Industry-Advised Design Research Project

Reimagining Fitness Wearable to Meet Athletes Where They Are

Product:

Fitness Wearable - WHOOP

Industry Advisor:

Will Notini, Senior Design Research Lead @ IDEO

My Role:

Design Researcher (Collaborative - conducted with a peer researcher)

This research project focused on improving the user experience of a sports wearable, inspired by products like Whoop. The goal was to identify key user needs and translate them into actionable design recommendations for product teams working at the intersection of fitness, technology, and behavior.

Project Overview

We interviewed five athletes (2 collegiate, 3 recreational), ages 18–30, with diverse patterns of fitness tracker usage. Participants represented a mix of endurance- and strength-based sports, including badminton, swimming, and running.

Participant Profile

Design Opportunities

Understanding Athletes' Needs

Explore athletes’ physical, emotional, and motivational needs related to activity, rest, stretching, and recovery. Identify how wearables can support both performance and well-being.

Incentives For Purchasing Wearables

Investigate the features, functions, price points, and design elements that make wearables feel desirable, helpful, and worth the investment from an athlete’s perspective.

Barriers to Adoption

Examine what drives athletes away from using wearables — including design flaws, feature overload, pricing concerns, or perceived conflicts with personal values or training styles.

Integrating Wearables Seamlessly into Daily Routines

Identify how wearables can better fit into athletes’ lives beyond workouts — including how data is accessed, interpreted, and integrated into habits, decision-making, or coaching. Explore moments where wearables feel intrusive vs. supportive.

Research Approach

In-Depth Interviews (IDIs): Conducted 5 semi-structured interviews to explore athletes’ motivations, pain points, and perceptions of wearable devices. Interviews were note-taken in Google Docs.

Open Spatial Card Sorting (in FigJam): Participants were asked to sort interface elements within a phone layout to express expectations around app structure and feature placement.

Analysis & Synthesis: Notes were organized and thematically analyzed in FigJam, and visual card sorting results were also synthesized in FigJam to identify common mental models and feature groupings.

Figma Analysis Snapshot

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Participants’ names have been anonymized and no personal information is shown.
Left: part of the analysis process in Figma;

Right: an example of a participant’s spatial card sort illustrating how they would structure the wearable’s companion mobile app.

Key Insights

Recommendations

Diverse Measurement Needs:

Athletes vary widely in what they want to track — some prioritize metrics like heart rate or speed, while others avoid features like calorie counting. These differences reflect personal goals and values, underscoring the need for flexibility and user control.

Enable customization:

Let athletes personalize which metrics (e.g., heart rate, speed, calorie tracking) are visible or emphasized. This flexibility supports different goals, training styles, and comfort levels, making the wearable feel more relevant and user-friendly.

Self-criticism is common:

Many athletes hold themselves to high standards and experience emotional lows when they fall short, pointing to the need for more compassionate feedback and emotional support.

Offer emotional reinforcement:

Provide encouraging in-app messages, especially during challenging training periods or post-setbacks.

Exercise is sacred space:

Athletes often view workouts as a form of rest, reflection, or even spirituality. Distractions — whether physical discomfort or emotional friction — can break that flow.

Minimize distractions:

Design the wearable for maximum comfort and seamlessness, ensuring it doesn’t interfere with athletes’ physical or mental focus.

Social motivation matters:

Athletes value feeling connected — they’re more likely to stay motivated when they feel part of a supportive community.

Support social motivation:

Incorporate a community feature that allows users to view progress from friends and family, and send supportive messages or reactions.

Note: Insights and recommendations have been generalized to protect participant confidentiality and avoid disclosing sensitive information.

Impact

Increased product relevance through customizable features that match athletes’ diverse needs
Stronger user retention by supporting emotional well-being and motivation
Better product-market fit by identifying what attracts or repels athletes from wearables
Improved user experience through distraction-free, athlete-centered design