Yoga Tetris

A fitness game design dedicated to encouraging people to exercise at home

The Product

Yoga Tetris is a cross-platform fitness game that combines the addictive gameplay of Tetris with the practice of yoga, providing a unique and engaging way to exercise at home. With a wide range of yoga poses presented in a Tetris-style format, users can challenge their physical and mental agility, while also improving their flexibility, strength, and balance.

The app features social elements that allow users to share their progress, connect with friends, and participate in community challenges, creating a supportive and motivational environment that encourages users to stay engaged and committed to their fitness goals. Users can also learn and submit their own yoga poses, contributing to the Tetris game and becoming a part of the growing Yoga Tetris community.

Problem

Many people struggle to maintain a consistent exercise routine, especially while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are many fitness apps available, few provide a fun, social, and engaging way to practice yoga.

My Role

UX Research

UX Design

Wireframing

Goal

To inspire and motivate people to exercise at home by providing a fun, social, and engaging platform that combines the physical and mental benefits of yoga with the addictive gameplay of Tetris.

UI Design

Prototyping

User Research Summary

User research was conducted using interview questions developed from Frontiers Media's data on home-based exercises. The goal of the research was to better understand the motivations and challenges of users who exercise at home, and to identify opportunities for a fitness app that could address these needs.

The user interviews revealed that many participants struggled with maintaining a consistent exercise routine and lacked the motivation to exercise at home. They also expressed a desire for an app that would provide guidance and support in their fitness journey, while also making exercise more fun and engaging.

Participants were receptive to the concept of a fitness app that combined the physical and mental benefits of yoga with the addictive gameplay of Tetris. They felt that such an app would provide a unique and effective way to stay fit and healthy at home, while also fostering a sense of community and support that could help them stay motivated and committed to their fitness goals.

Challenges

Implementing gamification for user engagement and motivation

Supportive community for connection, progress sharing, and motivation

Accurate pose recognition system for feedback on form and technique

Incentives and rewards for achieving fitness goals

Personalized workout plans for fitness goals and variety

Secure and transparent handling of personal data and privacy

Brainstorming

To generate feature ideas for the application, a brainstorming session was held where a wide range of features were discussed, such as personalized workout plans, pose recognition technology, gamification elements, and social media integration. Potential solutions that could be implemented without technical difficulty were identified to ensure that the final product was not only engaging but also feasible to develop. This approach allowed us to explore feature ideas that could realistically be incorporated within our project timeline and resources.

Digital Wireframes

I developed digital wireframes that enable users to navigate through the game without having to upload their yoga poses. This approach allows us to conduct thorough testing and evaluation of the game's functionality, user experience, and design before incorporating the feature that allows users to submit their own yoga poses.

Usability Study: Parameters

Study Type:

Unmoderated
usability study

Location:

Boston, remote

Participants:

7 Participants:

Length:

20 - 30 min

Usability Study: Findings

The usability study consisted of three rounds of testing. The initial study findings provided valuable insights that helped guide the design process, from wireframes to mockups. The second round of testing, which utilized a high-fidelity prototype, identified areas in the mockups that required refinement. The final round of testing, conducted with a reiteration of the high-fidelity prototype, enabled us to pinpoint aspects of the user experience that required improvement.

Round 1 findings:

Users encountered difficulties comprehending the mechanics of the game

Round 2 findings:

users expressed a preference for connecting with friends and playing the game together

Users indicated a preference for testing the game before uploading their own images.

They were found to be less motivated to create customized yoga Tetris

Round 3 findings:

Rewards were identified as a meaningful way to recognize players' achievements in the game and were found to be effective in increasing usage

Users expressed interest in competition through leaderboards, which could help to engage them further

Users expressed a desire for yoga tutorials prior to playing the game

users showed a desire to share their progress with friends, indicating a desire for social validation and support

Users strongly appreciated the social networking attribute, which allowed them to connect with others and share their progress