Client
Apple ( Theoretical )
Industry
Fitness / wearable tech
Role
UI UX Researcher, Strategist
Tools / Methodologies
User experience research, Behavioral study, Market analysis, User Interviews, Observations, Figma
Year
2024
Apple actively seeks to sustain its leadership in the smartwatch industry. This study focused on uncovering usage patterns, identifying key functionalities athletes rely on, and exploring opportunities for innovation to enhance the smartwatch experience.
Our research at CU Boulder examined how student athletes integrate the Apple Watch into their training and the data they engage with. As a UX researcher, I worked on behavioral analysis to identify usability trends, gaps, and unmet needs. By evaluating areas for improvement, this study provided insights and strategies that could shape future product development.
Overview
About
Apple has become one of the world's leading technology companies, renowned for its innovative products and services. Apple is celebrated for its sleek designs, user-friendly interfaces, and ecosystem integration, which have earned it a loyal global customer base and a prominent position in the tech industry.
Series
Key Features
Apple watch
Apple dominates the wearable technology market, with the Apple Watch redefining fitness tracking, health monitoring, and connectivity. As the company continues to innovate, optimizing features, user experiences and retention tactics to maintain its competitive edge. Understanding how users engage with the device presents opportunities to refine features and enhance long-term value.
Athletes are a key demographic for wearable technology due to their reliance on real-time performance tracking, health monitoring, and data-driven training insights. They push the limits of fitness tracking features, providing valuable feedback on accuracy, usability, and functionality. Their need for seamless integration with training routines, recovery strategies, and team collaboration makes them an ideal group to study for refining existing features and driving innovation.
Student Athletes
Target users
Competitors
Other wearable devices that athletes use, focused on tracking and optimizing fitness performance. They also offer features like activity monitoring, sleep tracking, health insights, etc.
Smart watch brands
Challenge
+
Attract . Retain . Lead
The challenge Apple Watch is facing is to capture the preference of student athletes, ensuring they choose Apple Watch over other smartwatches, and to retain them as loyal customers even after they graduate college. Apple already holds a significant portion of the youth market segment, and Apple watch is equipped with the capabilities to capture the metrics desired by athletes. This positions them to innovate and redefine the smartwatch segment for athletes.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Questions
01
Do student athletes use apple watches during training sessions?
02
What other brands besides the Apple watch do they use?
03
How, when and why do students interact with the device?
04
What behavior, movements and emotions during training sessions ?
Observation
Methodology 01
Location
Recreation center at University of Colorado Boulder
Date & Time
Friday, February 23, 2024, Time: 3:00-5:30 pm
Methodology
Ethnography
Duration
120 minutes
Sample size
35
Recreation center at University of Colorado Boulder
During the observation we aimed to understand how student athletes use Apple Watch during training sessions, their preferences for other smartwatch brands, the patterns and reasons for their interactions with the device, and the behaviors, movements, and emotions they display workouts.
Student athletes depend on smartwatches and other tracking devices to monitor performance, track progress, and optimize their training sessions.
01
Assumptions
During the observation we aimed to understand how student athletes use Apple Watch during training sessions, their preferences for other smartwatch brands, the patterns and reasons for their interactions with the device, and the behaviors, movements, and emotions they display workouts.
02
Objective
Research Questions
01
Do users utilize smartwatches during professional training?
02
What data do athletes collect from these wearable devices?
03
Is this data shared or logged somewhere?
04
do they utilize specific apps in conjunction with these devices?
athletes use smartwatches in training, with device choice reflecting their data needs. Many also rely on professional-grade trackers, and those who actively use wearables tend to save and share data, impacting performance and fitness goals.
01
Assumptions
The interviews focused on understanding the wearable devices athletes use, including different brands and preferences, the collected data usage and sharing, workout metrics, specific apps used, and the impact of wearable technology on their performance.
02
Objective
User interview
Methodology 02
The interviews focused on understanding the wearable devices athletes use, including different brands and preferences, the collected data usage and sharing, workout metrics, specific apps used, and the impact of wearable technology on their performance.
Location : Remote (Zoom)
Duration : 30 minutes
Methodology : Ethnography
Participants
Name: Thomas
Age: 26 years
Sport: Football
Name: Penny
Age: 27 years
Sport: Swim
Name: Joey
Age: 29 years
Sport: Ski
Name: John
Age: 24 years
Sport: Fencing
Name: Joelle
Age: 23 years
Sport: Cross-country
Name: Grace
Age: 22 years
Sport: Lacrosse
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
Ultimate team sport athlete watch
Ultimate team sport athlete watch
Ultimate team sport athlete watch
Ultimate team sport athlete watch
Ultimate team sport athlete watch
Our vision includes three key features: real-time data sharing, a "scoreboard" exclusive for athlete teams, and customizable watch features for easy access to preferred metrics.
This approach enhances team collaboration and individual performance, making Apple Watch the ultimate choice for team sports.
Our research uncovered
Student athletes lead demanding lives: balancing academic schedules with intensive training regimens. Their days are often structured around team practices, workouts, and competitions
As a team, student athletes experience a strong sense of camaraderie and belonging within their teams, forming strong bonds with teammates and coaches. This supportive network not only provides encouragement but also offers valuable mentorship and guidance.
Every training session begins with coaches briefing their student athletes, outlining the day's workout. During the session, coaches provide instructions to guide athletes through each exercise. As the training session comes to an end, teammates gather to compare their performance metrics recorded on their smartwatches, creating a friendly competitive atmosphere among them. Following the intense workout, student athletes take a moment to reflect on their individual data, analyzing their performance to pinpoint areas for improvement.
Data Sharing
Data shared between coach and athletes
Data shared between athletes
Individual data tracking
Student athletes gear up for practice with their smartwatches, but they only use them for personal tracking. As they dive into drills and exercises, they remain unaware of each other's performance, lacking real-time data to compare scores and times. After the session, they leave without knowing who was the top performer of the day or where they stand in comparison to their teammates, missing out on valuable insights and motivation for improvement.
Evaluate your performance
Benchmark
Team Trends
Goal Setting
Each practice session for student athletes is complex, with coaches providing instructions and teammates engaging in drills. However, amidst this dynamic environment, each athlete is unique, with specific areas of focus and individual metrics they prioritize tracking and analyzing. As they navigate through their smartwatches, they often find themselves spending valuable time scrolling through menus to locate their most-used workouts or desired metrics. This inefficiency detracts from their ability to fully immerse themselves in training, hindering their productivity and overall experience during practice sessions.
Prioritizing preferences
Simplify workout options
Tailoring to unique focus metrics
Option to extract data
Study limitations
While studying athlete behavior to design features for the Apple Watch, several challenges were encountered. Coordinating and tracking athletes' varying practice schedules proved difficult, as did gaining consistent access to athletic facilities. Recruiting a diverse pool of athletes was also limited, contributing to a smaller sample size. Observation was sometimes restricted due to physical distance or timing constraints. Additionally, the accelerated study timeline placed constraints on deeper data collection and iteration.