© 2026 RIWON KWON. All rights reserved.
Creating an Attractive Social Fitness Tracking Experience using AR
WHY THIS MATTERS
MORE WAYS TO EXPLORE
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ROLE
UX Designer
Human-Centered Design
Behavior-driven UX
UIUX Design
Iteration & Prototyping
End-to-End UX Ownership
TEAM
2 PMs @Lifefesta 3 UX Designer @Lifefesta 3 Front-end @Lifefesta 2 Back-end @Lifefesta 1 3D Modeler @Lifefesta
DURATION
Sep 2021 - Jun 2023
INTRODUCTION VIDEO
This project were introduced in CES 2023
CONTEXT
Missing Social Layer in Location-Based Experiences
In COVID-19's aftermath, people in South Korea became more data-aware through
tracking apps, yet still felt isolated. The infection reduced motivation to go out.
When I joined a fitness startup as its first designer, I was personally motivated to help people reconnect offline, transforming location data into social contexts that made places feel welcoming.
COVID-19 Exposure Alert
COVID-19 Case Map
Public Mask Availability Map
Social Isolation Rate
27.7%
2019
34.1%
2021
* Statistics Korea, Quality of Life 2021
Yet run tracking apps mostly focused on steps and distance, missing the social element. Maps only visualized only GPS data, with almost no sense of shared experience.
Neither offered any sense of shared experience, memory, or social trace.
RESEARCH
Understanding User Motivation
Looked into how people actually used existing fitness apps in their daily routines.
Semi-structured interviews with runners aged 20-30 (n=15)
80% of them didn't explore new routes unless something special happened
Analysis of Strava, Nike Run Club user reviews (n=200)
60% mentioned wanting better place-based features
Design Question
"How might we turn activities into shareable place-based stories?"
Key Insight
Places become memorable when they carry personal stories. People want to share "where something special happened," not just distance/pace data.
IDEATION
From Tracking to Storytelling
I prototyped multiple concepts and tested them with potential users to see which flow felt most natural.
Gamified Tracking
Characters grow as users go out
AR Place Memories
Attach photos to GPS
Social Discovery
See where friends' visited
* Documentation
* Wireframe
SOLUTION
Transforming Locations into Shared Stories
I led UX design for the AR layer, working with 2 designers on the broader app.
My focus was to design the photo-story attachment flow and AR interaction patterns.
Actively explore the world with your fox character!
The more you go out and share your moments with your friends, your fox and tree on the main page grow.
Run Tracker
Start tracking
Record route (GPS data)
End & save with stats
AR Layer
Take AR photo
Attach to location
It becomes a place memory
Social Layer
Share to feed
Friends can visit & add theirs
Result: Routes become social stories. Places gain shared memories.
Run Tracker
Record users' activities on the map
AR Layer
Capture moments in places where users visit
Social Layer
Share activities with friends by posting users' activity summary and AR images
Built a scalable design system
I led the design system, creating 200+ reusable components in Figma. This reduced design time by 30% across the team.
