VR Sports Training
Individual Project
My Role
Research
Interviews
Prototypes
Testing
UX Deliverables
Research
Interviews
Prototypes
Testing
UX Deliverables
Client
Red Bull
Red Bull
Project Mission
Create new and engaging connections with young consumers, more often in a mobile-native experience with Red Bull's current and new touchpoints.
Research Phase
Research phase for this project began with stakeholder interviews. After clarifying stakeholder expectations, I began working on a secondary research. I looked into case studies that explain the impact of personalization on the app/website, pros and cons of each method, how the research or case study was conducted, results, and future considerations.
Competitive analysis was done on Red Bull’s market position and app features, which was followed by heuristic evaluation of the Red Bull app.
Market Position
App Features
Heuristic Evaluation of Red Bull App
Pros
Cons
The app offers some accessibility features only. It does not have good personalization for users and is geared towards professional sport fans, missing a big chunk of young people, who like to watch sports occasionally and are interested in social contact via the app through some activity.
Qualitative Interviews
The first round of interviews were conducted to discover user habits, energy drink preferences, and familiarity with Red Bull and its products. They were asked about their favorite app, why it appeals to them, and then compare it with Red Bull app. The purpose of this exercise was to find out what users liked and disliked about Red Bull app and learn what changes they would like to see to become regular users of the app.
Karen
“Love Red Bull brand. The drink is very useful, helps during studies. Many students need energy drinks.”
Karen is currently a student and a big sports fan. She uses Red Bull app regularly and is happy with the content. Some things that could make the app more attractive for her are life events with tickets being offered on RB app and promotions.
“Love Red Bull brand. The drink is very useful, helps during studies. Many students need energy drinks.”
Karen is currently a student and a big sports fan. She uses Red Bull app regularly and is happy with the content. Some things that could make the app more attractive for her are life events with tickets being offered on RB app and promotions.
Malak
“I would like to see more esports and music content.”
Malak is actively involved in sports and events and he is using ESPN app to check out the scores and get sports news. He thinks that Red Bull app has a good content for a sports fan, but it misses the mark for him because there is no information on the types of sports and events that he is interested in.
“I would like to see more esports and music content.”
Malak is actively involved in sports and events and he is using ESPN app to check out the scores and get sports news. He thinks that Red Bull app has a good content for a sports fan, but it misses the mark for him because there is no information on the types of sports and events that he is interested in.
Valerie
“Some user centered activity would make the Red Bull app more attractive.”
When comparing Red Bull to Valerie’s favorite app (Youtube), it became obvious that the content of the Red Bull app does not appeal to an average sports fan. There was no “fun content” or an activity that would attract her to use the app.
“Some user centered activity would make the Red Bull app more attractive.”
When comparing Red Bull to Valerie’s favorite app (Youtube), it became obvious that the content of the Red Bull app does not appeal to an average sports fan. There was no “fun content” or an activity that would attract her to use the app.
Quantitative Interviews
Solution
When the research phase was concluded, I started analyzing the results. Most of the users preferred coffee over any other energy drink, watched sports occasionally, and enjoyed attending events of various nature. Users also preferred Youtube over other streaming websites due to its personalization features. Many of them said they were missing engaging content or a user centered activity on the Red Bull app and didn’t like the fact that they had to keep scrolling and clicking in a search for a content that would appeal to them.
Based on this information I concentrated my attention on creating a user centered activity on Red Bull app to give an incentive to users to utilize the Red Bull app. I wanted to make it fun and immersive experience, so I began looking into AR and VR technology. Taking into consideration Red Bull’s dynamic identity I wanted to relate my project to sports and include an educational element in it. My solution to the lack of engaging content on Red Bull app for amateur athletes (and those who would like to become one) was VR Sports Training.
Prototyping Phase
Prototyping phase began with a concept poster that described the problem, the idea(s), and had deadlines for each phase. Afterwards, I started working on my lo-fi and hi-fi digital screen prototypes that would take the user from Red Bull app to the VR training. For the VR training itself a video prototype was made.
Concept Poster
Lo-Fi Digital Prototypes
Hi-Fi Digital Prototypes
Testing
During the prototype testing I discovered that participants had different levels of comfort with icons used for my prototypes. Suggested changes were related to the position and the style of these icons. For the video prototype resizing the font, adding a title to one of the screens, and adding a sound were pointed out as things that could be changed to improve the prototypes. This feedback allowed me to make the necessary changes to my prototypes to make them easier to understand and navigate.
Anna
“The VR button on the first screen has a totally different format from the rest of the page.”
Diana
“ It is a great idea, but I am used to a different style of start icon on the video [4th screen].”
“ It is a great idea, but I am used to a different style of start icon on the video [4th screen].”
Louis
“There is nothing out of place. The video reflects the VR environment.”
“There is nothing out of place. The video reflects the VR environment.”
Final Thoughts
In general, users were either excited or a bit doubtful about the training in VR setting, which was due to the presence or absence of the experience/interest with virtual reality. Users that were younger were usually more excited about the experience than those who were older. Several more screens and a video for the VR ski training are going to be added to this project along with other deliverables that are currently being redesigned.