Summary

Starting with competitive analysis, I looked at the sites of other gyms in the city to look for patterns in presentation and content organization. Next, I interviewed people to learn why they exercise and what they look for in a fitness establishment. This led to the creation of two personas, one with competitive goals & one that was simply looking to stay active.

With the help of a closed card sort, a sitemap was created to improve the information architecture. That allowed me to figure out task & user flows for the personas more easily. 

After studying the responsive design patterns of many fitness and climbing sites, I created low-fidelity and high-fidelity wireframes. The desktop version was used to make the prototype for usability testing. All participants successfully completed the tasks given.

Competitive Analysis

Not wanting to limit myself to only analyzing climbing gyms, I looked at 5 other gyms to see if there were any commonalities.

Immediately I saw how polished their sites were, even the ones that weren’t part of a larger chain. Nearly all of them offered a free class, promoted inclusivity, and featured testimonials. The majority of them also addressed COVID safety protocols, had a variety of fitness options, as well as flexible membership options.

While Synergy’s site also addresses COVID safety, has flexible fitness & membership options, promotes community-building, and shows testimonials, it isn’t done as effectively as the competition. 

Because of the unique nature of climbing & ninja obstacle courses, offering a free class could entice people to give Synergy a try.

User Interviews

I interviewed 5 people (3 females & 2 males, ages 25-44) to find out what was important to them when looking for a place to exercise. 3 of the interviewees also worked out at home, so there had to be a good reason for them to join a gym as well.

Motivations

• Suggested by someone they knew.

• To stay generally fit.

• To use specific equipment.

• Structured classes & motivation to be active.

Needs

• Staff & instructors that create a friendly atmosphere & reinforce rules.

• A sense of community where people can bond through activity.

• An inclusive environment where people of all ages, experiences, and body types can train.

Wants

• Kids classes. They contribute to a positive environment.

• Competent instructors & staff. They matter more than competition achievements.

• A gym where they are able to “get in & out” with their workout.

• Flexible hours to accommodate busy schedules.

• Close proximity.

Frustrations

• Crowded gyms that can increase the risk of accidents, create disruptions, and increase waiting time to use equipment/facilities.

• Payment issues like memberships that are difficult to cancel & extra starter fees.

Personas

Because my interviewees had a mix of competitive and casual fitness backgrounds, I created two personas not only to reflect that, but to help inform how I highlighted Synergy’s appeal to both of those groups.

Taking both of them into account helped how I wrote the copy and chose photos. If it looked too casual, competitive or experienced climbers may not think they could improve their skills there. If it looked too intense, it could scare away new people that are just looking for something fun.

Sitemap

The original information architecture was confusing and had many redundancies in the top navigation. After more accurately labeling many of the links to reflect the pages they were directed to, I set up a closed card sort to see how users would organize it all.

The results showed the relabeling worked well, giving me more confidence when creating the sitemap.

Task & User Flows

Now that things were organized more clearly, I could figure out steps needed to complete tasks.

Design Patterns

I haven’t visited many gym sites previously, but I was impressed with the design of many of the ones I researched for the project. I was aiming for a bright feel for Synergy, something that would look exciting and welcoming.

Researching design patterns continued throughout the project, but this initial document gave me a solid starting point.

There had to be a clear structure in how content was presented so that it wasn’t just an exciting-looking mess. I thought of it like an entree, with each ingredient playing its part in the right ratio to create an enjoyable overall experience (I’m actually a terrible cook, but the analogy seemed fitting).

Wireframes

I began sketching out low-fidelity wireframes to get an overall idea of the layout. Keeping it loose helped me to quickly see if everything was clear & could work on different screen sizes.

Digitizing the layout gave me a better idea of what I’d need to adjust as far as white space & the density of the copy. This step was crucial because presenting the core of what makes Synergy special had to be the foundation that the visual details were built upon.

For the high-fidelity wireframes, I used angles throughout the design to give a sense of dynamic movement, and also reflect the climbing walls.

I tried various color combinations, but ultimately decided to just add yellow to Synergy’s existing green and gray. It was meant to help create a sense of fun as well as act as a warm contrast to the green.

The copy was a mix of what was already on their site & my own. I added photos last because I wanted the copy to inform what kind of feeling to look for. 

I was a little worried I wouldn’t find suitable photos because there wasn’t a gallery on their site that I could use. While I could have used stock photos or photos of other climbing gyms, I wanted to stay true to putting Synergy’s best face forward if possible.

Thankfully their Instagram & Facebook pages had what I was looking for (although their Facebook page wasn’t linked on their site, I just happened to find it in a Google search).

Each photo chosen had to suit the category it was in & add to the overall aim I had for the site. Were there kids & adults? Is there a sense of community shown? Do you get a sense of how the gym is set up? Does it look fun?

Usability Testing

The hi-fi desktop screens were used to create the prototype for usability testing. 3 participants had climbing experience while the other 2 didn’t. It was a great opportunity to discover if the considerations I took into account with the personas were effective. 

Test Results

All 5 participants completed the 3 tasks without issue. Everyone liked the design and feel of the site. The photos, featured reviews, and highlighting of the founders also helped to create a positive impression of the gym.

Despite being an overall success, there were some minor issues that needed to be addressed.

Priority Revisions

Some copy was a little vague in regards to what was being offered at the gym, but that was easy to clarify.

Reflection

After the initial interviews I realized I didn’t dig deeply enough when it came to gym pricing. That would have led me to learn more about how climbing gyms specifically tend to set up their pricing & membership pages.

All of the climbers I talked with were so infectious with their enthusiasm that it made me eager to give it a try myself. When an interviewee said, “You’re getting a workout while solving problems,” it sounded like such a UX design kind of activity.

After seeing their eyes light up & hearing the passion in their voices when they talked about climbing, the project almost felt like an elaborate plan to set up two great people on a date. And hopefully when they do meet, it's a beautiful synergy.