Challenge
Research
Design strategy
Homepage
Video
Messaging
Implementation
App redesign tailored for young athletes
2023
ONGOING PROJECT
Overview
The Athlete app is an integral component of Kitman Labs' comprehensive infrastructure, supporting coaching staff in organizing various data, including individual player development, player health, and overall team planning and tracking.
Providing young athletes with an empowering and engaging platform is crucial.
Our primary focus was on boosting engagement by introducing a dynamic home screen with quick-action widgets, allowing players to seamlessly log data, monitor their progress, and align their training goals.
Research and discovery
Insights from coaches and sports experts revealed key pain points, leading to the decision to offer a more visually appealing interface, and simplified data entry with the introduction of the dynamic home screen.
To identify the widgets for the home page and optimal sections for inclusion in the bottom bar and those that could be tucked away in the 'More' menu, we conducted a survey among sports experts.
By requesting their insights, we sought to understand the hierarchy of important in-app functionalities. The survey allowed the experts to prioritize features, guiding us in proposing an improved app structure.
This collaborative approach ensured the redesigned app met the expectations of both young athletes and professional sports experts, resulting in a cohesive user experience.
Outcome
The ongoing implementation and analytics collection sets the stage for the upcoming testing phase, where user feedback will play a crucial role in shaping the final version of the app. The efforts made show team’s dedication to creating a mobile platform that not only meets user expectations but also uses real-time data to enhance engagement and functionality.
Olena Martynova
Product designer
Credits
Pablo De Miguel, Lydia Middlemas
Product managers
Saar Byrne
Design lead
Mobile development team
Challenge
The original app faced challenges in capturing and maintaining the interest of young athletes. The interface lacked vibrancy and the user flow was somewhat cumbersome, leading to reduced engagement levels. For example, the home screen was just an empty state without any call-to-action.
Moreover, during the course of this project, the company underwent a brand transformation, prompting our team to consider updating the design system, which in turn affected the app's design.
Our mission was clear: reimagine the app to not only meet the functional requirements but also to resonate with the target audience.
Design strategy
Interactive and playful design
Adding colours, dynamic blocks, colourful icons, and interactive elements creates an engaging and energetic atmosphere, enhancing the overall user experience.
Dynamic home screen with quick-action widgets
The addition of a dynamic home screen serves as a hub for quick actions. Athletes can now access essential features directly from the home screen, streamlining their experience and reducing the effort required for navigation.
Implementation
At the current stage, the redesigned app is undergoing implementation. The focus is on the meticulous execution of updated features and design enhancements.
Notably, events in Google Analytics have been set up to track the frequency of hovers and taps on both the homescreen widgets and bottom bar sections.
This data collection will play an important role in measuring user interaction and preferences, providing valuable insights even before formal user feedback is obtained.
Introduction of video section
We introduced a video section so players can watch videos uploaded by the staff, and comment on videos with the possibility to add a time link.
For the next iteration, we planned to add more functionality like uploading videos from the athlete’s phone, the ability to open comments in full-screen mode, to delete and edit comments.
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Enhancing messaging
In addition to the existing messaging feature, we have begun enhancing its capabilities. This includes introducing new functionalities such as the ability to share links to questionnaires or polls within group chats.
Furthermore, I have revamped the overall user interface of this section to match the updated design. Additionally, I have enhanced visual clarity by improving the differentiation between various attachment types in chat messages, including replies, external links, links to forms, and attached documents.
Filling out poll flow: