Setting the scene

Anytime Fitness is a business that consists of 3000+ franchised gym locations world wide. The business model is based on self managed fitness. With 24/7 access and 500+ locations in Australia, the focus is offering members convenient, safe and secure access to a gym anytime, almost anywhere.

The current app that is offered relies on 3 other apps to support the main Anytime Fitness app. Included within the app and support apps are services for workout planing and completion, diet and nutritional tracking and exercise regime tracking and membership logistics.

The Project

Using a design thinking double diamond approach and user informed ideation make a more convenient solution by redesign the current app to provide a single app experience. Their main goal was to understand what their current and potential users want and need in a fitness app, and ultimately increase member’s gym visits by providing them with a more engaging and unified app experience.

Myself and two other UX Designers worked on this project. While I was involved end to end my core focus was the research; planning, participant recruitment, in-depth 1:1 interviews, subsequent synthesis of the research findings including; persona creation, problem statement, identification of the key insights, hypotheses, solution sketching and hi fidelity prototyping.

Research Objectives

Research and understand what resources people need to help them engaged in a gym habit and their experience with the current app.

EMPATHY - MOTIVATIONS

Unravel customers pains & gains related to the gym experience and what motivated them to keep coming back.

BRAND PERCEPTION

Evaluate what customers think about Anytime Fitness, understand why they choose to sign up for a membership.

EXPERIENCES

Understand customers current experiences with the app or similar fitness apps.

Research Methodology

The aim of the research was to speak with as many Anytime Fitness members as possible to understand the challenges with the current offering but also to broaden our enquiry to other gym goers to see what we could learn about what motivates people to stay engaged with a fitness regime.

Intercept interviews were conducted a number of Anytime Fitness venues. These were also supplemented with online reviews to build a fuller picture of the current offering.

1:1 in-depth interviews were conducted to uncover the motivations behind a fitness habit.

Key Insights

Members want a personalised way to set goals, identify a fitness regime, track performance and milestones to remain motivated to go back to the gym.

Members need an efficient way to work out.  They don’t want to spend time waiting around for equipment or waste time being uncertain about what is going to be the best way for them to reach their goals.

Members use the gym as a tool to achieve their goals so that they can feel good and perform better in all aspects of their life.

PAIN POINTS

Information and facilities available are not supporting effective preparation for an optimal gym experience and workout (lost time = disrupted workout experience (frustrated and anxious)).

Not obvious and intuitive how to plan, personalise and track their workout as it is disjointed and inconsistent due to 3rd party apps current being used.

Potential Users

Potential users of the app are differentiated by their levels of experience within the gym environment. Regular gym goers who need different support to those who are new to the gym or training for a broader fitness goal.

Three distinct personas were identified with the Simone being chosen as the primary persona due to the fact that a convenient app solution that contained relevant tools and information would have the biggest impact on her levels of engagement and visitation at the gym.

Key Problem

Anytime fitness members need an efficient, personalised way to prepare an optimal workout, because the in gym experience can be crowded and hard to navigate interrupting their workout regime.

The Opportunity - Hypothesis

We believe that by providing sufficient information and planning tools to prepare Anytime Fitness members for their regular gym visit, we will achieve a seamless gym experience which keeps them focused and motivated to return.

We will know this to be true when we see an increase in members using the app to gather the appropriate information to prepare and complete their workouts.

Minimum Viable Experience

TRACKING

Set meaningful goals and milestones, related directly to their lives not generic fitness goals.

Provide options of metrics to track so the members can monitor the progress that will keep them motivated.

PERSONALISATION

Allow members to see themselves in the app.

Make sure workout reflects them through the use of relatable imagery and language.

The Solution

Clickable Prototype

Conclusion

Frequent gym users, doesn’t equal frequent app users. Most frequent gym goers have a set of tools and apps that they use and are not looking for a new solution. It is people who have an established fitness habit, not necessarily a gym habit, and a new goal that are the most likely to benefit from a fitness app.

A lot of emotion is involved in the whole gym experience. People feel a lot of pressure to be “better” when it comes to their fitness, but most people don’t know what tools will help them achieve their goals.

A lot of people like guidance. The more people feel that their individual needs are being supported the more likely they are to develop a fitness habit.

Next Steps

Refine the goal builder.

Look further into incorporating other user insights such as:

• Meal plans / tips

• Live gym data

• Weekly/Monthly challenges

Onboard members onto the Anytime Fitness App.

Encourage usage of the app through marketing and promotion of the apps availability.