Raw Gyms App

Project Details

As the UX Designer, I led the research and design process, focusing on integrating psychological insights into the app's interface. Collaborating with a small team, including developers we ensured that the design decisions were both technically feasible and psychologically sound.

The Problem

Despite its functional capabilities, the Raw Gyms app did not fully capitalise on opportunities to influence user behaviour positively.

Key issues included:

• ‍Lack of Urgency in Class Bookings: Users were not prompted to book classes, leading to under utilisation.‍
• Absence of Social Proof: New or hesitant users lacked confidence due to the absence of peer reviews or testimonials.‍
• Inefficient Information Hierarchy: The app's layout did not align with users' mental models, causing confusion and decreased engagement.

Research & Insights

Drawing from established psychological theories, we identified principles that could enhance user interaction:

• ‍Cialdini's Principles of Persuasion: Particularly, the principles of scarcity and social proof were deemed applicable.‍
• Gestalt Laws of Perception: The law of proximity was considered to improve information grouping and hierarchy.

These principles guided the redesign to align the app's conceptual model with users' mental models, facilitating intuitive navigation and decision-making.

Design Solutions

Implementing the Scarcity Principle

To instil a sense of urgency in class bookings:

• ‍Real-Time Availability Indicators: Displayed the number of remaining spots for each class.‍
• Colour-Coded Alerts: When spots were limited (e.g. fewer than 9), the text turned red to signify urgency, leveraging colour psychology where red denotes importance or caution.

Before: Users saw a static list of classes without any indication of availability.

After: Users are informed of limited spots, prompting quicker decision-making.

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Incorporating Social Proof

To build trust and encourage participation:

• ‍User Reviews and Ratings: Introduced a feature allowing members to rate and review classes and instructors.‍
• Testimonials: Highlighted positive feedback from users with similar fitness goals or backgrounds.

This approach leverages the tendency of individuals to follow the actions of others, especially in uncertain situations.

Applying the Law of Proximity

To enhance information hierarchy and navigation:

• ‍Grouped Related Features: Organised functionalities (e.g., class bookings, workout plans, community forums) into clearly defined sections.‍
• Consistent Layouts: Maintained uniform spacing and alignment to guide users naturally through tasks.

This design choice aligns with users' innate preference for organised and related information clusters.

Results & Impact

Post-implementation feedback and analytics indicated:

• ‍Increased Class Bookings: A noticeable uptake in early class registrations due to the urgency cues.‍
• Improved Navigation: Users found the app more intuitive, leading to longer session durations and increased feature utilisation.

Lessons Learned

• ‍Psychology-Driven Design: Integrating psychological principles can significantly influence user behaviour and engagement.‍
• User-Centric Approach: Understanding and aligning with users' mental models is crucial for intuitive design.
• ‍Continuous Feedback Loop: Regular user testing and feedback are essential to refine features and ensure they meet user needs.

Conclusion

By embedding psychological principles into the Raw Gyms app design, we transformed it into a more engaging and user-friendly platform. This case study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in UX design, combining psychology and design to create impactful user experiences.

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