FITLINK

While fitness apps effectively promote self-improvement and individual progress, they often fail to address the growing need for social connection and community engagement in fitness. This lack of social interaction can lead to diminished accountability, tapered motivation, and decreased long-term user engagement.

In a digital era where online presence and gamified experiences are integral to many aspects of life, there is an opportunity to create a fitness platform that fosters local gym communities, encourages social accountability, and sustains user interest through competitive and reward-driven systems.

When it comes to the market surrounding fitness and wellness apps there are quite a few to look at, however in this case the top three on the Google Play Store were considered as they set the baseline for what features to expect and to understand what FitLink could leverage in its design. An additional selection was the Nintendo Switch's 'Ring Fit Adventure' seeing as they provided an innovative, out of the box solution to approaching more interactive fitness.

Community-driven engagement is highly effective in promoting accountability and self-improvement in fitness. Barriers to gym attendance and engagement include:
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• Personal challenges (e.g., motivation, confidence).
• Poor time management leading to program dropouts.
• Intimidating gym environments with minimal social interaction, which diminishes self-driven motivation.


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Strava demonstrates the success of online community-driven fitness by:
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• Encouraging users to track progress and interact globally.
• Promoting online and offline group activities to enhance engagement.
• Leveraging competition and collaboration to increase activity frequency and intensity.

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The CrossFit gym model highlights the importance of community-centric approaches without a digital platform:
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• Social bonding and repeated group interactions foster a strong sense of belonging.
• Increased exercise adherence is achieved through supportive social environments.
• CrossFit's success operates without reliance on digital platforms, emphasizing the value of in-person connections.
• Learning curve which leans into competitive aspects the longer one is involved in the community (CrossFit Global Leaderboards).

Keeping the research in consideration a customer journey map was then created based on an average gym attendees experience and examines what makes them susceptible to quitting or having reduction of their gym visits and barriers to long-term habit building.

Based on the above background research we could further explore the user's needs and pain points through the following archetypes.

When designing LinkFit, I focused on accountability as a key pillar but wanted to ensure it was approached thoughtfully. Rather than relying on invasive or guilt-driven methods, I aimed to create a platform that gently encouraged consistency while allowing users to stay in control of their fitness journey. My goal was to build an online environment where users felt welcomed back at any point, with clear and approachable ways to re-engage.

Drawing inspiration from apps like Finch, which gamify personal growth by building from small, consistent habits, I wanted to design LinkFit to incorporate gamification that appeals to a broad demographic. By fostering social bonds and rewarding engagement, I wanted to create a sense of FOMO that felt encouraging rather than toxic. At its core, LinkFit is about making fitness a rewarding and community-driven experience, empowering users to build healthier habits over time in a way that feels approachable, supportive, and fun.

Simply based on the target demographic it was easier to facilitate interactions between the business and its clients through the use of a mobile app. Understanding relevant styles, and key user features on existing applications in both a general and real-estate scope were important to help distinguish details to focus on, especially when conveying property data.

Prior to refining, adding visual styles to typography and visual elements was briefly laid out to ensure the final design appears cohesive and legible to the user.

The refinement stage allowed me to finalize the UI and polish the features that had emerged during earlier iterations. By building upon initial sketches and prototypes, I honed the app’s visual design and interactions to align with the target audience’s expectations and needs. This stage emphasized on creating an MVP, ensuring that FitLink’s gamified elements and social features were both incorporated to create a base experience.

Working through this stage was a valuable exercise in design sprint thinking, as it reinforced the importance of iterative feedback and quick decision-making to deliver a well-rounded product. Balancing user needs with project goals helped me understand how to effectively prioritize features and refine designs with intent and focus.