Case Study
Native App for IOS
Role
Product Designer
Year
2018
The Client
Nike is the world’s largest sports and athletic brand. It prides itself on innovation in all of its projects - physical and digital. Nike’s determination to involve themselves on both a local and global scale allows them to engage new and professional athletes throughout their fitness journeys.
The Challenge
Currently Nike has two digital applications: the Nike Training app which provides people with tutorials and encouragement while they are working out, and the Nike Running app which helps people track and record their runs. These apps are incredibly useful to people on an individual level, however, they leave a gap when it comes to team sports. We propose Nike Huddle, an app that helps you find people, and build teams to play pickup or organized sports.
How might we provide an experience that welcomes people of all skill levels to fitness communities?
Research
We began by researching the environment around how people workout and how they find teams and play sports. We also looked at the market; what currently exists to help people create teams and play sports together?
Where it Fits
Nike’s existing ecosystem provides services focused on the individual. Huddle adds the group and team fitness aspect.
Market Research
We conducted market research in order to see where Huddle fits in the market, who are its competitors, who would want to use it. To help us we created a business model canvas to keep us focused on the main goals of the app for the users and for Nike.
User Interviews
We asked people about their habits when working out. We wanted to know what they looked for, what they expected, and what they were missing. Many people wanted to try new things, like sports, but they were nervous to start something by themselves with little or no information.
Personas
Using the what we found out in our user interviews we created imaginary user personas to help us stay laser focused on the people for whom we were designing.
Solution
Helping people workout better
Throughout the design phase we continuously referred back to the research we gathered in order to ensure that we were designing to the user’s needs.
“I feel comfortable when I do activities with my friends.”
We learned that most people want to workout, and the way they prefer to work out is by playing a sport or by taking a fitness class together - otherwise, in a group. Huddle provides a platform for people to join a team spontaneously and play a sport, or organize a team with their friends.
“I am moderately active but would love to be more active.”
The majority of our users expressed anxiety over their skill or experience level. Many of them see themselves as active, but not necessarily experts or even intermediate at certain sports. In addition, many people would like to learn a new sport, or restart a sport they used to play, but feel uncomfortable by the skill level of people they see.
We provided a way for them to set their own skill level, and then match them with teams with players who are at or around the same skill and experience level as they are.
“I always wish I was more prepared for the activities before I do them.”
A big pain point for many users is not feeling prepared for an activity. We integrated Huddle with API’s from Google, Facebook, Meetup, and apple so they could stay on top of their schedule, and be prepared for upcoming activities.
The app also includes "how to play” and what to bring instructions, so that people can feel completely prepared for whatever sport they are going to play, whether they are a novice or an expert.
“I don’t feel confident trying new things, especially if I’m doing them alone.”
Over and over people kept telling us they did not like to do things alone. Huddle gives people the opportunity to browse and join teams so they can know who they are going to be playing with before they even get to the game.