BUDDI
BUDDI
BUDDI
Making daily exercise more motivating, social and enjoyable during COVID.
Making daily exercise more motivating, social and enjoyable during COVID.
Making daily exercise more motivating, social and enjoyable during COVID.
[Role]
SERVICE DESIGNER
SERVICE DESIGNER
[Team]
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
[Timeline]
10 WEEKS
10 WEEKS
[Area]
SERVICE DESIGN
SERVICE DESIGN
[THE CHALLENGE]
THE CHALLENGE
Many people struggle to stay motivated when exercising alone. Classes and gyms can be intimidating, while home workouts lack accountability and social connection. This struggle only increased throughout COVID, with gyms and run clubs being shut throughout, motivation to exercise was low.
How can we design a product–service system that motivates people to exercise regularly by connecting, encouraging, and supporting them in fun and meaningful ways?
Many people struggle to stay motivated when exercising alone. Classes and gyms can be intimidating, while home workouts lack accountability and social connection. This struggle only increased throughout COVID, with gyms and run clubs being shut throughout, motivation to exercise was low.
How can we design a product–service system that motivates people to exercise regularly by connecting, encouraging, and supporting them in fun and meaningful ways?
THE CHALLENGE
Many people struggle to stay motivated when exercising alone. Classes and gyms can be intimidating, while home workouts lack accountability and social connection. This struggle only increased throughout COVID, with gyms and run clubs being shut throughout, motivation to exercise was low.
How can we design a product–service system that motivates people to exercise regularly by connecting, encouraging, and supporting them in fun and meaningful ways?
PROCESS
PROCESS
[RESEARCH & INSIGHTS]
[RESEARCH & INSIGHTS]
[RESEARCH & INSIGHTS]
Conducted desk research and user interviews to understand barriers to regular exercise.
Key barriers identified:
Lack of fun and accountability in exercising alone.
Intimidation in formal exercise settings like gyms or group classes.
Limited ways to connect with friends while working out independently.
Insight: Motivation improves when people feel connected, supported, and able to track progress with others.
Conducted desk research and user interviews to understand barriers to regular exercise.
Key barriers identified:
Lack of fun and accountability in exercising alone.
Intimidation in formal exercise settings like gyms or group classes.
Limited ways to connect with friends while working out independently.
Insight: Motivation improves when people feel connected, supported, and able to track progress with others.
Conducted desk research and user interviews to understand barriers to regular exercise.
Key barriers identified:
Lack of fun and accountability in exercising alone.
Intimidation in formal exercise settings like gyms or group classes.
Limited ways to connect with friends while working out independently.
Insight: Motivation improves when people feel connected, supported, and able to track progress with others.
[IDEATION & DIRECTION]
[IDEATION & DIRECTION]
[IDEATION & DIRECTION]
Brainstormed concepts around social accountability, gamification, and wearable feedback.
Narrowed focus to a wearable buddy system that connects two users together.
Created journey maps and service blueprints to define how users would interact across touchpoints (device, app, social).
Direction: “Connect, Encourage, Exercise” → a buddy-driven ecosystem that makes exercising collaborative.
Brainstormed concepts around social accountability, gamification, and wearable feedback.
Narrowed focus to a wearable buddy system that connects two users together.
Created journey maps and service blueprints to define how users would interact across touchpoints (device, app, social).
Direction: “Connect, Encourage, Exercise” → a buddy-driven ecosystem that makes exercising collaborative.
Brainstormed concepts around social accountability, gamification, and wearable feedback.
Narrowed focus to a wearable buddy system that connects two users together.
Created journey maps and service blueprints to define how users would interact across touchpoints (device, app, social).
Direction: “Connect, Encourage, Exercise” → a buddy-driven ecosystem that makes exercising collaborative.
[PROTOTYPING & TESTING]
[PROTOTYPING & TESTING]
[PROTOTYPING & TESTING]
Built low-fidelity prototypes of the wearable to test form factor and feedback mechanisms.
Developed mobile app wireframes in Figma to visualise features like shared progress, activity challenges, and live encouragement.
Conducted user testing with peers to gather feedback on motivation and usability.
Iterated designs based on feedback — e.g., simplifying feedback signals and making app comparisons more visual.
Built low-fidelity prototypes of the wearable to test form factor and feedback mechanisms.
Developed mobile app wireframes in Figma to visualise features like shared progress, activity challenges, and live encouragement.
Conducted user testing with peers to gather feedback on motivation and usability.
Iterated designs based on feedback — e.g., simplifying feedback signals and making app comparisons more visual.
Built low-fidelity prototypes of the wearable to test form factor and feedback mechanisms.
Developed mobile app wireframes in Figma to visualise features like shared progress, activity challenges, and live encouragement.
Conducted user testing with peers to gather feedback on motivation and usability.
Iterated designs based on feedback — e.g., simplifying feedback signals and making app comparisons more visual.
THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION
Buddi is a wearable + app system that motivates people to stay active through social connection:
Wearable device provides haptic signals and progress feedback in real time.
Mobile app connects two “buddies” who can see each other’s activity, send encouragement, and set joint goals.
Gamified challenges help sustain long-term motivation, turning exercise into a shared journey.
Buddi is a wearable + app system that motivates people to stay active through social connection:
Wearable device provides haptic signals and progress feedback in real time.
Mobile app connects two “buddies” who can see each other’s activity, send encouragement, and set joint goals.
Gamified challenges help sustain long-term motivation, turning exercise into a shared journey.
Buddi is a wearable + app system that motivates people to stay active through social connection:
Wearable device provides haptic signals and progress feedback in real time.
Mobile app connects two “buddies” who can see each other’s activity, send encouragement, and set joint goals.
Gamified challenges help sustain long-term motivation, turning exercise into a shared journey.
IMPACT
IMPACT
Final prototype demonstrated how social accountability can improve exercise consistency.
User testing showed increased motivation when progress was visible and connected to a buddy.
Recognised as a strong example of integrating service design and product design in a holistic system.
Final prototype demonstrated how social accountability can improve exercise consistency.
User testing showed increased motivation when progress was visible and connected to a buddy.
Recognised as a strong example of integrating service design and product design in a holistic system.
Final prototype demonstrated how social accountability can improve exercise consistency.
User testing showed increased motivation when progress was visible and connected to a buddy.
Recognised as a strong example of integrating service design and product design in a holistic system.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Through Buddi I learned to:
Apply service design thinking to create ecosystems across devices and apps.
Prototype both physical and digital elements to test usability and value.
Design for behaviour change and motivation, not just functionality.
If further developed, Buddi could integrate with existing fitness ecosystems (e.g., Strava, Apple Health) and scale to groups beyond pairs, creating community-driven motivation.
Through Buddi I learned to:
Apply service design thinking to create ecosystems across devices and apps.
Prototype both physical and digital elements to test usability and value.
Design for behaviour change and motivation, not just functionality.
If further developed, Buddi could integrate with existing fitness ecosystems (e.g., Strava, Apple Health) and scale to groups beyond pairs, creating community-driven motivation.
Through Buddi I learned to:
Apply service design thinking to create ecosystems across devices and apps.
Prototype both physical and digital elements to test usability and value.
Design for behaviour change and motivation, not just functionality.
If further developed, Buddi could integrate with existing fitness ecosystems (e.g., Strava, Apple Health) and scale to groups beyond pairs, creating community-driven motivation.