DESIGN PROCESS | define - phase 2
sprint sense case study
IN THIS STEP YOU WILL FIND
Various user experience research methods I used to develop the final project concept, SprintSense. Through these activities, I gained valuable insights that shaped the project's direction and ensured it aligned with user needs and aspirations.
UPDATED CONCEPT
After analyzing the workshop findings and reflecting on feedback from the sprinters, I decided to refine my original Phaze Runner concept and merge it with the highest-ranking concept from the workshops, Runcology.
Hearing that sprinters valued my concept but believed it would be more successful if it catered to athletes of all levels led me to explore ways to address and incorporate experience level in the athlete data.
Since Runcology and Phaze Runner are very different concepts, my challenge was to find a meaningful and realistic way to merge them. Given that the updated concept combines both ideas, I felt a name change was necessary to reflect this new direction.
Phaze Runner
Runcology
project duration
16 weeks
40+ screens
tools used
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Miro
user personas
A user persona is a fictional character that embodies the traits and qualities of real users. In user experience (UX), personas are essential for understanding and empathizing with the target audience, and guiding design decisions to meet their needs and expectations.
Based on the scoping I conducted in Step 2 of my process (Define - Phase 1), along with findings from the co-design workshop and insights from the highest-ranking concept, I developed personas representing two different sprinters who would use the app, SprintSense. These personas laid the foundation for the rest of the UX processes in the case study, which informed decision-making during sketching and wireframing.
traits:
Charismatic
Self-critical
Determined
collegiate sprinter | Ava
Demographics:
AGE: 20
GENDER: Female
EDUCATION: Bachelors in Public Health
ETHNICITY: White
PAIN POINTS:
Consistency across different track shapes and sizes
Anxiety without coach’s constant guidance
Distractions from competitors’ pace
GOALS
Trust in training and race plans
Adaptable race strategies for different tracks
Focus without being influenced by competitors
VALUES:
Confidence from thorough preparation
Continuous improvement and skill enhancement
BIO:
Ava is currently in her sophomore year at college and holds a track and field scholarship as a sprinter. She began her sprinting journey in middle school and has since competed at local, state, national, and international levels. With one year of collegiate experience, Ava understands the demands of competitive sprinting and enjoys the camaraderie of traveling with her team to various track meets across different cities and states.
BEHAVIORAL ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES:
Anchoring:
Ava uses her past performances at various competition levels to set expectations and future goals.
Social Proof:
Ava is motivated by her teammates’ support and success, seeking validation through team achievements.
Loss Aversion:
Ava meticulously plans to avoid poor performance and minimize race-day distractions.
Goal Gradient Effect:
Ava’s efforts intensify as she approaches her performance goals, driven by nearing her objectives.
traits:
Charismatic
Self-critical
Determined
Club Team SPrinter | jacob
Demographics:
AGE: 18
GENDER: Male
EDUCATION: Bachelors in Engineering
ETHNICITY: Black
PAIN POINTS:
Club team is run by student captains
Lacks professional feedback to refine fundamentals
Desires expert guidance for precision and accuracy
GOALS
Continuously improve his sprinting performance
Learn new techniques and refine his form
Achieve personal growth in both academics and athletics
VALUES:
Excellence in both academics and athletics
Enjoys flexibility and camaraderie of the club team
BIO:
Jacob is in his freshman year of college and began his sprinting career at the beginning of high school. He currently competes on the university’s club team. His degree is demanding, but he believes in maintaining a balance between his academic responsibilities and his passion for sprinting. This reflects his decision to join the club team rather than the official track and field program.
BEHAVIORAL ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES:
Delayed Gratification: Jacob’s focus on continuous improvement and refining his sprinting technique reflects his belief in long-term benefits over immediate results.
Anchoring: Jacob’s reliance on past performances and structured plans guides his future efforts and progress measurement.
Nudge Theory: Jacob seeks professional feedback to make small, informed adjustments that optimize his performance and minimize errors.
Loss Aversion: Jacob’s perfectionist tendencies and desire to avoid mistakes drive his meticulous approach to both studies and sprinting.
User stories
A user story is a brief, straightforward description of a feature, told from the perspective of the user or customer who needs it. It focuses on their goals and the value the feature will bring to them.
User stories typically follow a template:
As a < type of user >, I want < some goal > so that < some reason >.
AVA:
As a dedicated collegiate sprinter, who travels often for competition, I want adaptable race plans tailored to different track shapes and sizes so that I can maintain consistency and focus on my performance without being influenced by competitors.
JACOB:
As a university freshman and running club sprinter, I want expert guidance on my sprinting techniques/fundamentals so that I can refine my form and achieve personal growth in both academics and athletics.
solution
APP DESCRIPTION
SprintSense is a comprehensive training app designed for sprinters of all levels, whether they’re collegiate athletes, club team members, or individual runners. The app provides personalized training experiences through a combination of augmented reality (AR) for race visualization and artificial intelligence (AI) for expert coaching. Users can create custom race plans tailored to different track configurations, receive real-time coaching feedback, and follow structured training lessons based on their specific needs and goals
VALUE PROPOSITION
SprintSense enhances sprinters’ performance by offering tailored training solutions that adapt to individual goals and circumstances. The app’s unique combination of AR for visual race guidance and AI for personalized coaching creates a seamless, integrated experience that helps athletes optimize their training, refine their techniques, and achieve their personal bests. Whether it’s visualizing the perfect race strategy or receiving expert feedback on sprinting form, Phaze Runner empowers athletes to reach their full potential.
app’s FOCUS
Expert Coaching (60%):
The core feature of SprintSense is its AI-driven coach pairing system, which provides athletes with personalized training regimens, expert advice, and feedback. This aspect of the app is crucial for helping users (with or without coaches) refine their skills, track their progress, and achieve their personal bests.
Personalized Race Planning (40%):
The AR feature is a significant component that adds value by allowing athletes to visualize and practice race strategies. It enhances the coaching experience by providing real-time, track-specific guidance, helping users (with or without coaches) adjust their tactics based on different track layouts and conditions.
as is/to be
user scenarios
‘as is’ scenario | ava
Diagrams created by me, images sourced from Unsplash or AI generated using Adobe Firefly
Middle of Indoor Track Season: Ava and her team travel to another university for a meet, transitioning from their familiar 200m home track.
Familiar Territory: Ava is confident on her home track, executing a race plan that balances speed and energy conservation.
New Environment: The new university features a 300m track with a different layout, causing Ava to feel uncertain about adapting her race plan.
Coach’s Guidance: Ava feels anxious to fully trust her coach's suggestions as they walk the new track together, setting key visual markers in the stadium for her race.
Race Preparation: During warm-up, Ava visualizes her plan, feeling apprehensive as race time approaches, knowing she’s expected to win.
Race Execution: Ava starts strong but feels disoriented by the new start. She extends her relaxed phase, unsure of her energy levels.
Post-Race Reflection: Although Ava wins, her time is slower than usual. She feels frustrated and discusses her confusion with her coach.
Next Meet Preparation: A week later, Ava returns to the 300m track without her coach, needing to adapt her race plan on her own.
Adjusting to Pressure: Ava faces the challenge of managing her adjustments and the uncertainty of new markers without her coach’s guidance.
Reflection on Growth: After navigating her experiences, Ava begins to understand the importance of a personalized race plan for mental focus during competition.
‘to be’ scenario | ava
Diagrams created by me, images sourced from Unsplash or AI generated using Adobe Firefly
Middle of Indoor Track Season: Ava and her team travel to another university for a meet, transitioning from their familiar 200m home track.
Familiar Territory: Ava excels at her home track, executing a race plan that balances speed and energy conservation.
New Environment with SprintSense: Arriving at the new 300m track, Ava logs into the SprintSense app on the bus, ready to adapt her strategy.
App Onboarding: Ava completes the onboarding steps in the app, inputting her race stats, personal goals, and enabling location access
Initial App Use: Nervous about the 300m track, Ava opens the SprintSense app and navigates to SprintSense AR for assistance.
AR Feature Engagement: The app provides a bird’s-eye view of the track, displaying a personalized running plan with AR overlays and audio cues.
Familiarization and Confidence Building: As she warms up, Ava follows the AR guidance, gaining confidence in her race plan.
Race Execution: With a solid plan, Ava focuses on her running zones during the race, knowing exactly when to accelerate and conserve energy.
Achieving a New Personal Best: Ava wins the race, achieving a new personal best time!
Post-Race Reflection: Ava and her coach celebrate her performance, excited about SprintSense's ability to enhance her racing strategy.
‘as is’ scenario | jacob
Images are AI generated using Adobe Firefly
Pondering Solutions: Jacob contemplates potential solutions to enhance his training and seeks ways to access expert feedback
Peer Assistance: He asks a teammate to film his block start from the side view, seeking feedback to improve his technique.
Reviewing Footage: Jacob watches the recorded footage, identifying areas where he can improve his start.
Repetition for Improvement: After noting his performance, Jacob repeats the process, having his teammate film him again.
Identifying Issues: Upon review, Jacob notices persistent issues in his technique but is unsure how to address them.
Relying on Past Advice: He recalls tips from his high school coach and instructional YouTube videos to understand his form better.
Desire for Expert Guidance: Jacob enjoys the camaraderie of his club team but yearns for professional coaching feedback.
Frustration with Progress: After practice, Jacob feels frustrated by his lack of noticeable improvement in his sprint mechanics.
Cooldown Routine: He completes his cooldown routine, taking care of his muscles while reflecting on his performance.
Pondering Solutions: Jacob contemplates potential solutions to enhance his training and seeks ways to access expert feedback
‘to be’ scenario | jacob
Images sourced from Unsplash or AI generated using Adobe Firefly
Discovery of SprintSense: Jacob discovers the SprintSense app as a solution to his coaching needs and logs in, completing the onboarding process.
Setting Goals: He inputs his running data, best times, personal goals, and areas for improvement. He also learns about premium features, including coaching style options.
Coach Contact: The next day, Jacob receives a notification from the app about his paired coach, allowing him to schedule live training sessions or upload footage for feedback.
Practice Day: During club team training, Jacob follows the usual warm-up routine and then connects with his coach for a live training session via the app.
Plyometric Training: He accesses a lesson on plyometrics, following the coach’s instructions and demonstrations, using his phone propped up on the bleachers to film himself.
Receiving Feedback: Jacob uploads his footage to the app, eagerly awaiting his coach’s feedback, feeling confident about the process with real-time training.
Sense of Improvement: After receiving feedback, Jacob feels he is improving with each training repetition, marking progress in his technique.
Scheduling Future Sessions: Encouraged by his progress, Jacob schedules his next training session, excited to continue working with his coach.
Building Confidence: As he receives consistent feedback, Jacob’s confidence grows, reinforcing his commitment to training.
Looking Forward to Growth: Jacob feels optimistic about his sprinting journey, eager to utilize SprintSense for further development.
key takeaway
These steps in the user experience process gave me a clear vision of the key features and screens to design for the SprintSense semi-functional prototype. Next, in Ideate - Phase 2, I'll start sketching the app screens and mapping out the user flow.
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