CampFit (iOS)

My vision was to create an easy-to-use tool that enables personal trainers to organize and manage their bootcamps with minimal effort. Simultaneously, this tool would provide participants with essential information about trainers, locations, reviews, and flexible payment options when choosing to attend a bootcamp. Given the highly personal nature of smartphones, developing a mobile app emerged as the most logical solution.

Due to my lack of domain knowledge, I had to quickly and thoroughly understand the nature of fitness services. I took a collaborative approach to the project, spending most of my time working alongside personal trainers at the gym, online trainers, and potential clients.

Throughout the project, I conducted ethnographic research and used participatory design methods. This approach was essential for understanding how personal trainers organize and run bootcamps and gaining insight into the experiences of those attending fitness bootcamps.

I discovered that the tools personal trainers use to organize classes and fitness bootcamps don't meet today's satisfaction standards. Beyond solving my friend's problem, I saw an opportunity to expand the user base. My new goal was to understand the challenges faced by both trainers and participants in fitness bootcamps.

A small group of early testers praised the app, noting that it would significantly improve their current process of running bootcamps and managing clients. Trainers no longer have to guess how many people are attending, as the app accurately tracks attendance by linking it directly to prompt payments once participants decide to join a bootcamp.

I was surprised to learn how complicated the bootcamp process was for some trainers, partly due to the lack of adequate tools. Initially, I was eager to fill the app with every feature I could think of, but I soon realized that keeping only the essential core functionalities would minimize the learning curve and reduce confusion.

One of my biggest challenges was truly understanding the struggles of trainers and participants. Rather than simply applying solutions from my past experiences, I listened carefully to their personal stories to identify points of frustration.

Throughout the project, I reminded myself not to rush just to "get something out the door." Instead, I approached each feature with the guiding question: "Why is it important to the user?" This approach helped me focus on the critical features of the app and ensure they addressed what was truly important to the users.