Some projects go beyond the work itself and hit closer to home. The New York Road Runners case study was one of those moments — as a new runner, designing for a community I’m part of made the project feel personal and fueled the ideas behind it.
Problem
Despite growth in downloads and usage, NYRR’s mobile apps have struggled to convert their captive audience, mainly spectators, into an active community and have been receiving low satisfaction scores.Strategy
Introduce features that will centralize all event-related content, letting users explore everything NYRR offers year-round.Process
Emphasizing evidence-based design and innovation
We focused on leveraging data-driven insights to inform design decisions while incorporating innovative features. Our approach balanced creativity with practicality, ensuring new additions aligned with user needs and maintained a cohesive, holistic experience throughout the app
Research
Hosted stakeholder & development team interview to understand their experience with the app and feasibilities of the scopes planned.Photography
With race day still ahead, our focus shifted to the people, the energy, and the spirit at the heart of the New York Road Runners community. Capturing the photography and brand visuals early was key to building excitement across channels before the event. The shoot, brought to life with dynamic, authentic imagery, became the thread tying the identity together — showcasing the determination of runners, the vibrance of the crowds, and the shared joy that defines NYRR.Art direction
Two distinct visual approaches to engage NYRR usersChallenges and concerns
Navigating development constraints and legal concerns in design implementationOur design team faced several technical challenges, including tight timelines, local data storage limitations, and dependencies on third-party APIs. Additionally, we received client concerns regarding legal issues with our art direction and the gathering of individual runner data. Through close collaboration with the development team, we adapted the design to meet these challenges while ensuring a smooth user experience and maintaining high design standards.
Although the login feature was highly anticipated as a key component in creating a personalized and unified experience for users, we had to deprioritize it and push it to a future phase of development. This decision was driven by the tight project timeline, which was heavily dependent on third-party API data. Given these constraints, we focused on delivering a seamless experience within the available scope while ensuring that the foundation was in place for login integration in future iterations.
User testing
Evaluating user reactions and identifying areas for improvement
Through concept testing with 8 participants, we gathered valuable feedback on usability, accessibility, and aesthetics. While users appreciated features like the "Watch Live" option and countdown display, some areas for improvement emerged, including clearer CTAs, navigation issues, and ensuring event-specific content is easily identifiable.
Design QA
Ensuring consistency and quality across the design
Through a rigorous Design QA process, we reviewed the final prototypes to ensure visual consistency, alignment with the design system, and flawless user flow. This thorough evaluation allowed us to identify and resolve any discrepancies, ensuring a polished and seamless user experience before implementation.
Impact and takeaway
Anticipating impact and key takeaways from the ongoing projectThe app is now live—yay! 🎉 It’s officially available on the App Store and Google Play Store, marking a major milestone in bringing the NYRR experience to runners everywhere. We are now actively collecting user feedback and monitoring organic app reviews to iterate and refine the experience accordingly.
Simultaneously, we’re reviewing the project scope for version 2.5, which will introduce even more exciting features. This next phase aims to expand on our initial vision, incorporating a more extensive community experience, login functionality, in-app donations, and additional enhancements that will further enrich and complete the NYRR digital experience.
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