Who is this for
People trying to build fitness habits—beginners who need motivation, busy professionals who want quick check-ins, and people who've abandoned fitness apps before. Not professional athletes. Regular people with irregular schedules.
What was broken
Fitness apps have 70%+ abandonment rates. They overwhelm users with data, force rigid routines, and feel like work rather than support. Most apps are designed for people who already love fitness, not people trying to start.
Why I was asked
Personal project to solve my own frustration. I'd downloaded 5 fitness apps and abandoned all within 2 weeks. Wanted to build something that actually kept people engaged by respecting their time and motivation patterns.
Constraints
Solo designer/developer. 4-month timeline. No budget for user testing tools. Needed to validate quickly with simple prototypes. Prioritized core experience over feature completeness.
Business Problem
High abandonment rates (70%+) mean low retention and reduced monetization. Users download with enthusiasm but stop using within weeks.
User Problem
Too much data, too many features, too much friction. Users want quick check-ins but get overwhelmed by charts and complex logging workflows. Apps feel like work.
Simplifying information architecture + reducing logging friction to 2 taps maximum + focusing on visual progress over data will increase daily active usage by 50% and retention beyond 4 weeks.
Our bet: Engagement comes from feeling progress, not seeing data. Motivation comes from ease, not complexity.
User Interviews
15 sessions
Spoke with people who had abandoned fitness apps. Focused on why they stopped and what would have kept them engaged.
Competitive Analysis
8 apps analyzed
Studied Strava, MyFitnessPal, Apple Fitness. Identified patterns that worked and pain points that caused abandonment.
Behavioral Analytics
12 weeks of usage data
Analyzed existing app usage patterns. Drop-off occurred at week 2-3 when novelty wore off and complexity set in.
Heuristic Review
Jakob Nielsen framework
Found violations: information overload, heavy cognitive load, lack of feedback for micro-actions.
Key Insights
73% of users wanted visual progress, not charts. They wanted to "feel" progress, not analyze it.
Users checked apps 3-5 times daily but only wanted 10-15 second interactions. Current apps required 2+ minutes.
88% of abandoners cited "too complicated" as primary reason. Not lack of features—too many features.
Users valued flexibility over structure. They wanted suggestions, not rigid plans that made them feel guilty.
Original assumption: Users needed more features, better gamification, and more data to stay motivated.
Reality: Users needed less information, fewer steps, and more emotional connection to progress. Data overload caused abandonment.
Pivot: Focused on visual progress stories instead of charts, one-tap logging instead of multi-step forms, and encouragement instead of judgment.
Progress Display: Charts vs Visual Stories
Chose B. Testing showed visual stories created 3x more emotional engagement than charts. Users felt motivated seeing their journey, not analyzing data. Trade-off: Power users who wanted detailed analytics could access them via progressive disclosure.
Logging: Multi-Step Forms vs One-Tap Actions
Chose B. Research showed users abandoned logging when it took more than 2 taps. One-tap with smart defaults (remember last workout, suggest based on time) reduced friction by 70%. Trade-off: Less precision, but testing showed users preferred speed over detail.
Interface: Feature-Rich vs Focused
Chose B. Simplified navigation to three core sections reduced cognitive load. Testing showed users completed tasks 40% faster with focused interface. Trade-off: Some features hidden behind progressive disclosure, but core actions more accessible.
Simplified Daily View
Single-screen dashboard showing today's progress at a glance. Large visual progress rings replace complex charts. Log activities with one tap.
Function: Surface actionable information → reduce steps → enable quick check-ins
Visual Progress Stories
Replaced data-heavy charts with visual stories showing transformation over time. Users see their journey through photos, milestones, and simple progress indicators.
Function: Create emotional connection → increase motivation → improve retention
Contextual Smart Suggestions
Flexible suggestions based on time available, energy level, and past preferences. Users feel supported without rigid plans that create guilt.
Function: Provide guidance → respect flexibility → reduce abandonment pressure
Gesture-Based Quick Actions
Swipe up to start workout, swipe down to log food, long-press for settings. Reduced friction for frequent tasks while keeping interface clean.
Function: Enable shortcuts → reduce taps → speed up interactions
Quantitative
Qualitative
"Finally, an app that doesn't make me feel guilty for missing a day."
"I can actually see my progress without digging through charts."
"Logging takes seconds, not minutes. I actually use it daily now."
Original problem: High abandonment rates (70%+), users stopped using apps within weeks, low retention and engagement.
Result: Daily active usage increased 58%. Retention extended to 6 weeks average (up from 2 weeks). Users completed logging in 2 taps vs 8+ taps. 4.8/5 App Store rating with consistent praise for simplicity.
Impact: Proved that simplicity and emotional connection beat feature bloat. Users engaged more when they spent less time in the app.
What Worked
Removing features was harder than adding them, but essential. Visual progress stories created emotional connections that data couldn't match. One-tap logging removed friction that was killing engagement.
What I'd Change
Should have tested gestures earlier. Some users took time to discover swipe actions. Would have added onboarding hints or made gestures more discoverable initially.
What's Next
Analytics show smart suggestions are underutilized. Need to improve timing and personalization. Also evaluating social features that respect privacy—users want accountability without public sharing.
Interested in working together?
I'm always open to discussing new projects, creative ideas, or opportunities to be part of your vision.