Video Tutorials
Our exercise videos required a production process that could take months - not to mention the translation process into 10 languages for each exercise.
In 2020, we decided to re-think How might we improve the experience and allow us to scale faster.
Roles: Product Designer / Project Lead
Tasks: UX Research, Concept, Visual Design & Interaction
Platforms: Android & iOS
THE IMPACT
We sweat but we delivered
Business Impact
80% reduction in costs compared to previous production and implementation back in 2014.
Product Impact
Localization and copy improvements or changes can now be implemented within 2-3 days. In 2014, such changes required about 2 months. This concept allows us to improve on-the-go and iterate when users provide us with feedback, making it scalable.
User Impact
From day one, our users actively appreciated the sense of autonomy we provide them with regards to viewing the exercises at multiple angles and speeds.
Users were also pleased to see the variety of exercises grow, allowing them to spice up their workouts when necessary. Women were happy to see themselves more represented in the videos, especially when carrying out more complex movements.
Much less time to adjust our exercises in accordance with user feedback. We have already updated at least 10 exercises with new, more understandable cues after user feedback, while adding instructions on how to breathe properly or where to feel a stretch during particular exercises. This fosters confidence in the user as they sharpen their technique.
The % of 1st week users saying that they had correct technique has increased since the first release
THE PROCESS
Do not freak out but...
We had to replace 9 tutorial videos by the end of 2020 due to rights infringement, which was costly and challenging. However, this gave us an opportunity to improve our video tutorial experience, as users were also asking for more variety. We gathered input from all pillars of the company and prioritized the most critical issues to create a list of "wished" exercises.
We researched user preferences on colors, lighting, music, and more for our videos, but found varying opinions. While we couldn't implement some ideas due to technical limitations and scalability concerns, involving engineering and the creative team early on helped us create prototypes that closely matched our vision. When COVID-19 hit, we had to think outside the box and simplified our concept, working with a local production house and athletes
Early prototypes
15+
Users shared their challenges when learning an exercise and how they prefer to learn the details
10+
People gave us insight into their preferences for color, sound, and phone position when watching exercise videos
30+
E-mails and comments were provided by users, stating their problems or wishes related to video experience
THE NEW EXPERIENCE
Autonomy and selfpaced
Through several iterations, we landed on a design that prioritizes the user experience with features such as the ability to watch the video in slow motion and view from different perspectives. Although we would have preferred to integrate the instructions more seamlessly, technical and scope constraints necessitated visually separating them from the immersive video. Our goal was to create a simple and intuitive experience that enhances the user's engagement and learning.
The flow
People can learn the movements before and / or during the workout.
THE LEARNINGS
Communication is key
During covid, communication with colleagues in real life was greatly reduced. When moving to digital channels we faced the challenge of keeping people involved informed and having relevant information in the necessary channels. We often made the mistake of opening up too many conversations and not centralizing information. It seemed that everyone had a piece of the information and only a few had the capacity to understand what was going on in the project.
We also learned a lot about backward compatibility. We had to record some of the videos in-house with one of our colleagues on a low budget to avoid critical errors in the application when our users wanted to review their training history. when a user selects a past workout, the picture of each exercise and videos should still be available.
