unique role in fostering encouragement, tracking progress, and maintaining engagement.
V0
COMMUNITY FOCUSED CHATS
Community Focused Chats
01
Generate Points By Engagements
Reinforcing engagement by awarding with accountability points.
02
Bot-Generated Nudges
AI bot integration that prompts peer encouragement and turnd reminders into accountability.
03
Prompts for Community Involvement
Drives follow-through via group momentum.
Individual Focused Chats
01
Real-Time Goal Snapshot
Shows partner progress in the header of the chat, keeping accountability accessible & as a priority.
02
|
03
Personal Messages, Personal Impact
Encouragement nudges are universally tailored to feel special & personal, & meant to build relationships through motivation.
04
Quick Replies That Keep It Going
Prompted replies are added help maintain flow. This is an easy way to break the ice & encourage frequent follow ups.
V0
INDIVIDUAL FOCUSED CHATS
Gamified Progress : Progress that Feels Rewarding
Social features are gamified through visible milestones, completion incentives, and feedback rewards,
elevating basic interactions into progress driving touchpoints, boosting user motivation while aligning with larger goal systems.
By bridging gamification into the apps features, users experience accountability as progress, supporting long-term habit formation.
Gamified Progress
User profile
V1
User Profile - A Static Flat Profile View
Users found that the original profile lacked personality.
Users could track data, but not much else felt memorable or motivating.
V1
USER PROFILE: VERSION 1
Consolidated Feedback
01
The Profile Lacked Personality
Users want to personalize their presence beyond just numbers.
02
Minimal Progress Cues
Users felt that the interface lacked elements that make fitness feel earned. They didn't know how points & badges worked & how it correlated to their profile.
03
The Profile Felt Goal Limited And Confusing
Users noted that their profile felt central to only one goal, & there was unclear context to the use of groups & partners.
version 2 Design Rationale
I looked to reframe the profile with more clarity and gamified aspects.. Something that could celebrate progress & make personal achievement feel fun and visible.
Gamified Progress
User profile
version 2
v2
Your Fitness, Your Identity: A Living Profile
Recast as a motivational dashboard that celebrates the user. This version turns stats into stories,
and shifts away from status metrics to celebrate meaningful accomplishments.
IMPLEMENTED CHANGES
01
+Frames/Tags/Backgrounds/Badges
Wins, are represented through acquired accolades,
used to engage, customize and personalize the user experience.
02
Showing Wins, with List & Grid Views
Utilizing tabs once again for better accesibility.
03
Step by Step, Personal Progress
Keeping points & badges within proximity and summarizing how each action advances overall personal progress.
Design Reflection
The profile now functions as a personal highlight reel. Progress isn’t hidden, now it’s front and center & it’s fun! Users feel ownership of their wins, driving engagement & consistency.
V2
USER PROFILE: VERSION 2
Gamified Progress
Feature expansion
Badges
Badges – Highlighting Achievements Visually
To support the redesigned profile, a dedicated badge explorer was introduced, making every earned achievement visible, shareable,
and meaningful. This turns milestones into microrewards, fueling motivation through playful recognition.
01
Highlight your proudest milestone
Users can showcase a favorite badge on their public profile for added personality and credibility.
02
See exactly how you earned it
Each badge has a clear title and description to celebrate how the milestone was reached.
V0
FEATURE EXPANSION: BADGES
Gamified Progress
Feature expansion
Custom Profiles
Enhanced Custom Profiles for Consistent Progress
Users earn accountability points that unlock profile customizations, visual reminders of their growth.
The goal is to boost long term engagement by turning consistency into their identity.
01
Accountability Points Unlock Personalization
The more users engage, the more they can customize. Earning APs makes profile styling a reward.
02
Not just for looks, but to tell a story
The user profile is meant to feel lived in and earned, creating a limitless & personal experience that motivates progression.
V0
FEATURE EXPANSION: CUSTOM PROFILES
Gamified Progress
Feature expansion
Accountability Points
Accountability, But Make It Addictive
I wanted to embedded the point system within the user flow so it sparks curiosity and progress feels rewarding:
01
Completing Goals
Users earn points after hitting goal milestones via clear completion.
02
Self Accountability
Notifications prompt users for goal urgency and consistency.
02
Partner Accountability
Friendly nudges from partners = extra motivation → Partners can send reminders that reinforce goals and trigger point actions.
02
Group Engagement
Engaging in communities = instant rewards → Members earn bonus points when engaging in group activities.
V0
FEATURE EXPANSION: ACCOUNTABILITY POINTS
Design Reflection
Instead of hiding rewards, this design surfaced them across the app—making accountability feel fun and turning tracking into active progress.
This feature made progress feel tangible and shifts tracking into a more playful, intentional habit.
[reflection]
Final Fitful Takeaways
This project reinforced how designing for motivation differs from designing for utility. While tracking alone can feel cold and discouraging, layering in community, accountability, and play transformed the experience into something sustainable and human.
I learned how small design decisions like progressive disclosure in goal-setting or embedding reminders into chats, can have outsized effects on engagement. Balancing gamification with empathy was key: rewards needed to feel encouraging.
Most importantly, Fitful taught me the value of iterating with users early and carefully. Feedback reshaped the app into a system that felt less like a fitness tracker and more like a hub for a fun supportive community of lasting habits.
[Next steps]
Opportunities for Growth
A few things I would action, if fitful was to continue its life cycle:
Deeper user testing & iteration:
Test new design variations across a larger pool of users, and track results with clear metrics
(engagement rates, retention, completion of goals) to measure success quantitatively.
Stronger research foundation:
Extend the upfront research and ideation phase before prototyping to anticipate challenges earlier and reduce design rework.
Extended validation cycles:
Run multiple rounds of usability testing and feedback loops to validate the concept at different stages of fidelity.
[Impact & Value Proposition]
How did this project solve the problem and help the users?
I delivered end-to-end design for Fitful, transforming research insights into a cohesive platform that addressed the root
challenges users faced with fitness apps: fleeting motivation, intimidating environments, and fragmented progress tracking.
Tackled the drop-off in motivation by designing gamified progress tracking and milestone rewards, helping users see progress as tangible, motivating achievements instead of abstract numbers.
Reduced intimidation and exclusion in fitness spaces by crafting inclusive, beginner-friendly flows that allowed users to define goals on their own terms, lowering the barrier to entry.
Turned isolated effort into community-driven engagement by embedding accountability tools, group discovery, partner matching, and goal-linked messaging.
Simplified overwhelming goal-setting through iterative testing, evolving from dense, confusing flows into step-by-step, personalized processes that improved clarity and usability.
Connected daily habits to long-term outcomes with reminders, nudges, and goal requirements, reinforcing consistency and making small actions feel purposeful.
Built a scalable design system unifying these features under a consistent brand, ensuring the product could expand beyond a capstone project into a real-world solution.
FITFUL
