Beginners don’t avoid the gym because they’re lazy, they avoid it because the experience feels intimidating and confusing. The root problem is a lack of confidence and support: beginners don’t know where to start, how to set up, or whether they’re doing it right.
I led the end-to-end design of Pump’d, a gym companion app, that lowers cognitive load, delivers real-time guidance and reinforces confidence at every step of the workout.
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
5 weeks (Spring 2025)
Team
4 Designers
Skills
End-to-End Experience Design
Mobile UIUX Design
Interaction Design
User Resarch & User Testing
Impact
"The experience problem indeed has social, informational, and physical challenges…Nice use of the peak-end rule. I agree that would be a big part of this!"
Professor Jacob O. Wobbrock, University of Washington
"I found the unlocking of exercises, machines, and the virtual gym to be quite clever to engage the remembering self and introduce that aspect of gamification."
Meredith Weinstock, TA to Professor Wobbrock
Shaped the Experience Strategy
I proposed the “Simon Says” metaphor as a familiar, follow-along interaction model to support first-time gym-goers. It shaped how we designed the experience, from instructions to feedback, to make workouts feel more intuitive and less intimidating.
Experience Journey Mapping
I created the detailed user experience journey maps, capturing each stage of a beginner’s gym visit. This helped the team to identify precise intervention points and the desired end-state experience.
Independently Redesigned the Final Product
After the course ended, I independently revisited the project to address usability and visual cohesion concerns. I synthesized feedback from testing and redesigned the product’s entire flow and interface.
Problem Discovery
High Beginner Gym-Goer Drop-Off
Our desk research revealed a major retention challenge for gyms: 12% of annual memberships start in January, yet nearly half of those members quit within six months — that's over $900M in potential revenue lost.
The Real Barrier Is Confidence, Not Capability
I conducted a screening survey (n=26) and in-depth contextual inquiries (n=5). I created the research plan, moderated sessions and synthesized findings. Contextual inquiries allowed us to observe participants in the gym environment (in context), revealing subtle cognitive and emotional responses, like fear of judgment or setup confusion.
Gap In The Market For A Confidence-Building Workout Experience
Competitive analysis revealed a gap in the market for a concept that is both highly emotionally engaging and offers high interactive guidance.
How Might We
How might we help gym-goers feel confident and supported when using unfamiliar equipment for the first time?
Feel intimidated by other experienced gym-goers
Lack support with choosing & using equipment
Struggle to build confidence and motivation
Conceptual Ideation To Shape How Users Interpret & Feel
Metaphor
Emulating the game of Simon Says, to design follow-along cues that are immersive and supportive.
Theme
Using "play" as our north star for the experience design, to ensure the product feels joyful and intuitive.
Reimagining A Supportive Workout Journey
I mapped the current user journey to identify stages lacking functional support and emotional reassurance. In my redesigned journey, I targeted three key touchpoints across the pre, mid and post-workout phases, to address users’ psychological needs and be-goals (Hassenzahl, 2010) and transform the beginner workout experience.
Final Design
Pump'd is a multimodal workout assistant that guides users from the start to end of their workout journey. It reduces gym anxiety and builds confidence through a supportive experience.
Step 1 of 4: Pre Workout
Personalized Plans
Step 2 of 4: During Workout
Supportive Starts
Step 3 of 4: During Workout
Audio Guidance
Step 4 of 4: Post Workout
Memorable Post Workout
Step 1 of 4: Pre Workout
Personalized Plans
Plans are curated through onboarding, reducing beginner decision fatigue and friction. Plans adapt and change as users progress, growing with the user.
"I was looking for something more straightforward, like, based on effort or for beginners, not muscle groups, because I don’t really know what those are. Just tell me what’s easy!"
— P2
Step 2 of 4: During Workout
Supportive Starts
Not all users have the same level of fitness knowledge. Users can search by name, scan NFC tags on machines, or use smart image recognition. This offers clear entry points, reducing cognitive load and helps users feel in control from the start.
"I always feel like people are going to be like 'Oh, she's doing something wrong' or like 'She doesn't know what she's doing'…kind of like anxiety"
— P4
"I like doing the arms thing and the legs things"
— P3 (referring to a Shoulder Press and Leg Extension)
Pre-workout, users are given audio and visual guidance to set up the gym equipment. This guidance continues through each set of the exercise.
"The setup matters a lot to me. Knowing how to setup is more than half of like actually doing it correctly."
— P1
"Oh woah, wait, wait! I forgot to check and change the weight before starting, and it was set really high by the previous person"
— P4
Step 3 of 4: During Workout
Audio Guidance
Audio guidance accompanied by tempo pulses take the guesswork out of working out, helping users feel confident and in the flow.
"I think the tip about the shoulder blades was very helpful for me, and then after the shoulder blades, everything else kind of clicked."
— P1
"Doing it while following your instruction helps. For example, you were like, 'pull it, keep your shoulders straight'. When you said that, I did it; I just followed in real time, and that actually helped."
— P3
Step 4 of 4: Post Workout
Memorable Post Workout
Support continues post workout. By turning progress into visual milestones and streaks, we end sessions on a high note, boosting motivation and encouraging return visits. Users unlock interactive color customizations for equipment as they complete workouts.
"I like the feeling of achievement I get, after my workout, from unlocking something."
— P1
Micro-interactions that turn routines into milestones and encourage consistency through timely nudges.
"I want something that would help to motivate me since I'm new to the gym."
— P2
"I wanted to do something consistently for a long time and the gym is a good way to prove that."
— P3
Evaluative Research
Testing In-Context Revealed Key Usability Issues
I wrote the test script and acted as both moderator and notetaker across 3 rounds of evaluative research. I also designed the wireframes, synthesized findings, and iterated to refine our designs.
Independent Redesign
& Iterations
The team ended the project after conducting experience prototyping with no further changes due to time constraints. I independently revisited the project to address usability issues that emerged during experience prototyping.
Rethinking Lesson Plans
We initially assumed that users would feel comfortable choosing workouts by muscle group. However, testing revealed this created friction for beginners, who often lacked the knowledge to make those distinctions.
I addressed this by introducing Recommended Plans, generated through onboarding inputs and user progress. By framing workouts around difficulty levels and milestones, Flow offered a clearer starting point that reduced decision paralysis and helped beginners feel more confident and engaged.
Early Iteration
Final Version
Rethinking Audio Guidance For Safety and Flow
Initial designs used fixed audio rep counts to guide users through the workout. However, testing revealed that rigid audio pacing made users feel rushed, creating an anxious and unsafe experience. We shifted to rhythmic pulse cues that do not count reps. This gives users autonomy to move at their own pace while still receiving real-time guidance, preserving flow and reducing performance pressure.
Early Iteration
Final Version
Reflections
In-context use surfaces deeper usability issues
While initial designs tested well in controlled environments, experience prototyping in the gym (in context) revealed deeper usability issues of our core interactions. Contexts, mindsets and states can affect the usability of a product. In future projects involving physical experiences, I would experience prototype sooner.
Scalability: designing for non-beginners
To support users with different levels of gym experience, we designed an onboarding flow to assess familiarity and tailor guidance accordingly. However, core features like equipment progression still assumed users were beginners; limiting engagement for more advanced users. Moving forward, I would explore how to scale guidance and motivation to stay relevant for diverse user needs and fitness levels.
Future features incorporating intelligence
In this project, I did not fully explore smartwatch integrations or LLM-powered support. In future iterations, I would consider natural language guidance and smartwatch-based-haptics and motion sensors to provide discreet cues to improve pacing and rep count.
Impact Recap
"The experience problem indeed has social, informational, and physical challenges…Nice use of the peak-end rule. I agree that would be a big part of this!"
Professor Jacob O. Wobbrock, University of Washington
"I found the unlocking of exercises, machines, and the virtual gym to be quite clever to engage the remembering self and introduce that aspect of gamification."
Meredith Weinstock, TA to Professor Wobbrock
Shaped the Experience Strategy
I proposed the “Simon Says” metaphor as a familiar, follow-along interaction model to support first-time gym-goers. It shaped how we designed the experience, from instructions to feedback, to make workouts feel more intuitive and less intimidating.
Experience Journey Mapping
I created the detailed user experience journey maps, capturing each stage of a beginner’s gym visit. This helped us to identify precise intervention points and the desired end-state experience.
Independently Redesigned the Final Product
After the course ended, I independently revisited the project to address usability and visual cohesion concerns. I synthesized feedback from testing and redesigned the product’s flow and interface.