UX Case Study: ClassPass Mobile Experience
Overview
I often use ClassPass to give me the motivation and inspiration that I need to search, book, and attend fitness classes. However, I‘ve encountered a few issues and annoyances with the iOS app that have hindered my booking experience. Hence, I decided to put my UX designer hat on and see if I can make improvements to the overall user experience of the app. Hopefully, I’ll get a six pack by the end of this case study too.
Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with ClassPass in any way. This UX study was conducted as a learning experience on a product that I often use and love.
Problem
The convenience of using a single platform to browse and book different classes in various locations is highly attractive. However, browsing and booking classes can feel like a long and frustrating process when there are too many steps to reach a specific goal.
Goal
My goal is to explore how I can redefine and improve the user experience of new and existing users when it comes to using filters and searching for classes and studios.
Findings
Through research, discovery, and validations, there were 4 major paint points when it came to locating information and using filters.
Pain point 1: Users took too long when using filters to search for new or pre-existing classes
I added time and location next to the date filter so that users can quickly refine their search without having to click into a new page. Pre-existing users can also see their favorited studios in the search results.
I made the map more visible and practical by moving it into the location filter.
Users now have the option to save and name their filters when they apply their refine search.
Pain point 2: Users had trouble finding matched results on search page
There were too many irrelevant results on the first screen when trying to look for a specific studio, which caused users to be confused.
Pain point 3: New users couldn’t find where to “find friends”
In 2017, ClassPass added social features to the app that allows users to view their friends upcoming and past classes. This feature can be accessed via the user profile page. I wanted to showcase it even further by adding a social section on the home page so that users can either find friends, or view their friends classes and and join them for a workout.
Pain point 4: Non-tappable text
There were 2 spots that users couldn’t tap into and made them frustrated. I made them tappable and added an arrow to make sure that they knew that it was tappable.
Results
I iterated and tested my designs several times and this is what I found:
• 6 out of 7 users able to quickly use the date, time, and location filters to narrow down their classes
• 2 out of 2 pre-existing users really liked having the “save filter” feature to locate their most commonly used filters
• 6 out of 7 users quickly located a specific studio by using the search field and all of them were able to tap into the studio page, which was once un-tappable
• 4 out of 6 users accessed “find friends” on the home page and not from profile
• 6 out of 7 users tapped to see their credit information on the profile page, which was un-tappable
Design process
Sketching
Persona
To help me uncover these pain points, I created a persona that represented the typical user. I examined my own reasons for using the app, and I also interviewed one of my best friend who I often attend classes with. I found myself often coming back to this persona to help me understand a user’s needs, experiences, and goals.
Job Stories
I turned to the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework to understand the emotional forces that shape a users motivations that leads them to buy or choose a product due to a problem they would like to solve.
I created 3 JTBD stories based on my friends experience, online user reviews, and my own experiences using ClassPass:
User Testing
I came up with 3-4 user tasks and conducted usability testing by walking into fitness studios, retail stores, and even a beer garden. I was able to meet with a total of 9 participants, and I also made a few new friends along the way!
User flows I wanted to observe:
- How to book a class
- How to check credit information
- Favorite a studio
- How to find your friend’s class schedule
Affinity mapping
I took the user testing results and synthesized them into 4 categories.
2x2
Thereafter, I was able to identify the 4 major pain points by plugging them onto this chart.
Task flow
The user’s success is based on locating useful information and booking a class in the easiest and fastest way possible as depicted in the chart below.
Final thoughts
My redesign of the app was validated after the third iteration. Users experienced less confusion and hesitations while going through the booking process, which resulted in a quicker and seamless booking process. My only regret is that I wish I worked just as hard on my fitness goals while doing my redesign and iterations. Needless to say, I did not get the six pack I hoped for at the start of this study.
