Hello, I’m Rafael, a UX/UI Designer based in Sydney-Australia, America and more.
My passion for problem-solving led to the Design program at UX Academy. The course helped to solidify my knowledge, blending human-centred understanding with my background in creative photography. I have achieved a greater understanding of how good design improves lives. Drawing on my customer service experience, I advocate for people by finding design solutions to human problems.
Overview
The concept of NutriFit dawned on me during a case study at Designlab, where I found myself seeking a comprehensive wellness solution. My vision was to merge fitness and nutrition seamlessly, offering people an app that guides and educates them on maintaining lifelong health. While NutriFit initially targeted athletes and professionals, its benefits are accessible to all, encouraging a shift in mindset towards holistic well-being.
Overview
The concept of NutriFit dawned on me during a case study at Designlab, where I found myself seeking a comprehensive wellness solution. My vision was to merge fitness and nutrition seamlessly, offering people an app that guides and educates them on maintaining lifelong health. While NutriFit initially targeted athletes and professionals, its benefits are accessible to all, encouraging a shift in mindset towards holistic well-being.
society

Nutrifit App
Nutrifit App version
Developing a comprehensive end-to-end iOS app for a well-being platform focused on nutrition and exercise to empower users in cultivating a balanced and healthier lifestyle.
Empower users to immerse themselves in Nutrition and Fitness content, offering personalized guidance with the best combination of Nutrition & Fitness, exploring opportunities to rebuild your life for a better quality of life and a supportive social fitness community to share your journey.

The problem is right now

Health Crisis: There is a global health crisis with rising rates of chronic diseases, obesity, and mental health issues.
Lack of physical activity is a prevalent issue worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 25% of adults globally are not active enough. In addition, sedentary behaviour contributes to a higher risk of various health conditions.
Research Findings
There is a pressing global health crisis characterised by increasing rates of chronic diseases, obesity, and mental health issues. Lack of physical activity is a significant contributor to this crisis. Modern lifestyles often lead to sedentary habits and reliance on unhealthy food options due to convenience.
Users seek ways to improve their lifestyle and longevity. They are interested in adopting new habits and managing their time more effectively to prioritise health and well-being.
Users face several challenges, including the desire to eat healthier and prepare meals, time management issues, difficulty establishing a workout plan, and setting and achieving goals for a balanced lifestyle.
Many users find it challenging to enjoy and stick to a new routine, whether it's related to fitness, nutrition, or both. They may lack motivation, consistency, and knowledge and may feel overwhelmed by the complexities of integrating healthy habits into their daily lives.
There is an opportunity to address these challenges by exploring creative approaches to inspire and support users in adhering to a consistent fitness routine. This includes developing features within the app that provide personalised motivation, progress monitoring, and resources to empower users in their fitness journey.
The target audience encompasses individuals of all ages and genders seeking solutions to improve their lifestyles and overall well-being.
By understanding these insights, the app can be tailored to effectively address users' needs, alleviate pain points, and provide meaningful support and guidance to help them achieve their health and fitness goals.
We can fix it
Explore innovative ways to inspire and motivate individuals struggling with a consistent fitness routine.
Develop features within the App that provide personalised encouragement and progress tracking to motivate users on their fitness journey.
Our Users
Individuals who prioritise their health and actively seek ways to improve their lifestyle through better nutrition and regular exercise.
Beginners: People who are new to the concept of nutrition and fitness or those who have struggled to maintain consistent routines in the past and are looking for guidance and support.
Busy Professionals: Individuals with hectic schedules who may struggle with time management but are committed to incorporating healthy habits into their daily lives.
Fitness Enthusiasts: Those who are already engaged in regular exercise and healthy eating but are seeking additional tools and resources to enhance their fitness journey and achieve specific goals.
Individuals with Specific Goals or Health Concerns: This includes people with specific fitness goals such as weight loss, muscle gain, or improving overall health, as well as those with health conditions or dietary restrictions seeking tailored advice and support.
By understanding the diverse needs and preferences of these target audiences, the NutriFit app can be designed to cater to a wide range of users and provide personalised guidance and resources to support them in achieving their health and fitness goals.
Our Users
Individuals who prioritise their health and actively seek ways to improve their lifestyle through better nutrition and regular exercise.
Beginners: People who are new to the concept of nutrition and fitness or those who have struggled to maintain consistent routines in the past and are looking for guidance and support.
Busy Professionals: Individuals with hectic schedules who may struggle with time management but are committed to incorporating healthy habits into their daily lives.
Fitness Enthusiasts: Those who are already engaged in regular exercise and healthy eating but are seeking additional tools and resources to enhance their fitness journey and achieve specific goals.
Individuals with Specific Goals or Health Concerns: This includes people with specific fitness goals such as weight loss, muscle gain, or improving overall health, as well as those with health conditions or dietary restrictions seeking tailored advice and support.
By understanding the diverse needs and preferences of these target audiences, the NutriFit app can be designed to cater to a wide range of users and provide personalised guidance and resources to support them in achieving their health and fitness goals.
Pain Points
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Difficulty in maintaining a consistent fitness routine.
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Challenges in adhering to healthy eating habits and preparing meals.
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Time management issues hinder workout sessions and meal planning.
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Lack of a structured workout plan or guidance on achieving fitness goals.
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Struggles in establishing and sustaining new healthy habits.
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Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of integrating fitness and nutrition into daily life.

Challenge
Adapting to a new routine can be daunting and overwhelming for many users. They may struggle with finding the motivation to start, maintaining consistency, and navigating the complexities of incorporating fitness and nutrition into their daily lives. Additionally, they may face barriers such as lack of time, knowledge, and support, making it difficult to sustain their efforts and achieve their goals.
Emphatise
Why
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Using various research methods to understand and empathise with the user's needs, frustrations, and goals
How
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Research Ramp-Up: Secondary Research & Competitive Analyses, Provisional Personas
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4 Interviews (1 hr per interview)

After understanding competitors in the industry, it was time to dig into users' habits and empathise with them through 1-on-1 interviews, each one lasting up to 1 hour.

Second Research Finding
A common thread emerged during user interviews—while each individual had unique goals, they all shared a need to be selective with their daily routines. Users emphasised the value of their time and the importance of cultivating a positive mindset to support their wellness journey. Before diving into workouts and adopting a healthy diet, users identified the need for a mindset shift.
Mindset Transformation: Interviewees stressed the significance of mindset in achieving their wellness goals. They highlighted the importance of adopting a positive attitude and overcoming mental barriers to stay motivated and focused on their health journey.
Effective Time Management: Users expressed challenges in managing their time effectively amidst busy schedules and competing priorities. They emphasised the need for strategies and tools to help them prioritise workouts and meal preparation within their daily routines.
Structured Workout Regimen: Many interviewees wanted guidance in structuring their workout routines. They sought personalised plans tailored to their fitness level and goals and support in staying consistent and motivated with their exercise regimen.
Nutrition and Diet: Users recognised the significance of a balanced diet in achieving their health objectives. However, they acknowledged the need for practical strategies and resources to make healthy eating more accessible and sustainable in their daily lives.
Seeking Balance: Interviewees emphasised the importance of achieving a balance between fitness, nutrition, and other aspects of life. They desired holistic solutions that address their well-being and support a balanced lifestyle.
2nd Research Finding
Solve Problems
Satisfaction in Fitness and Diet
Users' satisfaction with their relationship to fitness and diet through the App.
Mindset Improvement for Effective Goal Pursuit
Integrate educational content and positive affirmations to support users in maintaining a constructive and empowering perspective as they work towards their goals.
Time Management for Well-being Prioritisation
Brainstorm ways to assist individuals in managing their daily routines through the App. Consider time-management tools and reminders within the app to help users allocate time for their well-being, making it easier to prioritise fitness and nutrition.
Community and Expert Collaboration
Enhance the App's collaboration with certified nutritionists and fitness experts. Consider community features facilitating interaction and support among App users, fostering motivation and accountability through shared experiences and advice.
Pain Points
We identified several pain points, such as insufficient education on diet and training, frustration with the app experience, and challenges with time management. As a result, users became discouraged and abandoned certain aspects of the app.
The users need easy access to education.
The users need to organise their time. They need an App more than friendly, something personal.


01-Persona:
She’s a CrossFit lover, aiming to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Goal:
She’s preparing to do a triathlon.
Motivation:
It improves strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
Pain Point:
Find a window time to exercise due to a busy mommy schedule. (first baby)
Personas


02-Persona:
He’s starting a bodybuilder journey.
Goal:
He wants to improve his level of fitness.
Motivation:
New diet options and recipes.
Gaining access to expert guidance exercise techniques.
Pain Points:
Lack of routine with food and exercise.


03-Persona:
She’s starting your healthier routine with food and exercise.
Goal:
Improve and keep a healthier lifestyle.
Motivation:
Reduce stress levels and gain strength.
Pain Points:
Lack of guidance and knowledge on suitable exercise.
Busy work schedule.
Card Sorting
Having had the opportunity to conduct card sorting personally, I gained valuable insights into understanding users' needs and preferences for the NutriFit app. Through this method, I engaged directly with users to organize and categorize content related to nutrition and fitness, allowing me to observe firsthand how individuals conceptualize and prioritize information. This hands-on experience deepened my understanding of users' mental models and decision-making processes, informing the development of the app's navigation structure and information architecture.

Card sorting video
01-Persona:
She’s a CrossFit lover, aiming to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Goal:
She’s preparing to do a triathlon.
Motivation:
It improves strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
Pain Point:
Find a window time to exercise due to a busy mommy schedule. (first baby)


03-Persona:
-
She’s starting your healthier routine with food and exercise.
Goal:
-
Improve and keep a healthier lifestyle.
Motivation:
-
Reduce stress levels and gain strength.
Pain Points:
-
Lack of guidance and knowledge on suitable exercise.
-
Busy work schedule.


Feature Roadmap






Card Sorting
Ensuring user-centric design and prioritizing features:
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User Segmentation
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Feature Prioritization (Must-haves, Nice-to-haves, Surprising & Delightful, Later)
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Time Management
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MVP Delivery
Ideation Bringing NutriFit to Life
Why:
With my personas and essential features defined, it was time to ideate and visualize how NutriFit could come to life from a logical standpoint.
How:
1. Sitemap
2. Task Flow
3. Wireframe Sketches
1. Sitemap:
I created a sitemap for NutriFit. Starting with the navigation menu and working my way down, I ensured that all essential nutrition and fitness tracking features were included. This included meal planning, workout tracking, progress monitoring, and community engagement sections


2. Task Flow:
Next, I mapped out the user task flow, identifying key actions like logging meals, recording workouts, setting goals, and connecting with others. I carefully sequenced these steps to ensure users can effectively achieve their fitness and nutrition goals.


3. Wireframe Sketches:
With the sitemap and task flow guiding me, I created wireframe sketches to design each screen of the Nutrifit app. These sketches allowed me to explore various design solutions for features like meal logging, exercise tracking, progress charts, and social sharing. I iterated on the wireframes based on stakeholder feedback to ensure an intuitive user experience.
Following this structured ideation process ensured that NutriFit would provide users with a seamless and empowering experience to support their journey towards better health and fitness.


Using Figma, I transferred my sketches into low-fidelity wireframes. At this stage, I used a grid layout, thinking about typography, choosing an icon set, and overall UI design.
User Interface Design
Given the visual nature of browsing recipes and tracking workouts, I prioritized the UI design of our nutrition and fitness app before moving on to prototyping and user testing. During this phase, I crafted the app's visual identity, ensuring it resonated with users and reflected its core values and functionalities.

Utilizing my UI Kit, I integrated colour schemes, branding elements, and relevant imagery into my mid-fidelity nutrition and fitness app prototype. This step enriched the mobile interface and imbued the app with personality and coherence, enhancing the overall user experience.
UI Interface
Using Figma, I transferred my sketches into low-fidelity wireframes. At this stage, I used a grid layout, thinking about typography, choosing an icon set, and overall UI design.
High-Fidelity
The transition from mid-fidelity to high-fidelity involved refining design details and testing usability. Users successfully navigated tasks but encountered font size inconsistencies and button issues. Adjustments were made to improve readability, button size, and overall aesthetics. The focus shifted to enhancing user experience with streamlined navigation and refined visual elements.

High-Fidelity
The transition from mid-fidelity to high-fidelity involved refining design details and testing usability. Users successfully navigated tasks but encountered font size inconsistencies and button issues. Adjustments were made to improve readability, button size, and overall aesthetics. The focus shifted to enhancing user experience with streamlined navigation and refined visual elements.


Synthesis Debrief
After conducting interviews with four individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, I gathered valuable insights into their workouts, nutrition, and how these aspects improve their lives. I want to share my experience conducting the interviews, highlighting the commonalities and differences among the interviewees regarding their behaviours, needs, and pain points.
Through my observations, I discovered that maintaining a perfect routine in the face of everyday life changes and shifting priorities is undeniably challenging. Staying fit and improving one's diet requires continuous effort and resilience. The interviews provided valuable insights into individuals' problems and behaviours in this regard. Understanding their struggles and motivations has propelled my project to new heights, allowing me to develop a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved and paving the way for innovative solutions. By delving deeper into their experiences, I have gained a profound appreciation for the complexities and nuances surrounding the pursuit of fitness and nutrition goals.
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Different approach to get a routine.
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A challenge to restart the mindset.
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Ambitious to achieve better performance
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Time manage lack
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Healthy food education
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App trustful
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Research options with misinformation
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App education long-term
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Dismistify barriers to well-being
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Test
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Test Conducted: The test focused on navigating, filling out forms, subscribing, and transitioning between screens related to food and exercise. Evaluation criteria included button functionality, scrolling behaviour, and colour and font usage.
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Result: Overall, users were able to complete tasks and navigate the product successfully. However, several weaknesses were identified. Users experienced difficulty reading subtitles and questions due to inconsistent font sizes across screens. To address this, font sizes were adjusted for better readability.
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Button sizes were also adjusted to prevent usability issues, particularly for users with smaller screens who might struggle to interact with large buttons at the edges of their devices.
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Valuable feedback from users prompted changes to the corner radius on the grey background to enhance overall design aesthetics and improve user experience.
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Additionally, the app's layout was optimised to use white space better, providing a cleaner and more visually appealing interface.
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The navigation system for buttons was simplified, making it easier for all users to access features and functions within the app.
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These adjustments aim to address usability issues and enhance the overall user experience, ensuring users can interact with the app more seamlessly and efficiently.
Consideration
Given the condensed timeline of this project, executed within a 3-week sprint, there are several strategic adjustments I would prioritize with additional resources and time:
Broadening the Scope of User Interviews: I would endeavour to engage with a more expansive and diverse demographic, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of user perspectives and needs.
Enhanced Focus on Brand Development: Allocating additional time and attention to refining NutriFit's branding would enable a deeper exploration of visual elements and messaging, resulting in a more cohesive and impactful brand identity.
Scaling Up User Testing Efforts: Expanding the scale and scope of user testing initiatives to include a more extensive and diverse pool of participants would provide richer insights into usability, preferences, and pain points.
Implementing Iterative Testing Protocols: Embracing a methodology of iterative user testing, particularly post-revisions, would facilitate continuous improvement and refinement of the product, ensuring alignment with user expectations and evolving needs.
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01-Persona:
-
She’s a CrossFit lover, aiming to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Goal:
-
She’s preparing to do a triathlon.
Motivation:
-
It is improving strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
Pain Point:
-
Find a window time to exercise due to a busy mommy schedule. (first baby)
02-Persona:
-
He’s starting a bodybuilder journey.
Goal:
-
He wants to improve his level of fitness.
Motivation:
-
New diet options and recipes.
-
Gaining access to expert guidance exercise techniques.
Pain Points:
-
Lack of keeping your routine with food and exercise.
03-Persona:
-
She’s starting your healthier routine with food and exercise.
Goal:
-
Improve and keep a healthier lifestyle.
Motivation:
-
Reduce stress levels and gain strength.
Pain Points:
-
Lack of guidance and knowledge on suitable exercise.
-
Busy work schedule.






Personas
02-Persona:
-
He’s starting a bodybuilder journey.
Goal:
-
He wants to improve his level of fitness.
Motivation:
-
New diet options and recipes.
-
Gaining access to expert guidance exercise techniques.
Pain Points:
-
Lack of keeping your routine with food and exercise.

