Problem: Sharp drop off in attendance after approximately 2 years
Ask: Explore the concept of ‘community’ as a means to increase member engagement with the brand and therefore boost retention
From learnings, create a digital product that can be piloted by end of 2018
Goal: Define user needs from perspective of stakeholders. Identify stakeholder desires.
Exercises: Walk the Walls, Headlines
Overarching Questions:
How does Equinox define ‘community’?
How do members define ‘community’?
What are members looking to get out of community?
What opportunity areas will arise from the research?
What are some successful examples of community?
Goal: Understand how we can leverage existing elements of community within group fitness.
Participants: 1 on 1 interviews with 4 GMs & 4 Group Fitness instructors.
Location: City and Suburbs.
Style: Series of questions, free form discussion.
Goal: Understand what members seek from Equinox beyond fitness.
12 interviews: Free form discussion and card sorting exercise.
Goal: To solidify our qual results and to understand the value of community across different categories.
250+ respondents
Digital needs to back up the physical
Members are looking for advice from a trusted source
At its worst, community means unwanted social awkwardness.
Identify the moments members are receptive to community
Class attendees gain access 26 hours before class. Participants are both members and instructor. Ability for instructors to share content (i.e. stretches). Polling capability for instructors
How it aligns with research:
Connects members to instructors pre/post class
Connects members to one another (names to faces)
Kickstarts the conversation
Exposure to expert content
Low commitment
Content is a mix of evergreen/ephemeral/contextual. Connecting members to MNR and lifestyle experts. AMA format for members to ask questions to experts. Experts respond with videos posted to their channel. Members can subscribe to channels for notifications. Panels get access to VIP services and events
How it aligns with research:
Connects members with like minded individuals
Connects members with experts
Showcases the breadth of Equinox experts
Allows members to ask questions of experts
Ability to scale to include additional topics
Designed out full app from concept
Take into account all screens, steps, actions, and flows
Bring to life in visual design
Edit in visual design
Accounted for all states and actions
Worked with dev team to refine actions and understand app structure
Used user stories as ground work to estimate cost and scope for pilot
Visualized for internal teams as well as client to have full understanding of scope and implementation with current design.
A/B test incorporated into existing app
Best performing content types, instructors, etc. to inform how we scale
Follow up qual / quant research to judge experience feedback
Integration with ongoing app redesign
Building a pilot within existing code base
Adjusting for client feedback and expectations