Overview
Alo is a well-known luxurious activewear brand
Alo covers fitness, beauty, and clothing, aiming to round out its premium ecosystem.
Focusing on improving in-store fitting experience
We designed a smart yoga studio that let yogi immerse in a personal sanctuary while helping them to find out the perfect fit based on the insights collected after each practice.
As a Product Lead
I led the end-to-end design development, encompassing both digital and physical realms, from interaction to sound design.
My role
Journey mapping
Design system
Interaction design
3D modelling
Awards
Team
Avery Ulanet, PM
Yeojin Shin, UXR
An end-to-end solution for private yoga practice experience
An integrated booking flow
Incorporating this booking flow into the Alo moves app provides users with a seamless experience, eliminating the need to switch between different platforms. This integration enhances convenience and improves overall user satisfaction.
A smart mirror serves as an instructor
Practitioner receives individualized attention from the virtual attentive instructor. Using data-based insights, the mirror provide tailored guidance for better performance, ensuring a personalized and effective yoga experience.
A circular smart yoga mat
For both beginners and advanced practitioners, understanding their poses and vital signs is crucial for safety and performance. Our yoga mat, equipped with biometric sensors, offers not only safety assurance but also valuable performance insights.
How can Alo elevate their in-store experience to match their high-end products?
Bringing yoga to the world
Alo was founded to spread the wellness and mindfulness of yoga, building a loyal community centered around a shared love for the practice.
Beyond a clothing store
Alo's retail space offers a one-stop shop for everything from apparel to a fitness center, plus a coffee bar.
Athleisure brands are competing with distinctive value propositions.
They are shaping their storytelling and customer base through top-notch, premium service—not just with superior fabric quality but also with high-tech products like Lululemon's Mirror.
$303.44 B
The global activewear market in 2023
70%
Revenue was bought in store in 2021
30%
Activewear revenue was sold online in 2021
Understand the people
We interviewed 5 current customers, 3 people familiar with the brand, and 3 who had never heard of it.
I mapped out a customer journey to highlight the highs and lows of the experience. Participants were unclear about Alo's brand proposition compared to other high-end brands. To stay competitive, Alo needs to offer a more personalized and advanced yoga experience, which aligns with the core of their brand.
Findings
The need for private yoga practice
With more people working from home, many seek opportunities to get out of the house for activities like yoga. They desire a solution that allows them to step outside their home while still maintaining the solitude they value in their yoga practice.
Fitting rooms challenge try-on experience
8 in 10 customers said that they came to stores for fitting, they think the fit is not the right one when exercising.
Hypothesis
The Alo One-person Studio system featuring online booking, a smart mirror, and a smart mat ensures a premium yoga experience while personalizing the in-store shopping journey.
Hypothesis
Simple to understand
Since the solution consists of three components—an app, a mirror, and a mat—it's essential that information is clear and easy to understand to avoid confusion.
Minimize distractions
Users should be free from unnecessary information, noise, and even distracting scents during practice. The virtual guidance from the smart mirror should be subtle yet immersive.
Personal to the customer
Personalization benefits from data collection should be immediate. The mat and mirror act as personal instructors, providing insights and advice on clothing purchases as well.
Scheduling by Alo app
A consolidated booking journey
During usability testing, users show less interest as they encounter more screens. To mitigate this, we've consolidated up to three questions per screen, facilitating quicker and more manageable information input.
The studio setting and music playlist are customizable
Customizable studio settings and music playlists meet the diverse preferences of users. They also address the need for a comprehensive understanding of the services received in the studio. This control empowers users to tailor their experience, ensuring a personalized and holistic service overview.
Testing insights
Questionnaire Frustration
During usability testing of our wireframe designs, users especially those new to yoga became frustrated by the length of a multi-screen questionnaire. The more unfamiliar they were with yoga, the more hesitant they were to complete the quiz.
Solution
Consolidated Screens
During usability testing of our wireframe designs, users especially those new to yoga became frustrated by the length of a multi-screen questionnaire. The more unfamiliar they were with yoga, the more hesitant they were to complete the quiz.
Simplified for Beginners
We eliminated unnecessary questions related to yoga experience, making questionnaire more approachable and beginner-friendly.
A round mat that enhances yoga movement
Circular shape supports wide range of movements
We redesigned the classic yoga mat from this rectangular shape, to a circular shape. This is scientifically more natural for the human body, and is able to take strain away from certain positioning.
Progression circles
are motivational to maintain good poses
In response to users' motivation needs, the circles on the mats serve not only for position correction but also for positive reinforcement, encouraging users to hold their poses correctly.
Interview insights
A rectangular yoga mat hinders movement
8 out of 9 users reported discomfort when exercising on traditional mats. Poses such as lunges or diagonal stretches often feel restricted by the narrow width, forcing users to step off the mat or awkwardly adjust their stance.
Circular shape for natural movement
A circular shape is scientifically more aligned with the natural movement of the human body. This design reduces strain in certain positions, providing more freedom for dynamic poses and allowing users to flow more comfortably without feeling constrained by the mat’s boundaries.
Virtually guided by a smart mirror
Options to personalize the yoga space
Alo is a luxurious brand, personalization is crucial for their customer retention. By allowing users to customize the studio's scent and sound to match their preferences, we activate all their senses, enhancing their overall experience from the moment they start.
Minimal visual implementation, complemented by audio cues, enhances the yoga practice.
Yoga demands a high level of concentration. Recognizing the need to close one's eyes during practice for deeper focus, sound is implemented to provide countdowns for each pose. This audio guidance allows practitioners to maintain their concentration and flow seamlessly through their practice without visual distractions.
Product suggestions
matching performance insights
Product suggestions matching performance insights analyze data from a user's yoga practice, including posture, balance, and flexibility, to recommend personalized products. This fosters a more effective yoga experience tailored to the user's needs and desire.
Concept testing revealed higher demands for customization
Countdown and pose preview aid user readiness
To address users' hesitation and confusion before each pose, the mirror will emulate the instructor's behavior in a yoga class. It will display a demonstration of the upcoming pose before initiating a countdown through sound implementation, allowing users to prepare and transition smoothly.
Bluetooth connection for personal playlist
Recognizing that people enjoy listening to their own playlists, implementing Bluetooth connection can enhance customer satisfaction and connectivity.
A navigation bar with tapping gestures and an accessibility menu
To address the majority of users struggling with navigating the mirror screens using swiping gestures, we prioritize tapping gestures, complimented by an accessibility button. This change provides users with an easier way to explore the mirror screens and enhances their experience.
Product journey mapping eased the design process
The backbone for
our discussions and decision making
We recognized the importance of collaboration and communication. We regularly convened to share ideas, provide feedback, and troubleshoot any challenges that arose. This collaborative approach allowed us to leverage each other's strengths and perspectives, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and integrated final product.
Adaptable to any changes
for product improvement
By visually mapping out the various stages and touchpoints of the product journey, teams gain a comprehensive understanding of the user experience and potential areas for enhancement. Whether it's refining features, addressing user feedback, or pivoting strategy, the adaptable nature of product journey mapping enables teams to navigate changes effectively and drive continuous improvement.
"Best of the best" of Junior Red dot Award
Alo rooms are smart one-person yoga studios...
When November 2023 came around, our creation made it all the way to Berlin, Germany, for the Red Dot Award. Seeing the incredible work of designers from around the world was beyond inspiring. But when Alo rooms was displayed among hundreds of designs, and they called my name for the Junior Prize "Best of the Best" Red Dot Award, my heart raced with excitement...
