A) General Description:
Nerdy Coach is an algorithm-powered fitness app specialized in skill progressions. Designed in a gamified way with the MENA user in head. The app is used for a home workout, helping users learn a new skill while in the process of losing weight, gaining muscle, or increasing endurance.
B) What it does:
Nerdy Coach builds unique weekly workouts, adapted to the user body, progress and performance. Furthermore, to keep the user motivated the app will create a path to learn a new skill packaged in a gamified way.
How it works/Design:
1. Initiation and structure:
When initiated, the app will assess the user’s performance level by asking him to complete certain exercises. Based on the data gathered a series of objectives will be offered to the user, these objectives are in the form of skills (e.g. First pull up).
The user will be required to pick three different objectives (labeled by the app), one related to the upper body (e.g. muscle up), and another for the lower body (e.g. pistol squat), and finally one for the core (e.g. Toes to bar). Based on these objectives a decision tree-like visual will be created for the user, the latter will be the progression path toward the unlockable skills. This path will be divided into small objectives.
2. Algorithm:
The algorithm will be in charge of helping the user go from one small objective to the other, ultimately unlocking the Major skill picked at the initiation phase.
This algorithm will assess the user progress every week and based on this assessment the next week’s workout will be created. The workout created is unique to the user with a purpose to optimize the workout and minimize the risk of injury.
The algorithm can also take into account missing workout days, shift in schedule, and a need for a shorter session.
3. Gamification (giving the app some emotions):
• Storyline:
The user will be in charge of growing a personalized avatar. How?
At the initiation phase, A Big Egg that shakes and moves will be offered to the user, the egg will crack after 1 month of workout, creating a sense of curiosity.
Different avatars will be offered to the users depending on their workout habits. For example, a person who works out at night might receive a cute little owl, another a kangaroo if he has exceptionally strong legs. Receiving an avatar that has similar attributes to the user will push him to take care of it.
How?
The more the user moves on the path toward his objective the stronger the avatar becomes; growing muscle and gaining animated skills. Moreover, why not win special skin and clothe when we achieve a certain goal as a reward
• Social support:
To keep motivation high, the app will connect friends so that they can support each other by following each other progress, compete, and achieve team goals.
• Unlocking a skill:
When the user unlocks an ultimate skill -the final node of the progression path (e.g. muscle up)- he/she will have the possibility to attach to the node a video of himself doing it. A notification to his friend will be sent, pushing them to go check their friends’ achievements and write an encouraging message.
• Gamification tools:
A scoreboard will be set to rank friends, Badges will be created to create side quests, Special events will be created…
• Tracking :
Summering up all the user effort a UX/UI friendly dashboard on the homepage will show his progress, encouraging the user to keep the effort.