Sportsgo

Sportsgo is a sports community platform designed to empower adult sports beginners with the resources and companionship needed to start their sports journey. Through this platform, users can confidently and securely connect with like-minded sports companions, share sports experiences, schedule sports activities, and manage venue bookings.

Project Overview

Problem Space

What’s the problem?

Playing sports could be beneficial to the health and well-being of individuals. However, due to the absence of credible communication platforms tailored to sports beginners, as well as the lack of centralized access to timely sports-related information, such as the availability of venues, users face challenges starting their sports journey and feel insecure about finding sports companions online.

Offering a centralized sports community platform could assist sports beginners in alleviating their uncertainties and embarking on their sports journey with confidence, ultimately enhancing their health and well-being.

How might we ensure that sports beginners feel confident and secure when seeking compatible sports companions for sports activities?

How to measure success and impact?

Impact

Within one year after the initial launch, the Sportsgo app will have successfully onboarded and actively engaged at least 10,000 sports beginners aged 18 or above in Toronto, with an average app store rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, and generated 1 million dollars in revenue.

Below are some of the key performance indicators (KPI) and metrics that will measure the impact of the product:

User acquisition & engagement: ensure a minimum of 1,000 total unique visitors per month
Revenue generation: achieve at least $250,000 in revenue per quarter
User satisfaction: maintain an average app store rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars per month.

Research & Ideation

Why is the problem worth solving?

To validate the product idea, a survey was conducted with feedback from 15 potential users. Respondents were selected based on three main criteria: i) interest in playing sports, ii) limited experience in sports, and iii) a desire to find peers to play sports with.

User needs

Many respondents expressed concerns about the credibility of available tools such as Meetup and Facebook groups for finding sports companions. The lack of demographic information about potential companions, including age, gender, and experience levels, made respondents feel insecure and hesitant to reach out.

Market gap

A market gap has been identified from the survey results. The majority (64.3%) of respondents were uncertain about the existence of similar products, suggesting a significant market opportunity for the Sportsgo app. Existing social platforms like Meetup are not sports-focused. Sports clubs typically focus on a single sport and are exclusive to members, which is not beginner-friendly for those who are new to sports and hesitant to commit heavily to a club.

Thus, the Sportsgo app should provide a secure and confident experience for beginners in sports to connect with potential companions.

Who are the competitors and what is the unique value proposition?

The Sportsgo app sets itself apart from existing platforms like Meetup, SportBuddy.io, and PlayCity by specifically targeting sports beginners aged 18 or above. While these platforms offer an opportunity for connecting individuals through various activities, the Sportsgo app aims to address the unique challenges faced by sports beginners in finding sports companions.

Unlike Meetup, which caters to a broad audience and offers diverse activities, SportBuddy.io, which focuses on connecting sports enthusiasts, and PlayCity, which covers recreational or play activities beyond just sports, the Sportsgo app emphasizes providing companionship opportunities and venue information tailored to the needs of sports beginners.

Who are the users?

The primary persona for the Sportsgo app is 1) a recreational sports beginner named David, as illustrated in Fig.1 below. Other personas include 2) a health-conscious sports beginner aiming to enhance health through sports, 3) an enthusiastic sports beginner eager to learn new sports and practice skills, and 4) an experienced sports player looking to share sports experience and coach others.

Fig. 1 - persona of a recreational sports beginner

Fig. 1 - persona of a recreational sports beginner

Gain insights from user reviews

To gain a deeper understanding of user journeys and needs, I designed two draft prototypes. These prototypes were reviewed by a total of 11 potential users of the Sportsgo app.

Fig. 2 - the first version of draft prototype

Fig. 2 - the first version of draft prototype

The key findings from these reviews were categorized into three primary aspects: 1) companion matching criteria, 2) safety features, and 3) venue features. These invaluable insights profoundly influenced and informed the design of the Sportsgo app, strategically focusing on enhancing the user experience.

Companion Matching Criteria

Users strongly desire enhanced visibility of information when selecting a sports companion, prioritizing age, gender, location, and skill levels. They prefer companions with similar skills to avoid embarrassment and sometimes choose same-gender companions for safety. Matching with peers of similar age is also important for building both sports partnerships and friendships.

Moreover, users seek detailed user profiles containing personality traits, interests, photos, availability, and proximity to potential companions. Including information such as personality traits and interests helps users feel more connected personally, assisting them in making informed decisions, especially if they are introverted.

Safety Features

Concerns regarding the trustworthiness of potential companions were raised, especially among female users, who expressed worries about receiving spam messages from unfamiliar individuals. Additionally, users preferred to initiate conversations with potential companions before inviting them for sports activities or meeting in person.

Venue Features

Regarding sports venues, users expressed a preference for venues in close proximity to their location. They sought information about the convenience of the venue for both themselves and their potential companions.

Map out the user journey

Fig. 3 below provides an overview of users' journey with the Sportsgo app. In Fig. 4, I delve into the detailed user journey of David, a recreational sports beginner, as he interacts with the Sportsgo app. This map illustrates ten phases of David's journey, from his awareness of the app to successfully inviting a compatible companion for sports activities, followed by providing post-activity feedback.

Fig.3 - overview of user journey

Fig.4 - user journey map of David (the primary persona)

Fig.4 - user journey map of David (the primary persona)
Click here to view this journey map

Solution

High-fidelity Wireframes

After creating the user journey, site map, and low-fidelity wireframes for each screen to ensure the user flow is well-structured, I developed the high-fidelity wireframes for the Sportsgo app. Below, I would like to highlight some key areas to show how the app resonates with users' needs based on the research, offering a secure and confident experience for sports beginners.

Fig.5 - mockup of key screens of Sportsgo app

Fig.5 - mockup of key screens of Sportsgo app

In the sign-up process, as shown in Fig.6 below, users are required to provide their phone number and a security code to verify their identity, ensuring a secure experience for all users.

Fig.6 - register screens

When setting up their profile, users are asked to agree to the community guidelines of the Sportsgo app, ensuring an inclusive platform. Besides, users can learn how the app defines skill levels, enabling them to choose the most suitable skill level to describe themselves for companion matching.

To provide a beginner-friendly and personalized experience, users can include information including age range, gender, location, sports level, goals, general availability, current status, interests, personality, and zodiac sign. This information is based on user feedback from the above research and helps facilitate companion-matching decisions among users of the Sportsgo app.

Fig.7 - screens of setting up the profile

After completing the onboarding process, users will land on the home screen of the app. The app comprises five main sections: Home, Sports, Community, Venue, and Account below.

Fig.8 - five main sections of the Sportsgo app

Fig.8 - five main sections of the Sportsgo app

In the Community section, users can explore comprehensive profiles of potential buddies with various filter options as shown below to select a compatible sports companion.

Fig.9 - find buddies in the community section

Fig.9 - find buddies in the community section

After reviewing a profile, users can request to chat with a potential companion along with a note. They are not allowed to send additional messages until the potential companion accepts their request. This provides a secure experience for all app users, especially female users, by preventing frequent spam messages and giving users the autonomy to engage in conversation before inviting the companion for activities and meeting in person.

Fig.10 - request to chat with a potential companion

Fig.10 - request to chat with a potential companion

After the request is accepted by the potential companion, users can start messaging with the buddy and schedule activities in the app. They can also invite other buddies to join the sports activity. Additionally, users can explore sports venues using the map feature to check proximity, make bookings, and complete payments via the app for the activity. This provides an all-in-one experience for users to initiate a sports activity.

Fig.11 - schedule activities

Fig.12 - venue exploration and booking

Interactive Prototype

Style Guide

Fig.13 - style guide of Sportsgo app

Outcome

What do users achieve?

Through the aforementioned design elements such as identity verification, companion matching, request-to-chat, and private messaging features, users can confidently and securely connect with compatible companions for shared sports experiences, ultimately enhancing their health and well-being.

Reflection

What did I learn?

Designing the Sportsgo app taught me the significance of conducting research with users of diverse personalities, especially for a community application like this. Understanding the introverted tendencies and safety concerns, particularly among female users, is crucial for ensuring a secure and confident experience on Sportsgo. I was encouraged by the positive response to the app's concept, which aims to create a sports community for beginners and promote health and well-being, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations.

What would I do next?

If I continue to work on this project, I will track the task success rate of users in chat requests and scheduling, alongside gathering qualitative user feedback on the app's usability and its effectiveness in helping users find compatible companions and engage more in sports activities. Additionally, I intend to integrate an artificial intelligence (AI) suggestion feature to enhance companion matching, improving the efficiency and accuracy of finding suitable sports buddies.

An iOS app for sports beginners to connect with sports companions.