SoFiit
Multi-dimensional approach to wellness through movements, social engagement, and AI-enhanced data insights.
ROLE
TIME
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
User research, Ui/Ux design, Research Analysis, Prototyping, User Testing
Through a multi-dimensional approach, SoFiit offers students the tools to set fitness goals, connect with workout partners, and participate in group activities—all powered by AI-driven data insights. The platform's mission is to foster a sense of community and improving overall wellness an easy, social experience for students.
As a design intern and then months later the founding Ui/Ux designer, my mission was bringing the SoFiit mobile app to life from the ground up. My responsibilities included conducting user research, crafting user flows, and developing wireframes and prototypes. I also helped with A/B testing and continuously refined the interface based on user feedback to ensure an intuitive and engaging user experience.
Everything started with a Google Form
When I first joined SoFiit, the platform was a simple Google form where students would answer questions about their fitness goals and preferences for a gym buddy. From there, we manually matched users based on what "felt right."
My task was to transform this manual process into a seamless, fully digital experience, designing an app that provided a personalized, data-driven approach to fitness matching and goal tracking.
The first stage of the design process was researching the problem.
Our team conducted user interviews with 80+ students as well as university staff members from various backgrounds.
A few key words popped up often:
User Objectives
Next, I aimed to gain a deeper understanding of user pain points. I learned about the problem space and identified how the app could best support students in their fitness journey. Through targeted surveys and in-depth interviews, I distilled the core objectives that would drive a more engaging and supportive user experience.
Student Pain Points:
🔍
Challenges in Finding Workout Partners
Students expressed that connecting with a workout buddy who matched their fitness needs and preferences was often a significant challenge.
🗓
Difficulty in Tracking Workout Progress
Many noted that tracking their workout progress was cumbersome, whether exercising alone or with friends, making it hard to monitor their achievements.
🌍
Desire for Social Connection
Beyond fitness goals, students wanted a platform that fostered social connections and allowed them to engage with peers who shared similar interests and schedules.
University Pain Points:
💭
Limited Accessibility of Activities
Students face a lack of accessible fitness programs, particularly those that accommodate varying fitness levels and busy schedules.
🏫
Ineffective Mental Health Monitoring
There are difficulties in obtaining timely information on students’ mental health, with low completion rates (9%~11%) for wellness questionnaires indicating a gap in effective outreach.
User Personas
Based on key insights gathered on student behaviors and needs, I fabricated 3 personas to better empathize with users with different motivations and to help guide our design.
Current fitness solutions lack personalized features and social integration.
This results in missed opportunities for students to build community support that enhances their overall well-being and fitness commitment.
We found that…
74% of University students struggle with mental health and experience psychological distress.
8/10 individuals express a desire to improve their fitness but don’t know how and where to start.
Students with workout partners are 68% more likely to stick to their fitness routines than those who exercise alone.
Thus, I asked…
💡
How might we build an online social fitness ecosystem that fosters personalized connections to enhance student well-being and commitment?
Goals:
To effectively address the identified pain points, I outlined some specific design goals that guided my approach:
📊 Intuitive Interface Design
Develop a user-friendly onboarding process that streamlines profile setup and app navigation, utilizing design elements to guide users through the AI-enhanced matching process for a seamless SoFiit experience.
☑️ Ensure Accessibility
Design an inclusive and accessible app for users of all fitness levels and backgrounds, incorporating social features like community forums and group challenges to foster belonging and engagement.
🎮 Gamify Experience
Implement a straightforward goal-setting feature and progress tracker that enables users to define fitness objectives, log workouts, and visualize progress, gamifying the experience to enhance motivation.
💬 Feedback Mechanisms
Develop a feedback system for users to share their workout experiences, promoting community interaction while gathering valuable insights for continuous app improvement based on user needs.
Competitive Audit
To differentiate SoFiit in the crowded fitness app market, I conducted a competitive audit of similar platforms, analyzing key features, user experiences, and engagement strategies.
By focusing on personalization, community-building, and user retention, I identified strengths and gaps in the market, gaining insights that informed SoFiit’s unique value propositions and guided design decisions throughout development.
User Flow
Based on these insights, I created user personas and mapped out the ideal user journey, ensuring that the app would cater to both fitness goals and social connections.
This informed a foundation for the app's design, guiding decisions throughout the process.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
To address the identified pain points, we developed tailored solutions from both the student and university perspectives.
For Students
= Providing the SoFiit app
👬
Personalized Fitness Matching
A personalized matching system to pair students with workout buddies based on fitness goals, preferences, and schedules.
💪
Persistent Workout
Enhanced students' mental and physical wellness by facilitating workout partnerships that encourage consistent exercise habits.
🌐
Building Fitness Community
Integrated social features like group challenges and community forums to foster belonging and encourage ongoing participation.
For University
= Providing dashboard
🕒
Real-time Student Insights
A real-time dashboard to provide insights into student activity, fitness participation, and well-being trends.
🗓
Mental Health Trends
Enabled timely monitoring of student mental health by tracking engagement in wellness programs.
🎯
Boost Wellness Engagement
Improved student participation through data-driven insights and targeted wellness initiatives.
[Onboarding]
[Home, Progress Dashboard, Buddies, Profile]
[To Match with a Buddy]
[Schedule a workout with your buddy]
User Testing
In the user testing phase, I aimed to ensure that every design decision aligned with real user needs and expectations. By conducting hands-on testing and analyzing user feedback, I could identify and address potential obstacles that might affect navigation and usability.
To foster ongoing growth within the SoFiit community, we…
Identify Usability Roadblocks
Conducted user tests to uncover navigation challenges, unclear features, and other usability issues that might hinder a seamless app experience.
Optimize User Engagement
Ran A/B tests on various UI elements like button placements, color schemes, and wording to determine which variations maximize engagement and clarity.
Refine for Accessibility and Flow
Based on user interaction and feedback, iterated on design elements to improve accessibility, streamline flows, and enhance the overall app experience.
Capture User Satisfaction
Measured user satisfaction through post-testing surveys to capture immediate reactions and assess overall enjoyment and ease of use.
Learnings
1. Vision into Action
When I joined SoFiit, it was just a concept—an idea waiting to be developed into a fully functional app that the community would actually use. Inspired by the team's passion and dedication, I found myself motivated to create something impactful, aligning with my mission as a creator to make a positive difference. One of the most fascinating aspects for me was running A/B tests on different user interfaces—changing wording or presenting information in a different order directly influenced user behavior. It was incredible to see how even small changes could affect user engagement and outcomes.
2. Cross-Department Collaboration
Working closely with different departments—product managers, finance, design, and engineering—taught me the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Each team had its own priorities, insights, and goals, which often led to spirited discussions where we had to align our visions and find a common path forward. My most valuable learning experiences came from cross-functional collaboration, where diverse perspectives enriched our process and sparked innovation. The challenge was not just in sharing ideas, but in listening, compromising, and finding solutions that balanced creativity, technical feasibility, and business goals. It reinforced for me that great products are born not from individual effort, but from a collective passion and dedication to a shared visionThis informed a foundation for the app's design, guiding decisions throughout the process.
Impact
Thank you!
Thank you so much to the entire SoFiit team for welcoming me to the SoFiit family as an intern and trusting me to lead the visual design months later.
Special shout out to Ruby Zhang, Kenny Wang, and Sam Siu, who made this experience extremely rewarding. Could not have done it without your support and guidance!
