Conceptual Design: REI's Climbing Platform

Crafting a daily hub for climbers

case study 1
Clickable Prototype

Technical Details

Client
Conceptual design
Team
4 UX desginers
Duration
3 weeks
Year
2023
Category
Mobile app, companion app
Skills
(UX) Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Zoom
Dall-E 3

Project overview

In a conceptual exercise, aimed to target everyday climbers, my team and I were asked to design a climbing platform for REI. This space was meant to provide useful information to climbers, every single day.


Our goal?

To, not only design an app that was useful, usable and desirable, but also to create a product with the potential to deliver significant business goals.


The outcome?

A mobile app that incorporates REI’s existing features for climbers but allows them to:

  • Access daily route conditions

  • Find climbing partners and communities

  • Stay informed about events near them

  • Experience structured and personalised learning paths


Uncovering the Problem

Our first question was, what information do climbers actually need? Are REI’s desires aligning with the climbing community? In our research, we delved into the world of climbing to understand climbers' information needs and challenges. We explored their habits and what motivates them, and investigated their interest in tools and technology. Our mission was to gain deep insights into the climbing community's preferences and requirements, paving the way for innovative solutions.

Our first question was, what information do climbers actually need? Are REI’s desires aligning with the climbing community? In our research, we delved into the world of climbing to understand climbers' information needs and challenges. We explored their habits and what motivates them, and investigated their interest in tools and technology. Our mission was to gain deep insights into the climbing community's preferences and requirements, paving the way for innovative solutions.

What did we discover?

Challenges and frustrations climbers face

  • Climbers face challenges finding a partner that fits their preferences (like experience level, gender, schedule). - The methods provided by gyms don’t take into account these aspects and some gyms don’t even facilitate finding a partner.

  • They don’t go climbing outdoors as often as they want because they lack gear, knowledge and they are scared to go without someone more experienced.

  • Beginner climbers don’t know where to start and feel intimidated by the amount of information about climbing. They often rely on the help of a friend to get started

The information do climbers look for

  • Our research uncovered that climbers seek expert advice when it comes to gear, skill development and technique, routes and crags, and climbing specific workouts.

  • They also are very keen on safety precautions and refresher videos.

Climbers' habits and motivations

  • Many climbers see this sport as a way to stay active and challenge themselves. They do it for self care, a sense of achievement and as a social outlet.

  • Climber’s value being part of a group and feel motivated and encouraged when they have a community.

Challenges and frustrations climbers face

  • They struggle finding a partner that fits their preferences (like experience level, gender, schedule).


  • The methods provided by gyms don’t take into account these aspects and some gyms don’t even facilitate finding a partner.


  • They don’t go climbing outdoors as often as they want because they lack gear, knowledge and they are scared to go without someone more experienced.


  • Beginner climbers don’t know where to start

What information do climbers look for?

What information do climbers look for?

What information do climbers look for?

  • Climbers seek expert advice for gear, skill development and technique, routes and crags, and climbing specific workouts.


  • They also are very keen on safety precautions and refresher videos.

  • Climbers seek expert advice for gear, skill development and technique, routes and crags, and climbing specific workouts.


  • They also are very keen on safety precautions and refresher videos.

  • Climbers seek expert advice for gear, skill development and technique, routes and crags, and climbing specific workouts.


  • They also are very keen on safety precautions and refresher videos.

Climbers' habits and motivations

Climbers' habits and motivations

Climbers' habits and motivations

  • Many climbers see this sport as a way to stay active and challenge themselves. They do it for self care, a sense of achievement and as a social outlet.


  • Climber’s value being part of a group and feel motivated and encouraged when they have a community.

The Opportunity

Climbers and outdoor enthusiasts need a way to connect with compatible climbing partners and access resources so that they can confidently pursue their climbing journey and maximise their climbing potential.

Climbers and outdoor enthusiasts need a way to connect with compatible climbing partners and access resources so that they can confidently pursue their climbing journey and maximise their climbing potential.

Climbers and outdoor enthusiasts need a way to connect with compatible climbing partners and access resources so that they can confidently pursue their climbing journey and maximise their climbing potential.

Climbers and outdoor enthusiasts need a way to connect with compatible climbing partners and access resources so that they can confidently pursue their climbing journey and maximise their climbing potential.

Ideating solutions: Dream big first, prioritize after

Ideating solutions: Dream big first, prioritize after

Ideating solutions: Dream big first, prioritize after

Ideating solutions: Dream big first, prioritize after

My design process focused on addressing climbers' needs for community, resources, and expert guidance. I asked myself, how we might create connections between climbers and provide a one-stop solution for all climbing needs? This led to the conceptualization of key app features like partner matching and comprehensive climbing resources.

  • Homepage

    Initial sketch of the REI Climbing Companion App's homepage, capturing the early design ideas. This sketch illustrates the layout concept, featuring prominent navigation to key sections like 'Find a Partner', 'Daily Insights', and 'Personalized Dashboard'. It's a visual brainstorming tool that helped us conceptualize how users would first interact with the app, emphasizing accessibility and user engagement

  • Find a partner flow

    Early-stage brainstorming sketches exploring various layouts and features for the 'Find a Partner' interface in the REI Climbing Companion App.

  • Homepage

    Initial sketch of the REI Climbing Companion App's homepage, capturing the early design ideas. This sketch illustrates the layout concept, featuring prominent navigation to key sections like 'Find a Partner', 'Daily Insights', and 'Personalized Dashboard'. It's a visual brainstorming tool that helped us conceptualize how users would first interact with the app, emphasizing accessibility and user engagement

  • Find a partner flow

    Early-stage brainstorming sketches exploring various layouts and features for the 'Find a Partner' interface in the REI Climbing Companion App.

  • Homepage

    Initial sketch of the REI Climbing Companion App's homepage, capturing the early design ideas. This sketch illustrates the layout concept, featuring prominent navigation to key sections like 'Find a Partner', 'Daily Insights', and 'Personalized Dashboard'. It's a visual brainstorming tool that helped us conceptualize how users would first interact with the app, emphasizing accessibility and user engagement

  • Find a partner flow

    Early-stage brainstorming sketches exploring various layouts and features for the 'Find a Partner' interface in the REI Climbing Companion App.

  • Homepage

    Initial sketch of the REI Climbing Companion App's homepage, capturing the early design ideas. This sketch illustrates the layout concept, featuring prominent navigation to key sections like 'Find a Partner', 'Daily Insights', and 'Personalized Dashboard'. It's a visual brainstorming tool that helped us conceptualize how users would first interact with the app, emphasizing accessibility and user engagement

  • Find a partner flow

    Early-stage brainstorming sketches exploring various layouts and features for the 'Find a Partner' interface in the REI Climbing Companion App.

3- week sprint constraint: Narrowing our focus to the 'Find a Partner' Feature

Given the constraints of a 3-week sprint, our conceptual focus narrowed to the 'Find a Partner' feature. We envisioned a system that allows climbers to find partners based on experience level, schedule overlap, and shared interests.

Testing and Refinement

Our journey in developing the mid-fidelity prototype of the REI Climbing Companion App's 'Find a Partner' feature was significantly enriched by our usability testing process. This phase was crucial in fine-tuning our design to meet user needs effectively.

Climbing partners and home screen confusion:

Users experienced confusion with the 'Improve' option in navigation and wondered who the partners listed on the home screen where. We simplified these elements for better user comprehension.

Gender Preference:

Feedback indicated a desire for a 'No Preference' option in gender selection. These insights will guide us to enhance clarity and inclusivity in these features.

Building trust in matched partners:

Users were unclear about what “certified” mean. Safety was a big pain point in our research so building trust between climbers was essential. We made some serious changes to the profile section including, safety certifications, amount of climbs, favorite spots to climb or gyms for easy matching, and previous climbs they’ve completed in order to build trust.

The summit is a lovely place!

We incorporated the feedback we received and came up with this final iteration.


Find a climbing partner in our Hi-Fi Prototype!

We incorporated the feedback we received and came up with this final iteration.


Find a climbing partner in our Hi-Fi Prototype!

We incorporated the feedback we received and came up with this final iteration.


Find a climbing partner in our Hi-Fi Prototype!

Integrating REI's Existing Features: All-in-One Access

As part of our ongoing enhancements to the REI Climbing Companion App, we are focused on integrating existing REI services to create a more unified and user-friendly experience. Our goal is to transform the app into an all-encompassing hub for climbers. Key integrations include:

Gear Rentals Integration: While REI currently offers gear rental services on their website, integrating this feature into the app streamlines the process for users. This integration allows climbers to conveniently rent gear directly through the app, offering a seamless experience from planning to execution of their climbing adventures.

Gear Rentals Integration: While REI currently offers gear rental services on their website, integrating this feature into the app streamlines the process for users. This integration allows climbers to conveniently rent gear directly through the app, offering a seamless experience from planning to execution of their climbing adventures.

Gear Rentals Integration: While REI currently offers gear rental services on their website, integrating this feature into the app streamlines the process for users. This integration allows climbers to conveniently rent gear directly through the app, offering a seamless experience from planning to execution of their climbing adventures.

Gear Rentals Integration: While REI currently offers gear rental services on their website, integrating this feature into the app streamlines the process for users. This integration allows climbers to conveniently rent gear directly through the app, offering a seamless experience from planning to execution of their climbing adventures.

Outdoor climbing adventures and trips: Similarly, REI's outdoor adventure offerings will be integrated into the app. This feature enables users to explore and book climbing trips and adventures, all within the same platform they use for community interaction, learning, and navigation. It simplifies the user journey, making it easier to plan and embark on climbing experiences.

Outdoor climbing adventures and trips: Similarly, REI's outdoor adventure offerings will be integrated into the app. This feature enables users to explore and book climbing trips and adventures, all within the same platform they use for community interaction, learning, and navigation. It simplifies the user journey, making it easier to plan and embark on climbing experiences.

Outdoor climbing adventures and trips: Similarly, REI's outdoor adventure offerings will be integrated into the app. This feature enables users to explore and book climbing trips and adventures, all within the same platform they use for community interaction, learning, and navigation. It simplifies the user journey, making it easier to plan and embark on climbing experiences.

Outdoor climbing adventures and trips: Similarly, REI's outdoor adventure offerings will be integrated into the app. This feature enables users to explore and book climbing trips and adventures, all within the same platform they use for community interaction, learning, and navigation. It simplifies the user journey, making it easier to plan and embark on climbing experiences.

Next Steps: Envisioning the Future of the REI Climbing Companion App

As we envision the future of the REI Climbing Companion App, our conceptual roadmap includes innovative features that could significantly enhance the climbing experience. These ideas, while currently hypothetical, represent our commitment to pushing the boundaries of user-centered design in the outdoor adventure space.

Find a mentor program: This feature aims to connect novice climbers with experienced mentors, fostering a learning environment and ensuring safety and skill development. By facilitating these connections, we're not just enhancing the user experience but also reinforcing REI's commitment to community and education.

Find a mentor program: This feature aims to connect novice climbers with experienced mentors, fostering a learning environment and ensuring safety and skill development. By facilitating these connections, we're not just enhancing the user experience but also reinforcing REI's commitment to community and education.

Find a mentor program: This feature aims to connect novice climbers with experienced mentors, fostering a learning environment and ensuring safety and skill development. By facilitating these connections, we're not just enhancing the user experience but also reinforcing REI's commitment to community and education.

Find a mentor program: This feature aims to connect novice climbers with experienced mentors, fostering a learning environment and ensuring safety and skill development. By facilitating these connections, we're not just enhancing the user experience but also reinforcing REI's commitment to community and education.

Skill Development: This educational component will offer structured learning paths, tutorials, and challenges to help climbers of all levels advance their skills. It aligns with REI’s ethos of promoting outdoor education and self-improvement.

Skill Development: This educational component will offer structured learning paths, tutorials, and challenges to help climbers of all levels advance their skills. It aligns with REI’s ethos of promoting outdoor education and self-improvement.

Skill Development: This educational component will offer structured learning paths, tutorials, and challenges to help climbers of all levels advance their skills. It aligns with REI’s ethos of promoting outdoor education and self-improvement.

Skill Development: This educational component will offer structured learning paths, tutorials, and challenges to help climbers of all levels advance their skills. It aligns with REI’s ethos of promoting outdoor education and self-improvement.

Route Navigation: Enhancing the app with advanced navigation features for both online and offline use ensures climbers have reliable and detailed route information wherever they go, enhancing safety and convenience. This key feature sets our app apart from competitors like Mountain Project.

Route Navigation: Enhancing the app with advanced navigation features for both online and offline use ensures climbers have reliable and detailed route information wherever they go, enhancing safety and convenience. This key feature sets our app apart from competitors like Mountain Project.

Route Navigation: Enhancing the app with advanced navigation features for both online and offline use ensures climbers have reliable and detailed route information wherever they go, enhancing safety and convenience. This key feature sets our app apart from competitors like Mountain Project.

Route Navigation: Enhancing the app with advanced navigation features for both online and offline use ensures climbers have reliable and detailed route information wherever they go, enhancing safety and convenience. This key feature sets our app apart from competitors like Mountain Project.

Usability Testing: Ongoing testing with real users remains a cornerstone of our development process. We will continue gathering feedback to refine existing features and validate new ones, ensuring the app consistently meets and exceeds user expectations.

Usability Testing: Ongoing testing with real users remains a cornerstone of our development process. We will continue gathering feedback to refine existing features and validate new ones, ensuring the app consistently meets and exceeds user expectations.

Usability Testing: Ongoing testing with real users remains a cornerstone of our development process. We will continue gathering feedback to refine existing features and validate new ones, ensuring the app consistently meets and exceeds user expectations.

Usability Testing: Ongoing testing with real users remains a cornerstone of our development process. We will continue gathering feedback to refine existing features and validate new ones, ensuring the app consistently meets and exceeds user expectations.

Reflecting on Our Journey: Key Learnings

The journey of designing the 'Find a Partner' feature for REI’s Climbing Companion App provided us with valuable insights and growth opportunities. Here, we reflect on the key learnings from this focused endeavor

Deep Dive into user needs: Focusing on the 'Find a Partner' feature, we learned the importance of deeply understanding user needs. Through interviews, we uncovered climbers' desires for a reliable, easy-to-use platform for finding climbing partners, which shaped our design decisions.

Deep Dive into user needs: Focusing on the 'Find a Partner' feature, we learned the importance of deeply understanding user needs. Through interviews, we uncovered climbers' desires for a reliable, easy-to-use platform for finding climbing partners, which shaped our design decisions.

Deep Dive into user needs: Focusing on the 'Find a Partner' feature, we learned the importance of deeply understanding user needs. Through interviews, we uncovered climbers' desires for a reliable, easy-to-use platform for finding climbing partners, which shaped our design decisions.

Deep Dive into user needs: Focusing on the 'Find a Partner' feature, we learned the importance of deeply understanding user needs. Through interviews, we uncovered climbers' desires for a reliable, easy-to-use platform for finding climbing partners, which shaped our design decisions.

“Finding people to climb with is challenging”

“On a daily basis when climbing indoors, I want access to partners”

Designing for specific user interactions: This feature taught us about designing for specific user interactions. We focused on creating a seamless and intuitive interface that facilitates easy connection and communication among climbers

Designing for specific user interactions: This feature taught us about designing for specific user interactions. We focused on creating a seamless and intuitive interface that facilitates easy connection and communication among climbers

Designing for specific user interactions: This feature taught us about designing for specific user interactions. We focused on creating a seamless and intuitive interface that facilitates easy connection and communication among climbers

Designing for specific user interactions: This feature taught us about designing for specific user interactions. We focused on creating a seamless and intuitive interface that facilitates easy connection and communication among climbers

INDOOR

OUTDOOR

Boulder

Top Rope

Lead

Level I want to climb

5.9-5.10

5.0- 5.8

5.11 - 5.13

Who do I want to climb with

Female

Male

Other

When

Select Date

Today

or

xx/xx/xx

Select Time

00:00

to

00:00

Where

Gyms near me

I’m Flexible

Find a Partner

Indoor

Outdoor

Type & Difficulty

I’m Flexible

Who?

Anyone

When?

Anytime

Where to?

Anytime

FIND A PARTNER

FIND A PARTNER

See all

Balancing Business Objectives and User Needs: A pivotal learning for us was aligning user needs with REI’s business goals. We discovered that effective design solutions not only solve user problems but also drive business value, like integrating gear rentals to increase user engagement and potential revenue."

Balancing Business Objectives and User Needs: A pivotal learning for us was aligning user needs with REI’s business goals. We discovered that effective design solutions not only solve user problems but also drive business value, like integrating gear rentals to increase user engagement and potential revenue."

Balancing Business Objectives and User Needs: A pivotal learning for us was aligning user needs with REI’s business goals. We discovered that effective design solutions not only solve user problems but also drive business value, like integrating gear rentals to increase user engagement and potential revenue."

Balancing Business Objectives and User Needs: A pivotal learning for us was aligning user needs with REI’s business goals. We discovered that effective design solutions not only solve user problems but also drive business value, like integrating gear rentals to increase user engagement and potential revenue."

Navigating Team Dynamics and Collaboration: Working as a team, we navigated diverse viewpoints and skill sets. We faced challenges in coordination and decision-making, which taught us the importance of clear communication and structured collaboration. These experiences strengthened our teamwork and final output

Navigating Team Dynamics and Collaboration: Working as a team, we navigated diverse viewpoints and skill sets. We faced challenges in coordination and decision-making, which taught us the importance of clear communication and structured collaboration. These experiences strengthened our teamwork and final output

Navigating Team Dynamics and Collaboration: Working as a team, we navigated diverse viewpoints and skill sets. We faced challenges in coordination and decision-making, which taught us the importance of clear communication and structured collaboration. These experiences strengthened our teamwork and final output

Navigating Team Dynamics and Collaboration: Working as a team, we navigated diverse viewpoints and skill sets. We faced challenges in coordination and decision-making, which taught us the importance of clear communication and structured collaboration. These experiences strengthened our teamwork and final output

Conclusion

Reflecting on this project, we see it as a significant milestone in our growth as UX designers. The learnings we gathered are not just about design techniques but also about understanding users, working as a team, and adapting to challenges. These experiences have prepared us to contribute effectively and innovatively in future roles

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