Maximize your workout, minimize your wait time
Fitfinder
Challenge
Gym-goers face the challenge of waiting in long queues and finding equipment in large facilities, along with reporting maintenance issues, and locating equipment in the gym facility.
Solution
An accessible kiosk placed throughout the gym, allowing users to queue or reserve equipment, report maintenance, and view gym map.
Motivation
Navigating the gym can be a daunting task, especially during peak hours when there's a delicate balance of sharing equipment. For many gym-goers, it can be frustrating to constantly ask when someone will be done using a machine or if others are already waiting in line. Additionally, newcomers to the gym can find it challenging to locate various equipment, resulting in aimless wandering or awkward interactions with other gym-goers. These factors make the gym experience unpleasant for many, particularly for introverts who may prefer to avoid such social interactions altogether.
Our goal was to develop a kiosk that would surpass the capabilities of a mere phone application, providing a more efficient and intuitive solution for gym-goers.
Process and Contribution
Through primary and secondary research, competitive analysis, field work, first-hand interviews, prototyping, designing, and iteration our group was able to finalized our kiosk.
While I contributed equally across all sections, I placed extra emphasis on the project's primary and secondary research as well as its high-fidelity design.
Primary Research
Our team conducted 9 comprehensive rounds of in-person interviews to gain a thorough understanding of the gym environment and the behavior of frequent gym-goers within it. Additionally, we extended our primary research by conducting fieldwork and observing local gyms to examine how individuals interact with each other in situations where equipment is unavailable.
Interview Data
Observation Notes
Empty Gym
secondary Research
Our secondary research was in the form of competitive and research analysis. By thoroughly understanding existing competitors, we were able to understand their limitations and strengths, providing us with an opportunity identify new areas.
Research insight
Ideation
Through our comprehensive research, we were able to understand the core needs of gym-goers, especially during busy days. Thus, we ideated our kiosk based on the functionalities and the digital environment. This included the ability to view gym map, request maintenance, and queue or reserve equipment.
Cardio Reservation
Equipment queue
Maintanance request
Gym map
Low to high FIDELITY
Our group created low-fidelity wireframes in order to map out key features of our kiosk, and their placement. Once we finalized major elements, we transitioned to a high-fidelity mockup prioritizing visual cues, effortless interaction, and aesthetic.
Low-Fidelity Mockup
Visual Design
physical Kiosk
We began by designing the kiosk body using Inkscape, a popular vector graphics software that allowed us to create a highly detailed and accurate design. We spent many hours refining our design, making sure that every element was in place and that the kiosk would look and feel just like the real thing.
Once we had our design in place, we turned to the laser cutter to create the body itself. This process involved carefully cutting and shaping the various components of the kiosk, including the panels, doors, and other structural elements. Once completed, we ensured that the body matched the aesthetic of UI’s visual design, allowing the two elements to complement one another.
high-Fidelity Design
FitFinder dedicated its theme to simplicity and minimalism with lavender purple as its main aesthetic.
User testing
In order to clarify the visual cues, we placed an emphasis on user testing in order to see what works well, and what does not. We discovered that our kiosk lacked intuition, specifically with the map and cardio reservation features. To address this, we implemented a "help" feature throughout the kiosk, providing clear instructions for users whenever they become confused. The feature improved usability and garnered positive feedback from users.
Final design
Gym map
Our kiosk also has a map feature that allow users to view the overall layout of the map. Users can select any icon on the map in order to see the arrangement of the equipment in its exact order.
reserving equipment
For cardio equipment, our kiosk gives users the ability to view available time-slots and reserve them accordingly. We also added a feature that allows users to know how to interact with the kiosk in case of confusion.
Maintenance request
The kiosk provides users the ability to easily request maintenance for a wide range of things at the gym. This minimizes any form of interaction, especially for the staff.
Reflection
Our team poured countless hours and effort into this project, fueled by a deep desire to understand the challenges faced by gym-goers and develop a solution that truly addressed their needs. We took a comprehensive approach to UX design, thoroughly exploring every aspect of the gym experience through first-hand observation and in-depth research. This allowed us to gain valuable insights into the specific pain points of gym-goers and develop a kiosk that effectively addressed a range of issues.
Throughout the design and development process, our team remained flexible and open to new ideas, recognizing that the best solutions often emerge from a willingness to pivot and adapt. This commitment to agility and innovation allowed us to refine our approach and create a kiosk that truly met the needs of its intended audience.
Overall, our group's dedication, tenacity, and user-centered approach were critical to the success of this project. We are proud of the results we achieved and remain committed to using our skills and expertise to tackle important challenges in the world of UX design.
QUEUEING equipment
Our kiosk made sure to include a queueing ability for equipment, except for cardio. With this ability, users can see how many people are waiting in line, which equipment is available, and can queue the equipment for a set amount of time