{"id":2897,"date":"2016-09-05T14:20:09","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T13:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/?p=2897"},"modified":"2020-09-03T12:02:20","modified_gmt":"2020-09-03T11:02:20","slug":"designing-for-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/designing-for-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing For Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"

ustwo has been working closely with organizations in health<\/a>, wellbeing<\/a>, accessibility<\/a>, and now increasingly so in fitness. One of the major challenges the fitness domain brings with it is designing for movement. Our research shows us that runners are frustrated with the amount of interactions required to gain in-run insights on progress towards their goals.<\/p>\n

Working with a leading sports and fitness organization, we set out to improve the run experience. We focused on the varying degrees of interactivity for movement, and how we might transform relevant data into actionable insights. Our approach centered on simplification, automation, and contextualization of data.<\/p>\n

Today's Fitness Offerings<\/strong><\/p>\n

To get ourselves in the right frame of mind, we hit the pavement\u2014joining group runs and taking a myriad of devices with us. This allowed us to better relate to the runners we would later interview, survey, and test our prototypes on. We found that most runners we talked to like having a device (or at least the idea of one) with them while on a run. The devices they actually carried however were described to us as cumbersome, the content overwhelming, and the dependency upon them as worrisome.<\/p>\n

\"Fitness<\/p>\n

To get a better sense of why that is, we dove into the landscape of today\u2019s fitness apps and devices. The majority of runners\u2019 fitness apps are data-centric, with interpretation of this information largely up to the runner. This data-focused approach is often removed from an individual\u2019s context for working out, making it difficult to interpret results and gather actionable insights.<\/p>\n

\"Studio-Wearables\"<\/p>\n

Similar issues with interpretation and actions apply to dedicated wearables and fitness tracking devices. Raw data is often obscured or presented unclearly<\/a>; often with an emphasis on accountability and social sharing. Just over 25% of respondents to one of our surveys felt positively about the device they brought on their workout. These devices serve well for reflection and short-term motivation, but do little to help with analysis of performance techniques, safety and long-term motivation. In addition, glass screens requiring precise inputs and conscious interactions often fail when combined with a moving body and unfocused attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cI usually put the phone in the pocket of my shorts, so it does get pretty steamy, any touch function is really, really difficult.\u201d\u2014Pedro, Distance Runner<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust another thing to carry\/charge\u2026 so they now live in a box near my bed!\u201d \u2014Andrea, Leisure Runner<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Worth noting is the rise of naked running<\/a> (running device-free\u2014not actually nude) to combat the growing trend of runners suiting-up with multiple devices before a run. A runner\u2019s dependency on a device can interrupt the body\u2019s ability for self-regulation and conditioning. A digital presence in the fitness realm needs to be complementary to the runners \u2018inner coach\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t see a coyote or fox looking at their GPS to check their progress on prey.\u201d\u2014Lynn Jennings, Olympic distance runner<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Transforming Fitness Products<\/strong><\/p>\n

After collecting our research and survey results, we began to prioritize how we can be more considered when designing for a person in motion. Three major areas took priority:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Simplification And Removal Of Interfaces<\/li>\n
  2. In-run Feedback Based on Environmental and Behavioral Factors<\/li>\n
  3. Contextualizing Data into Actionable Insights\/Feedback<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"Fitness<\/p>\n

    <\/div>
    <\/svg><\/div>

    \u201cYou don\u2019t see a coyote or fox looking at their GPS to check their progress on prey.\u201d<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n

    Simplification Of Interfaces<\/strong><\/p>\n

    We often heard from runners that touch-screen interfaces are frustrating, and that glancing at screens are not habitual in-run. We\u2019ll discuss sensor-led automation and an invisible interface later on in this piece, but for now we\u2019d like to focus on simplification of a screen-based interface.<\/p>\n

    If screen-based interfaces are today\u2019s medium for data collection and feedback, how can we make interacting with them less frustrating and mentally-taxing? We made a series of prototypes, that allowed us to ideate out in the wild. We kept the focus on simple workout controls: start, pause, resume, stop. Early trials brought unforeseen challenges such as variety in how people carry their device and also helped clarify what assumptions we have left to validate; such as how would haptic (vibration) feedback support (or own) interactions.<\/p>\n