Booking App Case Study

Booking App is designed to streamline the booking process for yoga and fitness studios, allowing them to efficiently manage class schedules, bookings, and payments all in one place.


  • Many yoga and fitness studios struggle with managing class bookings and accepting payments manually, leading to scheduling conflicts, missed payments, and administrative overhead.

  • To create a simple, user-friendly app that enables yoga and fitness studios to manage class bookings and payments efficiently, ultimately improving the overall user experience for both studio administrators and clients.

  • 4 months

Overview

My role:

I spearheaded this project while wearing many hats, serving as the sole UX manager, designer and researcher.

Responsibilities:

Project Planning, Wireframing, User Research, Prototyping, Usability Testing


User Research Summary

  • Crafted questionnaires that were sent out to 11 users who are either frequent customers or or owners of fitness studios

  • Interpreted research findings to identify user needs, pain points, and opportunities for improvement when it comes to existing apps that serve a similar purpose

  • Developed detailed user personas to guide the design process and ensure the app meets the needs of its target audience.

User Research: Pain Points

Pain Point #1

Using a manual process for booking students is time-consuming and prone to errors, such as double bookings and missed reservations.

Paint Point #2

No centralized place to view their booking history, manage their class subscriptions, or update their personal information. This lack of functionality led to frustration and inefficiency.

Pain Point #3

Existing systems often have clunky interfaces that are difficult to navigate, leading to a frustrating experience for both administrators and clients.

User Persona: Brie

Problem statement:

Brie is a busy yet passionate yoga studio owner, balancing her commitment to teaching yoga with the responsibilities of running a successful business. She values efficiency and professionalism in managing her studio's operations and seeks technology solutions that can help streamline administrative tasks while enhancing the overall experience for her students.

Goals and Motivations:

  • Provide high-quality yoga classes that cater to diverse student needs and preferences.

  • Enhance the studio’s reputation and attract new clients through effective marketing strategies.

  • Improve operational efficiency by implementing technology solutions to streamline administrative tasks.

Challenges:

  • Managing class schedules, bookings, and payments manually, leading to scheduling conflicts and administrative overhead.

  • Keeping track of student attendance and preferences without a centralized system.

  • Finding time to focus on studio growth and marketing amidst daily administrative tasks.

User Journey Map

For clients, the journey starts with learning about Booking App through studio promotions or word of mouth. After downloading the app and completing a simple setup, they browse and book classes easily, appreciating secure and quick payment options.


Digital Low-Fidelity Wireframes 


With these wireframes, the goal was to present the user with a straightforward design that simplifies the booking and payment process. 



Digital High-Fidelity Wireframes 


Changes Made:

  • Users can see the class time, price, and availability before taking time to enter their payment information.

  • Instead of having to navigate to a brand new page, users can see location and contact information of the studio upfront, making sure it’s in their area first.



Usability Study: Parameters

Study Type:

Unmoderated usability study

Participants:

3

Length:

5-10 minutes

Usability Study: Findings

Navigation

The path to view more classes for a specific studio wasn’t straightforward

Availability

There should be a way to tell when a class is full, before trying to book it

History

It is food to have a centralized place to view active/upcoming bookings

High-Fidelity Prototype

A near-final version of the app, showcasing features such as the schedule page, class information, and booking flow.


Accessibility Considerations


High-Contrast:

Booking App displays a high contrast between text and background, making it easier to read.

Labeling Interactive Elements:

All buttons are clearly labeled with descriptive text that screen readers can interpret, ensuring users understand their functions.

Consistent Layouts:

Consistent layouts and navigation patterns are employed across all screens, reducing cognitive load and helping users predict and understand where they are in the app.

Takeaways

  • Current users of existing booking apps such as MindBody who participated in the study, reported a significant reduction in the time spent on simply booking a class.

  • I’ve learned that often times, even in design, less is more!

  • App design should focus on the core tasks that are meant to be complete, rather than bells and whistles just to make it look “pretty”.

Next Steps

1

I would like to see users try out the high-fidelity prototype, and collect further feedback before finalizing the product.

2

Once the design is finalized, I will be adding this case study to my portfolio.

3

It would be awesome to have this developed by an engineer, and used by studios in need! This would involve many rounds of networking at marketing.