PROJECT OVERVIEW
Allowing young athletes in Toronto to foster a sense of community through sports
Rally's goal was to make it easier for users to find detailed information about tennis courts while encouraging community engagement and social connection. This goal was achieved by offering young athletes access to nearby courts, local sporting events, and opportunities to connect with other tennis players at their skill level.
Problem Discovery
My passion for tennis and frequent weekly matches with friends highlighted a common frustration: long waits for courts. Many players, deterred by the wait times, often leave without playing. This underscored a clear need for a more efficient way to find less crowded courts and better plan court time.
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
This initial observation sparked the need to dive deeper into the issue, as there was a clear need for a better way to connect with other players, coordinate matches, and manage court availability.
Secondary Research
To further understand the broader context, I conducted secondary research to identify trends in physical activity and facility access, which provided valuable context:
📉 11.5% decline
in weekly physical activity from 2016 to 2021
🎾 18 sport facilities
are scattered in Toronto, a city with a recorded population of 3,025,647 (as of 2022)
👥 69.9% of people
met AHA guidelines when they had access to sport facilities, 42% more likely than those who didn’t
Sports Facilities in Toronto (Statistics Canada, 2023)
These findings highlighted a connection between the access to recreational spaces and increased physical activity, underscoring the need for a solution that not only improves court availability but also fosters more engagement in sports activities.
PROBLEM SPACE
In summary, limited tennis courts, scattered locations, and low awareness of recreational facilities hinder physical activity among young adults in Ontario.
User Interviews
To complement the broader trends identified in my secondary research, I conducted structured interviews with six Toronto residents aged 20 to 30 who engaged in recreational sports. I sought to understand their behaviour and the barriers they faced in relation to their sporting habits.
"I try to play weekly, to clear my mind after a busy week."
"I like playing volleyball and I take the subway for an hour to do it."
If possible, booking courts was really bad and had to be done in advance.
"It's hard to find consistent games because there isn’t a strong soccer community in my area."
Prefers a court that is closer to where they live.
"I only play when my friends ask me to join."
Playing sports provides a change of pace from routine activities.
"If my friends are with me, I don’t mind if others join."
"I'm not comfortable playing with strangers."
"I usually play whenever I feel like it."
Travel distance is an issue.
Enjoys banter on court and conversations between sets.
Pain Points
Goals & Motivations
Behaviours
Key Findings
Through these conversations, I aimed to understand their behaviours, motivations, and the barriers they faced in maintaining consistent sporting habits. Understanding what was deterring people from playing sports was crucial, and this process yielded valuable insights and revealed three key themes:
💬 Social Preferences
Sports are valued not only for physical benefits but also for the social interaction they provide: participants prefer engaging in sports with friends or in a community setting.
❓ Facility Constraints
Many participants were unaware of the nearby sports facilities or how they could access them
🕒 Commitment Challenges
Participants had a preference for flexibility and spontaneous games, but busy schedules and the need for consistent companions impact their ability to participate regularly.
KEY INSIGHT
5 out of 6 participants indicated that sports were a social activity for them and were more likely to participate when they knew the other players.
NARROWING THE SCOPE
How might we provide young adults with a sense of community by facilitating finding recreational facilities?
PERSONA
To guide my design process, I crafted Alex Bennet, a result of my research and interviews. Alex will guide all design decisions, embodying the larger user base I am addressing.
Allex Bennet
Age: 26
Occupation: Marketing Specialist
Location: Toronto, ON
Biography
Alex works as a Marketing Specialist in Toronto and is a casual athlete who enjoys volleyball and tennis. Seeking a healthier routine and better work-life balance, Alex recently moved to a new neighborhood and now faces the challenge of finding nearby spots for his favorite sports.
🌟 Goals
Play sports regularly, ideally weekly
Engage with other casual athletes in his neighbourhood
Overcome scheduling and location obstacles
Improve physical and mental health
⛔ Pain Points
Limited options for nearby courts in his area
Lack of friends in the city to play tennis with
Busy work schedule that leaves him with little time for his hobbies
Concerns about health and well-being
Iterations & Prototyping
Sketching then helped transition these ideas into more structured, functional designs, prioritizing clarity and ease of navigation. This stage was crucial for ensuring that users could intuitively engage with the app, find information quickly, and connect with the sports community in a seamless manner.
Solution Sketches
Brand Development
The brand name, Rally, was chosen to reflect two key themes: coming together for a shared purpose and recovery in health and spirit. The visual identity incorporated a dynamic logo of a person in motion, with a welcoming blue color palette that speaks to community and connectivity.
#0063F8
#62666A
#FFA440
#F2F2F7
#18191B
#FCFCFD
Swatches
STYLE
Body
Buttons
WEIGHT
Bold
Bold
Regular
Regular
SIZE
26
18
16
14
LINE
40
25
25
17.5
Font Family: Nunito
Logo Variations
High-Fidelity Design
Key Metrics
To evaluate the potential success of Rally, it’s essential to consider key metrics that would indicate its effectiveness and impact in the market:
Retention Rates
For a B2C app, a good retention rate is around 40% to 60% after the first month. This indicates that users find value in the app and are likely to return.
Event Participation
Aim for metrics like 20-30 events per week and a steady increase in participation rates. A high level of participation would demonstrate that users are actively using the app to engage with the community and participate in activities.
IN CONCLUSION…
Working on Rally taught me the importance of user feedback and iterative design. Every decision was aimed at addressing real user pain points, and Rally’s success hinges on how well it simplifies access to recreational facilities and fosters a community around sports.
Thanks for stopping by!