FITBIT – AI Enhanced Engagement
Fitbit is the wearable for every person – in all price points – and easily usable and accessible. Fitbit’s main north star KPI is following the number of active users. In 2023, there were approx. 38.5 million active users of Fitbit products. Most Fitbit users use the device as a pedometer to track step count or as a sleep tracker.
Problem Background/ Motivation
One of the largest challenges with Fitbit products is getting customers to continue using the product over time – many users stop using the product regularly after a few months. AI can drive deeper engagement, but understanding the core needs and frustrations of the users is needed. Generative AI to analyze data around PR’s (personal records) and trends is in the works at Fitbit. But the core user of Fitbit isn’t as likely to be engaged in athletic pursuits as wearer of other brands and so this data is only way of using AI to increase user interest. Users that are focused on deep performance insights are the most likely to be engaged users. Other fitness and well being apps use gamification and community building to keep users engaged.
Problem Statement: How can Fitbit use AI to increase community building and gamification, so users engage with the app more regularly while meeting the users core needs?
Goals
• Make it exciting to open the app using AI to make it more fun – rather than just to check a data point.
• Keep it easy to use and avoid adding complexity to the app design, interface, or use options.
• Improve long-term app engagement and customers by making the daily app more exciting and interactive using AI improvements
• Drive revenue through greater engagement
• Make engaging with new people and known people more easy
• Help people create personal goals over a week or month they can track.
• Facilitate community connections with shared goals and challenges
NON-GOALS
• Replace the current app in any meaningful way
• Handle complaints or customer service
• Focus on improving data collection
• Providing Data analysis and goal recommendations
• Add more complexity to the app and more steps to getting useful data
User Stories
As a daily user, I want to be able to easily see the leaderboard with my friends, so that it helps me stay motivated.
As a periodic user, I want to be able to see and choose what badges/prizes I can work toward, so that I use the app more often and stay motivated.
As a social user, I want to be able to meet new people with shared goals, so that we can challenge each other to continue.
As a regular user, I want to be able to set and track weekly and monthly goals in the app, so I can see how much effort I’m putting into my goals and improve my goal engagement.
As a social user, I want to have more ways to connect with friends and new people in the app, so that I can have fun while working toward my goals.
Persona and User Story Table
Persona 1
Name: Abby
Age: 42
Occupation: Hospital Sterilization Technician
Location: Portland, OR
Bio:
Busy mom to a four-year-old and works part-time. Money is tight and she values simplicity and savings. Spending all day with a four-year-old is tough to get other things done.
Goals:
Lose weight and gain strength and mobility.
Behaviors:
Uses the Fitbit app when focused on a personal goal like a walking challenge or improving sleep. Otherwise, doesn’t use the wearable or app for long stretches.
Use Case:
- Looking for more ways to stay motivated
- Enjoys walking and tracking her hikes
- Simplicity and affordability are more important than data accuracy
- Enjoys working toward badges and would like more options
- Doesn’t have real-world friends on the app
- Uses her smartphone throughout the day and to connect with friends and family
Persona 2
Name: Charles
Age: 67
Occupation: Former Caterer - retired
Location: Portland, OR
Bio:
Busy maintaining a large home and taking care of his family. Money is tight and he values savings. Plus, a high value on working out and staying healthy and safe.
Goals:
Building community and spending time exercising in nature.
Behaviors:
Uses the Fitbit app when focused on a personal goal like a walking challenge or improving sleep. Otherwise, doesn’t use the wearable or app for long periods. Feels Fitbit is good enough and likes that it’s simple, cheap, and accurate.
Use Case:
- Had issues with the app but didn’t bother contacting customer service
- Doesn’t find Fitbit or fitness apps very engaging or fun
- Found walking with others virtually really helped him push to hit his goals
- Won the walking competition by completing 750 miles over 16 weeks – the highest in the group
Persona 3
Name: Judy
Age: 70
Occupation: Retired School Teacher
Location: Portland, OR
Bio:
Busy taking care of elderly husband and disabled son and large house. She likes fine dining and takes house-watching jobs to save. Enjoys being useful to family and the app finds it motivating to see how she can use steps to count.
Goals:
Lose weight and maintain her fitness gains as she ages.
Behaviors:
Uses the Fitbit app when focused on a personal goal like a walking challenge or improving sleep. Otherwise, doesn’t use the wearable or app for long periods.
Use Case:
- Likes using the app to track walking
- Enjoys walking and exercising in a virtual group
- Simplicity and affordability are more important than data accuracy
- Doesn’t use the app to set goals
- Likes to track step count, not workouts
- Likes the year-end wrap-up – noticed aging impacts her mobility
Persona 4
Name: Elizabeth
Age: 32
Occupation: Online Marketing
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Bio:
Works in online marketing during the week and on weekends performs as mermaid at parties. Enjoys staying active and cares about saving money, as she is planning to travel around the world next year.
Goals:
Stay fit and save money.
Behaviors:
Uses the app daily for walking but doesn’t use for workouts. She has friends only within her tight virtual roles which keeps her using the app more regularly.
Use Case:
- Regularly swims laps but doesn’t use Fitbit to record
- Enjoys walking and exercising in a virtual group
- Simplicity and affordability are most important
- Enjoys working toward badges and would like more options via the tracker
- Uses the app year-round – mostly motivated due to people around her and not to meet a goal
- Uses her smartphone throughout the day and to connect with friends but also for work
Proposed Solution
What are you proposing is the solution to the problem being tackled? Keep this to a few sentences, again focusing on the WHAT, not the HOW.
1. Update the home page to have the option to allow to include a link for the social leaderboard, current badge working toward, and weekly/monthly personal goals.
2. For the social leaderboard – use AI to make suggestions for a weekly or monthly challenge with other participants who have a simliar goal – use AI to create groups to bring forward the challenge.
Scenarios
Measuring Success
Outcome 1
Goal: Increase active daily user
Measure: Total increases in daily users
Priority: 1
Outcome 2
Goal: Increase user retainment and gather more insightful data on user goals and engagement
Measure: Total increases in current long-term users (users active for more than 3 months and more than 3 times a week)
Priority: 1
Outcome 3
Goal: Increase user engagement and increase revenue
Measure: Percentage of revenue that increases based on growth in user engagement
Priority: 1
Outcome 4
Goal: Reduce dropouts
Measure: Percentage of users that do not stop using the app within a defined time window
Priority: 2
Milestones and timelines
Item: Design User Flow and/or Wireframes
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: User flow and/or wireframes include homepage updates and new pages for Groups & Challenges
Item: Run Validation Interviews
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: 80% of interviewees agree it’s a good idea
Item: Run MVP Experiment
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Meets minimum criteria for success
Item: High-Fidelity Design of Original Version (based on experiment)
Timeline: 1 week to 1 month
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Develop Interface That Allows Users to Create Challenges
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Develop Interface Where AI Can Suggest Challenges and Users Can Create
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Develop Interface Where Users Can Use AI to Find Challenges With People at Their Same Fitness/Commitment Level
Timeline: 2 months
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Simplify Fitbit Home Page to Include 5 Categories Instead of 7
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Combine Categories That Are Less Used or Duplicative
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Launch Product via In-App Marketing Campaign to 10,000 Customers
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Product launch
Item: Develop Community Interface With AI to Help Users Find Goal Groups and New Friends
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Add Functionality for Customers to Mark Groups or Challenges They Enjoyed
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Item: Add Functionality to Answer Questions About Connecting to Community
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Item: Start Using Data From Users to Improve Connections
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Timeline: 2 months
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Simplify Fitbit Home Page to Include 5 Categories Instead of 7
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Combine Categories That Are Less Used or Duplicative
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Launch Product via In-App Marketing Campaign to 10,000 Customers
Timeline: 2 weeks
Exit Criteria: Product launch
Item: Develop Community Interface With AI to Help Users Find Goal Groups and New Friends
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Engineering sign-off
Item: Add Functionality for Customers to Mark Groups or Challenges They Enjoyed
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Item: Add Functionality to Answer Questions About Connecting to Community
Timeline: 1 week
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Item: Start Using Data From Users to Improve Connections
Timeline: 1 month
Exit Criteria: Feature launched
Product Manager Learnings:
Choul Huda
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.