Motion Fitness
A fitness progress app that isn’t boring.
iOS
Android
Apple Watch
Motion Fitness
A fitness progress app that isn’t boring.
iOS
Android
Apple Watch
I reimagined Motion’s uninspiring fitness app into a game-like experience with social features that motivated users and kept them coming back.
Contributions
Brand
Wireframing
Prototyping
Full UI/UX Redesign
Project type
App design + updates
Role
Design Lead
Industry
Fitness, Social, Wearables
Dates
2022-2024
Problem
Motion already had an app, but users found it uninspiring. Hitting targets wasn't rewarding.
Problem
Motion already had an app, but users found it uninspiring. Hitting targets wasn't rewarding.
Overwhelming with information
The main screen lacked hierarchy and showed a lot of data. Therefore the user didn’t know where to look or what really mattered.
Overwhelming with information
The main screen lacked hierarchy and showed a lot of data. Therefore the user didn’t know where to look or what really mattered.
Stark and utilitarian
Some users described the old design as looking like “a banking app” or a spreadsheet. This wasn’t a good fit for an emotional topic like health.
Stark and utilitarian
Some users described the old design as looking like “a banking app” or a spreadsheet. This wasn’t a good fit for an emotional topic like health.
Unrewarding when you win
Hitting your weekly fitness target was the whole point of the app, but it didn’t affect anything in the long term. Users didn’t see why they should care.
Unrewarding when you win
Hitting your weekly fitness target was the whole point of the app, but it didn’t affect anything in the long term. Users didn’t see why they should care.
Boring and a chore to use
The whole experience was lacking fun. It wasn’t bold, it wasn’t exciting, and users weren’t engaged or coming back regularly.
Boring and a chore to use
The whole experience was lacking fun. It wasn’t bold, it wasn’t exciting, and users weren’t engaged or coming back regularly.
Solution
I worked with the founding team to develop a new, more engaging brand and product design, inspired by apps like Duolingo.
Solution
I worked with the founding team to develop a new, more engaging brand and product design, inspired by apps like Duolingo.
Say hello to your Avatar 👋
We wanted to make progress real, so we introduced Avatars that grew stronger as you hit your fitness targets every week.
Say hello to your Avatar 👋
We wanted to make progress real, so we introduced Avatars that grew stronger as you hit your fitness targets every week.
Make it simple. Make it bold.
We ruthlessly cut out anything that our users didn’t care about, and made the remaining important information bold and clear.
Make it simple. Make it bold.
We ruthlessly cut out anything that our users didn’t care about, and made the remaining important information bold and clear.
Deep dive
By introducing Avatars, we made fitness progress feel more real and impactful.
Deep dive
By introducing Avatars, we made fitness progress feel more real and impactful.
We tied hitting your targets to a currency that levelled up your avatar.
These “Shakes” were immediately seen as valuable by our users. We could also then use these as powerful incentives to take other actions such as inviting friends.
We tied hitting your targets to a currency that levelled up your avatar.
These “Shakes” were immediately seen as valuable by our users. We could also then use these as powerful incentives to take other actions such as inviting friends.
We rewarded overachievers, and added a light penalty when you miss your target.
We gave bonus shakes if you achieved 120% of your weekly target, but “froze” your Avatar if you missed your target by a lot.
We rewarded overachievers, and added a light penalty when you miss your target.
We gave bonus shakes if you achieved 120% of your weekly target, but “froze” your Avatar if you missed your target by a lot.
Deep dive
We gave users a sense of long term progress with unlockable awards.
There are many ways to stay active, and I included achievements for commitment to an exercise type, and also for trying something new.
Deep dive
We gave users a sense of long term progress with unlockable awards.
There are many ways to stay active, and I included achievements for commitment to an exercise type, and also for trying something new.
Deep dive
We increased motivation using social tactics. Users supported each other, and enjoyed some healthy competition for status.
Deep dive
We increased motivation using social tactics. Users supported each other, and enjoyed some healthy competition for status.
We encouraged bringing in your friends, with simpler, more prominent invite flows.
We made inviting friends a priority, and implemented sharing mechanics like QR codes, and social platform integrations.
We encouraged bringing in your friends, with simpler, more prominent invite flows.
We made inviting friends a priority, and implemented sharing mechanics like QR codes, and social platform integrations.
We gave users ways to support friends, and also challenge them on weekly targets.
Some personality types are drawn more to competition than support, so we enabled this with challenges and trophies to be won.
We gave users ways to support friends, and also challenge them on weekly targets.
Some personality types are drawn more to competition than support, so we enabled this with challenges and trophies to be won.
We rewarded good social behaviour with cosmetic rewards.
Reacting and commenting to workouts earned coins, spendable on custom app icons, outfits and environments for your Avatar, or pets!
We rewarded good social behaviour with cosmetic rewards.
Reacting and commenting to workouts earned coins, spendable on custom app icons, outfits and environments for your Avatar, or pets!
Deep dive
To make sure Motion was central to our users lives, we made it impossible not to stay engaged.
Deep dive
To make sure Motion was central to our users lives, we made it impossible not to stay engaged.
We built an Apple Watch app and a watch face complication.
This made it easy for users to see their progress at a glance, similar to how they check their activity rings.
We built an Apple Watch app and a watch face complication.
This made it easy for users to see their progress at a glance, similar to how they check their activity rings.
We introduced widgets for the iOS home screen and lock screen.
I designed widgets of multiple sizes, to show progress as well as steps, calorie count and distance moved.
We introduced widgets for the iOS home screen and lock screen.
I designed widgets of multiple sizes, to show progress as well as steps, calorie count and distance moved.
I created a new notifications flow to help hit targets and support others.
To form habits, notifications were used to nudge users to take action, or to support others for progress they make.
I created a new notifications flow to help hit targets and support others.
To form habits, notifications were used to nudge users to take action, or to support others for progress they make.
Impact
We launched on the App Store and Play Store, and our audience loved the new Avatars.
Impact
We launched on the App Store and Play Store, and our audience loved the new Avatars.
The end result was a new super-engaged audience who loved the new Motion and brought their friends along.
With the new more friendly positioning, we found an audience that loved the app.
We tested designs with demographics and found success with families, driven by women aged 40-55. We then supported them with an engaged Facebook group and Discord server.
With the new more friendly positioning, we found an audience that loved the app.
We tested designs with demographics and found success with families, driven by women aged 40-55. We then supported them with an engaged Facebook group and Discord server.
4.8x
More friends invited by users after relaunch
More friends invited by users after relaunch
1.6x
Average post interactions increase
We built a habit to interact with the feed and it paid off.
Average post interactions increase
We built a habit to interact with the feed and it paid off.
+76%
Increase in 4-week retention (41% to 72%)
We reimagined at the app experience holistically, and the changes came together to make big improvements. Users loved the app and wanted to stick around.
Increase in 4-week retention (41% to 72%)
We reimagined at the app experience holistically, and the changes came together to make big improvements. Users loved the app and wanted to stick around.
My contributions
Strategic direction
User research
Brand development
Marketing Website design / dev
Wireframing
Prototyping (Figma, Protopie)
Illustration
Animation (Rive)
UX Design
UI Design
Jonny challenged our ideas in the best way, and we found a direction that landed great with our users. He was proactive, learned new tools on the fly, and did whatever it took to make the product brilliant.
Every day people tell us how much they love how the app looks and how it feels to use.
George Green
Founder, Motion
Jonny challenged our ideas in the best way, and we found a direction that landed great with our users. He was proactive, learned new tools on the fly, and did whatever it took to make the product brilliant.
Every day people tell us how much they love how the app looks and how it feels to use.