WeighUp
A weight gain solution for underweight people
Project Overview
Problem Definition
People are underweight due to medical or non-medical reasons as each individual has different conditions and needs. Current digital platforms offer solutions that are generic and are suitable for those who do not have any medical issues.
Solution
WeighUp is a dedicated weight gain platform that evaluates a user’s individual needs and provides a personalized solution by connecting users with an expert and helping them to follow the weight gain plan.
My Role
Project Owner & UX Designer
Time Duration
4 months: Jan 2022 - Apr 2022
Research
User Survey
I conducted an initial survey with the potential users to assess the need and validate the idea of my project. I chose the respondents who represented my target audience and ensured inclusion of diverse set of individuals to avoid bias in responses. Respondents included people who are underweight, have lost weight, and people who were underweight but were successful in gaining weight.
Comparative Analysis Research
I conducted an analysis of competitor websites and apps to identify the gaps between users' needs and their products. I researched the top competitors that provided weight gain solution based on meal and exercise plans. I analyzed each of these resources to identify their strengths that can be adopted in the implementation of my own project. This analysis also helped me to identify the areas of improvement that my project can fulfill.
Research Findings
Surevey results and comparative analysis research indicated that:
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Nearly half of the respondents felt that the problem is worth is solving.
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A few respondents were unsatisfied with the current products as they didn't address their medical condition.
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Having weight gain solution on the same platform as weight loss platform could be triggering for some users.
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The user experience is lacking in terms of conversation with the user on the platform and is mostly directed towards weight loss users.
Synthesis
Persona
Based on the research, I developed two distinct personas.
Eric is a first-year student who is pursuing his masters in Architecture. He loves going around the city and studying architecture. He also loves playing basketball and wants to join a league after graduation. He has tried gaining weight by watching YouTube videos, reading blogs and using haelath and fitness apps. He hasn't succeeded so far because these resources doesn't provide him plan based on his medical condition. He has kidney disease and hence he needs to be careful of his daily protein intake as well.
Persona named Eric who is underweight and has kidney disease
Lisa is a cancer survivor. After her medical treatment, she lost a significant amount of weight. Her doctors had advised her to eat more to recover from the treatment. However, she wasn't able to gain weight. She needs a meal plan that can adapt to her condition and help her develop appetite and gain back lost weight.
Persona named Lisa who lost significant weight after Chemotherapy
Site Map
After creating personas, I developed sitemap such that related information was grouped together and helps in designing intuitive userflow.
Site map for WeighUp platform
User Flow
Based on the site map, I designed a user flow that optimizes user experience by reducing redundancy and anticipating users' needs. The following picture depicts Eric's journey when he tries to get a weight gain plan through this platform.
User journey path for persona Eric
Design
Draft Prototype Test
During the design phase, I created a draft prototype to conduct user testing with actual users. Due to the simplicity of the design, the feedback was focused on the usability of the design rather than visual appeal of the design.
The testing results revealed that users wanted more flexibility in terms of weight goal setting with respect to the target date and weekly target. Moreover, users express concerns with the respect to interpretation of information related to macro-nutrients (protein, fat and carbs).
Wireframes
After getting user feedback and after multiple iterations, I designed high-fidelity wireframes.
High-fidelity wireframes for WeighUp
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