Summit: Mobile App Design
A mobile app designed to inspire more people to start Munro Bagging by providing accessible mountain info and community-driven motivation.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Industry
Health & Fitness
Industry
Health & Fitness
Duration
4 months
Stage 1. Brief
Summit was created as part of a 3rd-year university project based on the brief: How might we increase physical activity levels in Scotland by connecting people with one another using mobile technology?
Stage 2. Design Strategy
I always aim to design projects that resonate with me personally. The summer before this project, I began climbing Munros (mountains in Scotland over 3,000ft) and recognized that for this project, I wanted to create an app that would inspire university students to engage in the activity, helping them become more physically active.
Stage 3. Research
To ensure the app would meet the needs of students, I distributed a survey around the University of Dundee to gather insights on what people would want from an app like this. I also conducted secondary research to better understand the physical activity levels of my target user group and identify the most effective motivation methods for them.
Stage 4. Prototype Development
Feature Development: Leading a fast-paced brainstorming session to generate and prioritize ideas for the app, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Wireframing: Creating early iterations of the app screens, focusing on user navigation and defining the app's main objectives.
User Interface Design: Creating a visual identity for the app by designing screens in Figma and exporting them to ProtoPie to build an interactive prototype. I used nature-inspired colors, clean layouts, and tailored iconography and typography to resonate with the app's target demographic while ensuring a functional and intuitive interface.
Stage 1. Brief
Summit was created as part of a 3rd-year university project based on the brief: How might we increase physical activity levels in Scotland by connecting people with one another using mobile technology?
Stage 2. Design Strategy
I always aim to design projects that resonate with me personally. The summer before this project, I began climbing Munros (mountains in Scotland over 3,000ft) and recognized that for this project, I wanted to create an app that would inspire university students to engage in the activity, helping them become more physically active.
Stage 3. Research
To ensure the app would meet the needs of students, I distributed a survey around the University of Dundee to gather insights on what people would want from an app like this. I also conducted secondary research to better understand the physical activity levels of my target user group and identify the most effective motivation methods for them.
Stage 4. Prototype Development
Feature Development: Leading a fast-paced brainstorming session to generate and prioritize ideas for the app, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Wireframing: Creating early iterations of the app screens, focusing on user navigation and defining the app's main objectives.
User Interface Design: Creating a visual identity for the app by designing screens in Figma and exporting them to ProtoPie to build an interactive prototype. I used nature-inspired colors, clean layouts, and tailored iconography and typography to resonate with the app's target demographic while ensuring a functional and intuitive interface.
Stage 5. User Feedback & Refinement
Once the initial prototype was developed, I conducted user testing with my target audience, gathering valuable feedback on both the user interface and experience. This phase was crucial for identifying areas of improvement, leading to iterations that enhanced the overall user experience based on the feedback received.
Stage 6. Finished Prototype & Enterprise Challenge
Upon completing the project, I submitted the idea to the Enterprise Challenge hosted by the Centre of Entrepreneurship in Dundee. The idea was accepted, and I participated in the 8-week challenge, preparing for the final presentation pitch in front of a judging panel. Summit and I won the ‘Most Enterprising Team’ award, prompting consideration of taking the project beyond university and developing it into a real product. Through this experience, I gained a wide range of valuable skills, including pitching, a business mindset, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Outcome
The Summit app received incredibly positive feedback from lecturers and the wider community, with real potential to become a fully developed product. I loved working on this project as it strengthened my UI skills and let me engage directly with user feedback, focusing on real needs and desires . It was also personally rewarding, from using real images of me and my friends climbing Munros, which made the design process even more meaningful.
Outcome
The Summit app received incredibly positive feedback from lecturers and the wider community, with real potential to become a fully developed product. I loved working on this project as it strengthened my UI skills and let me engage directly with user feedback, focusing on real needs and desires . It was also personally rewarding, from using real images of me and my friends climbing Munros, which made the design process even more meaningful.
Outcome
The Summit app received incredibly positive feedback from lecturers and the wider community, with real potential to become a fully developed product. I loved working on this project as it strengthened my UI skills and let me engage directly with user feedback, focusing on real needs and desires . It was also personally rewarding, from using real images of me and my friends climbing Munros, which made the design process even more meaningful.
Stage 5. User Feedback & Refinement
Once the initial prototype was developed, I conducted user testing with my target audience, gathering valuable feedback on both the user interface and experience. This phase was crucial for identifying areas of improvement, leading to iterations that enhanced the overall user experience based on the feedback received.
Stage 6. Finished Prototype & Enterprise Challenge
Upon completing the project, I submitted the idea to the Enterprise Challenge hosted by the Centre of Entrepreneurship in Dundee. The idea was accepted, and I participated in the 8-week challenge, preparing for the final presentation pitch in front of a judging panel. Summit and I won the ‘Most Enterprising Team’ award, prompting consideration of taking the project beyond university and developing it into a real product. Through this experience, I gained a wide range of valuable skills, including pitching, a business mindset, and entrepreneurial thinking.
