A Real Case Study: Smart Watch Application for Runners

As part of this design case, I am conducting interviews with runners to understand their needs, challenges, and motivations. By gathering insights from real users, I aim to create a solution that enhances their training experience, helps them track performance, and keeps them motivated.

Introduction

Note: design process continues. As part of this design case, I am conducting interviews with runners to understand their needs, challenges, and motivations. By gathering insights from real users, I aim to create a solution that enhances their training experience, helps them track performance, and keeps them motivated.

Role

Product Designer

Industry

Health & Fitness

Year

2025

Duration

1 month

Goal

To design a user-friendly solution that optimizes training for runners, enables seamless progress tracking, and boosts motivation. The final design will provide intuitive navigation and data-driven insights, catering to both amateur and professional runners.

Netnography

Netnography involves analyzing online communities, social media discussions, and user reviews to uncover behavioral patterns, pain points, and motivations of runners. By examining platforms where users share their experiences—such as running forums, Reddit threads, and app store reviews—I gained valuable insights into how runners discover events, what features they prioritize, and the frustrations they encounter with existing apps. This method provided a real-world understanding of user needs, beyond structured interviews.

Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis focuses on evaluating direct and indirect competitors to identify strengths, weaknesses, and market gaps. I analyzed leading running apps, including Nike Run Club, Strava, Garmin Connect, and Huawei Health, to assess their feature sets, user experience, and engagement strategies. This analysis helped pinpoint opportunities where my app could differentiate itself, such as by improving race-day logistics (drop-off challenges) and implementing habit-forming mechanisms to encourage consistent running behavior.

User Interview

Formulated a redesign strategy that prioritizes a simplified user flow, enhanced data visualization for goal tracking, and new features to foster community engagement among users. Developed a detailed design roadmap, categorizing changes into short-term fixes and long-term enhancements, to guide the redesign efforts effectively.

Personas

Empathy Map

Goal

Netnography

Competitive Analysis

User Interview

Personas

Empathy Map

User Story

After conducting user interviews, I refined my notes and mapped out the sequence of actions runners take when heading to a race or a regular run. Creating a storyboard allowed me to visualize the entire process, and after incorporating user feedback, I fine-tuned it further. This exercise provided a valuable opportunity to deeply understand the complete journey of a runner on race day.

One of the most fascinating insights from the interviews was how runners discover events and the high level of stress they experience around drop-off logistics on race day. Many participants shared scenarios where drop-off planning becomes a major source of anxiety, affecting their overall experience.

It became evident that existing solutions are insufficient, and there is a strong need for a dedicated system to address drop-off challenges. This insight highlights a key opportunity for innovation in race-day logistics, ensuring runners can focus on their performance rather than last-mile transportation concerns.

User Flow

Following benchmarking, netnography, competitive analysis, and user interviews, I identified key user needs. However, as a designer, my goal goes beyond addressing these needs—I aim to help users develop a lasting running habit.

Actions have a profound impact on human psychology, but what’s even more fascinating is how consistent daily habits can lead to unexpected personal growth, much like the Duolingo effect. With this in mind, I designed a dedicated goals section within the app to support users in building and maintaining their running routine.

Smartwatch & Smartphone Design & Design System Needs

General Design Principles

Consistency: Ensure UI elements, color palette, and typography are consistent across both smartphone and smartwatch.
Scalability: Components should be resizable and adaptable between smartwatch and smartphone screens.
Context Awareness: The UX should fit the different usage contexts of a phone (detailed interaction) and a watch (quick glances).
Touch & Gesture Optimization: The smartwatch UI should prioritize minimal taps and swipe gestures for ease of use.

UI/UX Design Needs

Smartphone Version

Modular components that optimize large screen usage
Detailed data visualization (charts, maps, analytics panels)
Notifications & interaction scenarios (e.g., race countdown, training reminders)
Light & Dark Mode support
Offline functionality (preloading race routes, offline analytics)
Personal & social sharing support (sharing post-race scores, engaging with the community)

Smartwatch Version

Minimal & fast UI elements (quick glance-friendly displays)
Larger buttons & touch targets for ease of use
Real-time status updates & quick notifications (e.g., pace, heart rate, remaining distance)
Quick controls & micro-interactions (e.g., one-tap water station check-ins, pace adjustments)
Voice control & haptic feedback guidance

Outcomes

The redesigned fitness tracker app received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, who praised its improved usability, engaging design, and motivational features. The project was a significant learning opportunity, enhancing my understanding of user-centric design principles and the impact of design on user behavior and app retention.