Assignment goal: Design an app for a premium community product that helps

athletes preparing for triathlons, Iron man, Ultraman etc.

Documentation about users (primary & secondary research)

Introduction

● Marathon running is more than a sport—it’s a journey of discipline, growth,

and achievement.
● Whether tackling a first 5K or striving for a personal best in an Ironman, every
runner faces unique challenges and goals.
● To design a meaningful app, it’s crucial to understand what drives runners; is
it improving health, achieving personal milestones, building connections, or
supporting causes. By addressing these motivations, an app can inspire and
empower runners.
● This journey also involves examining the commitment required for training,
strategies to overcome obstacles, and tools to set and track meaningful goals.

Secondary Research

To better understand the landscape, I explored popular training apps like Nike+ Run
Club, Strava, and TrainingPeaks to analyse their features and offerings. I also
reviewed insights from endurance sports websites such as Ironman and Triathlon.
This research helped sharpen the focus on the key features and priorities for the
proposed app. Here’s a summary of the key areas:

● User Segment
● User Persona
● Empathy Map
● Product Features

User Segments

A successful app must cater to a diverse range of runners, each with unique needs,
goals, and motivations. By addressing the distinct needs of these user groups, the
app can provide tailored solutions that resonate with runners at every stage of their
journey. The target user segments include:

● Amateurs
○ New to marathons, these runners are eager to take on their first
challenge and need guidance for foundational training.
● Semi-pros
○ Experienced runners aiming to improve performance and set personal
records.
○ Individuals returning to marathons after a break, focused on regaining
fitness and form.
 ○ Busy runners seeking flexible training plans that fit into their demanding
schedules.
● Pros
○ With a decade or more of experience, these runners possess
exceptional skill, endurance, and mental toughness.
○ They require advanced tools to maintain peak performance and
compete at the highest level.

User Persona

These personas highlight the varying needs and expectations of different runners,
ensuring the app caters effectively to all user groups.

● Amateur Runner: Priyanka, 28 – The First-Timer

○ Background: Priyanka works as a graphic designer and has recently
decided to run her first marathon to challenge herself and improve her
fitness. She’s active on social media and enjoys following fitness
influencers for motivation.
○ Goals:
■ Complete her first marathon.
■ Learn proper training techniques without feeling overwhelmed.
■ Build a consistent running habit.
○ Frustrations:
■ Struggles to stay motivated over the long training period.
■ Unsure how to prevent injuries or overtraining.
■ Finds many training related information too technical or
intimidating.
○ Needs:
■ A beginner-friendly app with simple, step-by-step guidance.
■ Encouragement through progress tracking and milestones.
■ Community support or peer encouragement to stay motivated.
● Semi-Pro Runner: Mayank, 36 – The Performance Improver
○ Background: Mayank is a project manager and a father of two. He’s
completed a few marathons but took a break due to work and family
commitments. He’s now looking to get back into shape and beat his
previous personal best.
○ Goals:
■ Break his personal record in an upcoming marathon.
■ Balance training with his busy work and family life.
■ Stay injury-free while ramping up intensity.
○ Frustrations:
■ Lack of time to train consistently.
■ Difficulty finding plans that adapt to his fluctuating schedule.
■ Wants more personalised insights rather than generic advice.
○ Needs:
■ Flexible, adaptive training plans that fit around his schedule.
■ Advanced metrics like pace analysis and fatigue tracking.
■ Integration with wearable devices for better insights.
● Pro Runner: Sharon, 42 – The Elite Competitor
 ○ Background: She is a professional marathon runner with over 15 years
of experience. She’s competed in international events and continues to
train rigorously to stay at the top of her game.
○ Goals:
■ Maintain peak physical condition and endurance.
■ Fine-tune her performance for upcoming competitions.
■ Analyse detailed data to identify areas for improvement.
○ Frustrations:
■ Generic training plans that don’t align with her advanced skill
level.
■ Limited tools for in-depth performance analysis.
■ Difficulty finding highly specialised coaching resources in an
app.
○ Needs:
■ Advanced analytics, including heart rate zones, VO2 max, and
stride efficiency.
■ Personalised coaching based on her performance data.
■ A platform to track and compare her competitive history over
time.

Empathy Maps

Empathy maps help us understand our users by visualising their thoughts, feelings,
actions, and challenges. Below are empathy maps for Amateurs, Semi-Pros, and
Pros.

● Amateur Runner: Priyanka – The First-Timer

○ Thoughts: “Can I finish a marathon?” “Where do I start?”
○ Feelings: Nervous, excited, overwhelmed.
○ Actions: Looks for beginner tips, joins communities, tries short runs.
○ Pain Points: Fear of failing, lack of guidance, feels isolated.
● Semi-Pro Runner: Mayank – The Performance Improver
○ Thoughts: “Can I balance training with life?” “How do I improve
smartly?”
○ Feelings: Motivated but stressed, frustrated by inconsistent results.
○ Actions: Uses wearables, fits training into tight schedules, seeks tips
online.
○ Pain Points: Time constraints, need for flexible plans, confusing advice.
● Pro Runner: Sharon – The Elite Competitor
○ Thoughts: “How do I push limits without injury?” “Am I using my data
effectively?”
○ Feelings: Confident yet focused, frustrated by generic tools.
○ Actions: Analyses data, trains consistently, refines strategies.
○ Pain Points: Limited access to personalised coaching, high
expectations, needs deeper insights.

User problems

Beginners, Semi-Pros, and Pros face unique challenges that impact their training
journeys. These range from finding the right guidance and avoiding injuries to
managing time effectively and reaching peak performance.

● Amateurs
○ Lack of Knowledge: Unsure how to start training, prevent injuries, or
build endurance.
○ Overwhelmed by Information: Struggle to find clear, beginner-friendly
guidance.
○ Motivation: Difficulty staying consistent without visible progress or
external accountability.
○ Time Constraints: Finding time to train while managing work, family, or
other commitments.
● Semi-Pros
○ Breaking Plateaus: Struggling to improve pace, endurance, or race
times despite consistent effort, overcoming injury.
○ Limited Guidance: Require advanced but accessible coaching to fine-
tune their performance.
● Pros
○ Highly Specific Needs: Require detailed metrics and analytics for
performance optimization (e.g., VO2 max, lactate threshold).
○ Need precise recovery insights and support to avoid burnout.
○ Balancing high-intensity training with mental and physical readiness for
major events.
○ Lack of Community Connection: Finding like-minded elite athletes for
mutual support and competition.

Product Features

To ensure success, the app's design should be both beginner-friendly and scalable,
evolving with users as they progress. It should incorporate multi-discipline integration
for triathletes and advanced marathoners. Additionally, a strong emphasis on
mentorship and community, providing emotional and strategic support, is crucial.
Real-time adaptability to user schedules and physical feedback will further enhance
the user experience.

1. Training Plans and Guidance

1. Personalised Training Plans: Create customizable plans based on
fitness level, time availability, and event type (Sprint, Olympic, Ironman,
or Marathon).
 2. Adaptive Workouts: Plans dynamically adjust based on performance,
injuries, or missed sessions.
3. Gradual Progression Tracking: Set weekly mileage or intensity
increase limits (e.g., 10%) to prevent burnout or injuries.
4. Injury Prevention Insights: Tips on stretching, mobility, and recovery
based on training volume and muscle group usage.
2. Community Engagement
1. Challenges: Foster competition through distance-based challenges,
virtual races, and streaks.
2. Connect beginners with experienced athletes for guidance and
motivation.
3. Discussion Forums: Encourage knowledge-sharing on gear, nutrition,
and strategies.
4. Success Stories: Share inspiring journeys from triathletes and
marathon runners to keep users motivated.
3. Trainings
1. Multi-Sport Tracking: Log swimming, cycling, running, and resistance
training sessions in one place.
2. Nutrition and Rest Guidance: Offer meal suggestions and hydration tips
tailored to training phases.
4. Insights and Motivation
1. Progress Visuals: Display clear charts for distance, time, and
improvement over weeks or months.
2. Achievement Badges: Reward users for milestones like completing
long runs, personal bests, or consecutive training days.

Metrics to track

To effectively track app performance and user behaviour, we can use tools like
Mixpanel and Google Analytics to monitor specific metrics. These tools help
measure engagement, retention, and app effectiveness while offering insights for
feature optimization and user growth. Below is a list of key metrics categorised for an
app like the proposed training app:

Conversion Metrics 1. Onboarding Completion Rate

2. Subscription Conversion Rate

User Engagement Metrics 1. Daily Active Users

 2. Monthly Active Users
3. Session Frequency
4. Session Duration

Retention Metrics 1. User Retention Rate

2. Churn Rate

Feature Usage 1. Which features are most/least used

2. Popularity of workout tracking vs. community
challenges
3. Number of workouts logged.

Revenue Metrics 1. Average Revenue Per User

2. Customer Lifetime Value
3. Subscription Revenue