Fitness Website & App Integration

Delivering a Unified User Experience in a Tight Timeline.

This project is a responsive website supporting a fitness app intended to help users embark on their fitness journey, leveraging decades of training expertise from a professional athlete. The website served as a central hub for user information, promotional content, support resources, app download routing, and a web-based version of the fitness app.

The site required significant rework during development to ensure compatibility with the app’s evolving features. Following the app’s relaunch as a version 3 product, the site transitioned to focus solely on hosting users and facilitating app downloads in Android and iOS environments, retiring the web-based app version.

Duration
  • 6 months - initial site and app build
  • Ongoing support and maintenance of both site and app as well as user support.
Role
  • Lead Developer
  • App Development
  • UX/UI Design on App
  • UX/UI Alterations for Site
Scope
  • Website Build - 4 page site + 2 hidden landing pages for marketing.
  • App Marketing
  • App Development & Build
Tech & Tools
  • WordPress site with custom PHP and API integrations.
  • Figma Wireframes
  • LearnDash LMS
  • AppPresser

Initial Challenges & Solutions

Tight Timeline

This was a fresh build - both website and app and we were given a six-month window to make it all happen and test both the website and the app to have it available for launch.

Solution - Sight Picture

Keeping all aspects of the project in sight and working the problem daily. And coffee.

Evolving Requirements

The client had several feature requests that we needed to accommodate after the initial exploratory meeting. We had to change up the site to match what app features were being represented as we needed a unified view on both.

Solution - Iterative Workflow

In order to stay at the front of the changing requirements we adopted an iterative workflow with constant revisions of the websites structure to match the app.

Leadership Expectations

We had several deadlines shift on us as the leadership and client wanted an MVP as soon as possible, all of which created extra pressure on the development process.

Solution - Direct Communication

This was one of those projects that we were fortunate enough to have a direct line to leadership, client, and stakeholders so we could manage expectations around timelines real time.

Working the Problem

Inital Website & App Wireframing

  • Adapted the design team's outline to create a functional wireframe for the website and the app.
  • Identified gaps in user flow between the two platforms.

Collaboration & Testing

  • Engaged with app testers and client to refine the navigation, user flow, and ensure that a user was getting the best possible workout experience.

Iterative Design Updates

  • Reworked the website pages, refined calls to action and crafted visuals that were within the bounds of the clients workout first mindset.
  • Conducted ongoing revisions to improve the in-app workout experience, adding step-by-step guides and progress tracking.

Transition to Native App

  • Strategically adjusted the website to support Android and iOS downloads, removed and refined app features.
  • Maintained user engagement by highlighting new app features and building excitement through social media during transition.

New Challenges

Sometimes no matter how carefully we plan, new issues arrive mid-project. It becomes necessary to pivot cleanly and pursue the new objectives, integrating them into our workflow.

Align Website & App Functionality

The app wasn't static so the website couldn't be either. To avoid inconsistencies with the overall product experience we streamlined the site and simplified calls to action in both to grant a unified experience.

Enhancing In-App Workouts for
Clarity & Usability

As we added additional trainers we noticed that there was a distinct style difference between them which resulted in a lot of user questions about how the various workouts were presented in the app.

Solution - Modified App by User Feedback

We gathered the user feedback and consulted with the client about the issues. Then we redesigned the workout flows with step-by-step instructions, visual progress indicators, and unified the language used across all the trainers. Finally, we used user analytics to monitor what the completion rate was for the workouts to monitor the "best" setup.

Supporting Multiple App Versions

After 18 months of the app successfully operating and showing growth in subscribers each month the decision was made to transition to pure native-only apps. We had to be cautious to not alienate users that were used to the dual in-browser and native web app experience.

Solution - Migration Curation

We instituted FAQ's on the website and sent out email blasts to inform users of what changes would be coming to their app. We also set a timeframe which gave us a firm window on launch date.

Outcome in numbers

1000 users

Strong user adoption within 90 days of launch

84% retention

Exceptional retention with only 16% churn rate

4 star

Positive user feedback between App Store & Google Play

+3

Client success: Added 3 trainers to network

Personal Growth

I’m proud of how this evolved from concept to launch, balancing user needs and business goals within a challenging timeline. It was a rapid expansion of skills for me - this was my first app and most importantly it "wowed" the client with the end product.

Adaptation to Shifting Needs

While I was able to keep up with the myriad of changes to both the site and app, this project certainly helped me develop some of the personal processes that I use today to stay ahead of client demands under a strict time frame.

Expanding Technical Expertise

Developing the web app while learning app-building fundamentals on the fly challenged me to accelerate my learning rate beyond my normal comfort level. I normally have a methodical process and this taught me it was okay to iterate faster with some errors that I was aware of rather than focusing on perfect output every time.

Managing Leadership Expectations

I had a lot of principals that I reported to on this project and it had a lot of scrutiny during the work phase. By increasing my communication output about the process, I was able to anticipate questions allowing me to personally manage the shifting deadlines, goals, while averting potential conflicts.

Building Cross-Platform Cohesion

Because this project needed a unified voice across all the platforms, it helped to refine how I build coherent and consistent user experiences.

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