User Experience Design

User Research

The Objective

Develop a web app that solves the design question:

"How might we improve the experience of [insert user group here] trying to [insert user needs/goal] around [insert location]?"

Design Question

“How might we improve the

experience of JMU students trying to accomplish their workout routine at UREC?”

Research Questions

1. What activities do you normally partake in when you go to UREC?

2. What are the difficulties you have when working out at UREC?

3. How do your other obligations affect your workout schedule or routine?

4. What would be helpful to fulfill your workout goals at UREC?

5. What factors would contribute to making the perfect workout day at UREC?

Rationale for Approach

When I first approached this assignment, I thought about experiences I’ve had at JMU that I found to be negative or that personally affect me frequently. I thought about what things I would improve at JMU if I had the power to do so.

The first thing that came to my mind was about how every time I go to UREC, it is always a stressful experience with how chaotic and busy it is. I’ve had similar conversations with friends about how it is hard to manage a good workout routine when there are many factors that deter people from going to UREC.

This year specifically, JMU has accepted the largest number freshman class in history. This record number of students has affected UREC’s crowd levels drastically. The UREC app has not changed any app features that would help make the place more accommodatable for these high volumes.

I choose my research questions around how students fit their workout routine into their life schedules to better understand what issues they have with UREC. I tried to come up with open ended questions where students could tell me about their workout routine and conflicts they have faced while trying to achieve them.

As for finding my interviews, I decided to reach out to friends of mine who go to JMU who I know frequently work out at UREC. I selected friends who are involved in athletic clubs, take fitness classes, enjoy weightlifting, or do cardio exercise.

Selecting Students to Interview

2 Weight Lifting Exercisers
2 Mixed Workout Exercisers
1 Group Classes Exerciser

The overall goal of my interviews was to get insight on what struggles students who work out at UREC face. More specifically, how these struggles affect JMU students’ workout routines.

Rather than making a survey to find possible interviewers, I decided to reach out to different friends that I know work out at UREC. I wanted to select friends that I knew had different workout goals, routines, and lifestyles around it.

I reached out to two male friends who work out everyday and prefer weight lifting, two friends who have a random workout routine, and one who does group classes predominantly.

Another important factor that contributed to who I interviewed was to be sure they were JMU students who were frequent UREC users. I also wanted to reach out to students who were upperclassmen who have experienced UREC for a few years and have a strong sense of gym knowledge.

Additional Interview Questions

• What is your age, major, and year level?

• What activities do you partake in when at

UREC?

• Do you go to the gym alone or with a partner/group?

• Do you have a set workout routine?

• What time do you like to go to the gym and

why?

• How do you feel when it is busy?

• Have you ever taken a fitness class at JMU?

Why or why not?

• Do you think there’s an increase or decrease in people that workout in recent years?

• How long do you normally workout for?

Raw Interview Notes

Emily, 20

1. Biology, Spring 2026

2. Does traditional strength training and cardio mostly. A part of Dancing Dukes and takes classes such as

cycling, HIIT, and cardio dance party.

3. Complains that it is always so busy and it’s hard to find machines and parking that are available. The traffic

there also is a problem. Availability for classes fill up too quickly.

4. Has a packed school schedule with her hard major so must plan around studying times. Has to go at random

times because of the uncertainty with school work

5. Would be helpful to see when and how many people scan into UREC. Also an advanced schedule for what

workout classes are happening since they are only releases a day prior

6. Would like to know what machines are available at what times as well as put up a parking meter like the

parking garages have.

7. Does not have a set workout routine and does whatever is available that day. She does prioritize doing a bit of

cardio though every workout even though its not her main focus.

8. She hates when it is busy and feels awful to the point where she wants to walk out. She feels anxious about

running into people and wants to be completely alone and not have to talk to anyone.

9. Does not prioritize the gym above school, but does her best to go.

Sara, 22

1. Sports Recreation and Management, Spring 2025

2. Does self workouts alternating between upper and lower body days, mixes in cardio and ab workouts with it. Has done a pilates, yoga, and cycling class but prefers traditional strength training.

3. Complains about the overcrowdedness and how there are limited treadmills. Parking is bad too but it’s out of her control.

4. Unable to go to the gym until the afternoon because classes are in the morning and early afternoon. Usually after settling into the school year has a routine of going 2-3 days a week.

5. Would like an app to keep track of your fitness goals or a reward system for example taking a certain amount

of classes.

6. Wants a better parking system where she doesn’t have to wait for a spot or wait in line at check in. She wants

to get a close locker and not to wait on equipment.

7. Doesn’t have a set routine due to how busy the machines get. She alters based on what is available at thatmoment.

8. Feels annoyed when it is busy but understanding that JMU has been a growing campus.

9. Prioritizing going to the gym by scheduling all her classes in the mornings so she is able to go to the gym in

the afternoon.

Josh, 20

1. Business Management, Spring 2026.

2. Does weight lifting only.

3. Complains the gym is packed all the time and there will be huge groups of people hogging one machine.

4. Sometimes unable to go to the gym until 10pm due to classes all day and being a young life leader.

5. Would like an app feature of knowing how busy the gym is and a guide for new gym goers to learn gym courtesy

6. Would like UREC to build a new parking deck by the gym, another entry area besides the main entrance, and dimmer lighting.

7. Has a set routine for each muscle group with a set schedule of what machines he needs in a certain order.

8. Feels angry and frustrated when the machines he wants are taken and has to wait.

9. Prioritizes his eating schedule around the gym by making sure he eats lunch 2 hours prior and then dinner right after.

Kathryn, 21

1. Health Science, Spring 2025

2. Does UREC classes such as cycling, group X, HIIT, full body strength training, and is a part of Madison

Dance Club. Also does traditional strength training as well.

3. Has difficulties with classes booking up fast and machines or equipment she wants being taken.

4. Takes early morning classes since the ones during the daytime usually overlap with classes and they’re more

available.

5. Would like classes to be made at more accessible times, adding more capacity or equipment so they don’t fill

up so quickly, and make UREC hours longer.

6. Wants to access all equipment without waiting so she can have a set schedule as well as closer parking.

7. Has a set workout routine that she tries to follow for which days she will attend which classes.

8. Feels anxious when it’s busy due to more people looking at you and more intimidation. Also irritated when

you just want to get your workout done and just can’t since there are people on the machines you want.

9. Prioritizes the gym but finds workout class times that work around her class schedule.

Alex, 22

1. Sports Recreation and Management, Spring 2025

2. Does weight lifting and plays intramural basketball

3. Complains there’s lots of people and it takes more time than necessary waiting on machines.

4. He likes to workout after his classes which results in later in the day since most classes are scheduled in

the morning or afternoon.

5. Would be helpful for an app to show what machines are available and which are taken in real time so

you don’t go to it and wait around.

6. Would like to fly through his workout and be in and out of the gym in a timely manner rather than

making such a huge time commitment to UREC.

7. Has a set routine for muscle groups but the machines he uses in the order he uses them varies.

8. Feels very unfortunate when he sees the gym is busy and knows he won’t get through in a timely manner.

9. Prioritizes going to the gym everyday and arranges his schedule around the gym.

Comparing Attributes & Behaviors

Summary of Findings

Weight Lifting Group - Alex & Josh

This group of UREC users prefer to do weightlifting and traditional strength training in the main

weight room. This group prioritizes going to the gym daily and focuses their eating habits and class sched-

ule around their workout routine. They both typically go to the gym in the afternoon or evening. They both

expressed their deep frustrations for how overly crowded the gym is and how it makes them unable to fly

through their workout like they’d hoped. This group has a firm routine of set machines they like to use on

certain workout days and have issues with having to wait for the machine they want. They expressed how

helpful it would be to have an app that showed the real time volume of people that are currently at the gym.

This would allow them to better plan their schedule so they don’t show up when it is too busy. Alex also finds

interest in an app feature that can sense what machines are in use and which are available. This would save

time by not walking over to a machine that is already taken and having to wait.

Mixed Workout Group - Emily & Sara

This group is very versatile and uses UREC for a variety of reasons such as doing traditional strength

training, cardio, and group classes. This group is more flexible when it comes to prioritizing the gym since

they go when they can but also make an effort to go often during the week. They typically go to the gym in

the afternoon or evening due to having classes in the morning. They don’t have a structured workout, but not

because they don’t want one, but because they know they’ll have to wait for a while on machinery that they

need. They pick and choose their workouts based on how busy the place is when they arrive. Both wish for

an app feature where they can know how busy the gym is prior to their arrival so they can best plan when to

go. Emily suggests UREC have a parking meter like the garages so she knows she is guaranteed a spot and

doesn’t waste time circling the lot. Sara thinks a reward system would be helpful to give dedicated users a

special parking spot, locker, or not have to wait in the check in line.

Classes Group - Kathryn

As for Kathryn, she prefers to sign up for group classes that are early in the morning before her classes

start. She takes the classes at this time because they are the only time available that don’t overlap with her

schedule. She wishes UREC had more available class times and also that the classes had higher capacities

since they fill up so quickly. She would like the available classes to be posted days in advance rather than the

day before so she can better plan her schedule to be able to attend them. The classes allow her to have a set

routine, in and out in a fashionable manner, and to be pushed by another person. She doesn’t enjoy the main

weight room due to how busy it is. She would like to see classes at more accessible times, UREC to add more

equipment to their main room, and make UREC hours longer.

Turning User Data Into Personas

Classes v.s. Weight Lifting
Morning v.s. Afternoon
Short Workout v.s. Long Workout

Throughout the data that was collected, I found there were many similarities throughout each group regarding their needs for their workout routine. The common theme was wanting a set routine that they can easily get through in a timely manner with no issues.

It was inevitable to see that everyone was frustrated with how busy UREC is and how it negatively affects their workout as well as wastes their time. All groups emphasized a need for an app feature that tells its users how busy the gym is in real time to best prioritize their time rather than them showing up and wasting most of it waiting on what they need.

Although each group has different needs for their ideal workout routine, knowing how busy the gym is including the machines, classes, and parking lot prior to arrival is a crucial factor to helping JMU students effectively workout.

After analyzing my user research and seeing the different concerns between the different groups, I have decided to make two personas based on opposite behaviors and attributes.

By using these opposite characteristics, I will be able to encapsulate the key needs between the two groups. Since the mixed workout group shared similar experiences and issues to the weightlifting group, I decided to make my primary

persona to be more weightlifting focused. As for the secondary persona, I choose too focus on someone who prefers only doing classes. By sectioning into these two groups, highlights two key areas in need of improvement at UREC.

Personas

User Narrative

The Objective

Create two user stories that tie to the user needs and goals:

“As a user, I want to [goal here] so that [reason here].

User Story 1

As a user, I want to know the availability of equipment, so I don’t have to wait a long time to do a workout.

User Narrative 1

After a long day and stressful day of classes, Jonas could not wait to relieve all his stress by working out at UREC. When he arrived at UREC in the mid-afternoon, he strug- gled to find a parking spot for 10 minutes. After finally finding a spot, he was now slightly frustrated for wasting his time circling the parking lot for so long. He tried not to let it bother him since he was still excited to workout anyways. As he entered the gym, he noticed it was very busy. He did his best to find available machinery, but found himself waiting for people to finish their sets more than actually working out himself. He grew more frustrated after each workout since he was practically just standing around most of the time. He was looking forward to releasing his stress at UREC, but came to find it created even more for him.

The next day, Jonas expressed his frustrations to his friend Josh about having to wait for machines and not being able to effectively workout. Josh told Jonas about this new UREC app that allows you to see in real-time what equipment is available and taken as well as live parking availability. Jonas decided to download it and give it a try then later that day he and Josh went to the gym together. The two found a parking spot nearly instantly due to the parking feature that shows what parking spots are available in real-time. Jonas was able to fly through his workout by going to machinery that the app said was currently available and open. Jonas and Josh had a fulfilling and efficient workout thanks to their new life saver app.

User Story 2

As a user, I want to see all available group exercise classes, so I can sign up for classes that best fits my schedule.

User Narrative 2

Anika woke up excited to start her day on the right foot with taking a UREC group exercise class. She went to the UREC website to sign up for her favorite group exercise class, a cycling class. As she was going to register, she saw that the morning class for cycling was unavailable. Though disappointed, she knew she wanted to do cycling class at some point in the day so she attempted to sign up for it at another time. There was a list of cycling classes later in the day that were still available, but they all conflicted with Anika’s classes and extracurriculars. Anika was not able to get the cycling class she wanted since she had no reminder when it was first posted to sign up. She also did not attend a different group exercise class that morning since she was only viewing the cycling class link specifically.

Anika expressed to a UREC worker her frustrations. The UREC worker suggested she download the new UREC app that allows her to see all classes available in one place, and also to sign up for registration reminders for the classes she enjoys taking. Anika decided to give the app a try and was pleasantly surprised to find everything she was looking for in the same place rather than playing a guessing game and having to click around every- where like she does on the website. Thanks to the reminder feature, Anika was able to get into the morning cycling class she wanted. Out of curiosity that same morning, she checked the app to see what other classes were available in the mornings. She was pleasantly sur- prised to see a pilates and HIIT class were also available at the same time. Anika was able to get a spot in her cycling class thanks to the reminder feature, and was able to explore more options of exercise classes available in the mornings in the UREC app.

Design Requirements

1. The app must show real-time availability of parking available such as how many spots are open and where those spots are located.

3. The app must have all classes listed and what times they are at all in the same location so they can be easily browsed.

2. The app must show real-time availability of what equipment is currently in use and taken, as well as what is currently available.

4. The app must show the current number of users at UREC by keeping track of the scan in feature at the front door to show real time volume levels.

5. The app must show past trends of how busy the place is at certain days and times to have a proper estimate of what it will be like currently.

Value Proposition

“All things UREC in real-time availability.”

Make the most of your workout routine at UREC by checking in advance the live parking lot availability, equipment availability, and easily register for group classes. Lets get pumped.