TheGrint
Design an interface that allows users to enter their approach shot information while playing a round of golf.
Design process
For this design challenge, I used the Double Diamond design process, a framework that allowed me to explore divergent ideas and converge them into viable solutions.
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Understand the problem
Emphasize & ask questions
Research & user interviews
Personas
Competitive analysis
Brainstorm features & draw sketches
User flow & low-fidelity wireframes
User flow & low-fidelity wireframes
Current experience
The app's current version reveals noticeable design improvements required, including menu layout, button sizes, and alignment, which directly impact the user experience. Additionally, the app's limited functionality only allows users to input basic data such as tee shots, score, penalties, and putt strokes, thereby restricting the app's ability to track comprehensive shot data.
Problem
Users of TheGrint encounter challenges in smoothly inputting data during play and saving valuable information for future reference in their golfing statistics. To truly elevate the golfing journey, a solution must be designed to enable effortless and comprehensive data input, capturing the full score of a player's performance during every round.
Solution
Introducing an innovative app that seamlessly captures essential approach shot data and provides comprehensive performance analysis. This design not only enhances the user experience but also fosters continuous improvement for golfers throughout their golfing journey.
Primary objective
The primary objective is to offer users a seamless way to input and store data about their approach shots for in-depth analysis, providing valuable insights into their game. With features like club yardage and GPS shot tracking, users can understand their performance and enhance their skills. The app goes beyond data storage, actively tracking users' progress and fostering a deeper understanding of their game.
Who is going to be using the app?
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Golfers of all skill levels
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Golfers who want to keep track of their performance
How is the app being used currently?
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Track hole score
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Putts
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Tee accuracy
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penalties
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Social media
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Stats
What are the users trying to achieve?
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Keep track of their performance within their approach shots.
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Use GPS Rangefinder to understand yardage and course layout.
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With all the data on the performance with each individual club, users can use that information to understand where improvements would need to be made or even help with club selection.
Why are they keeping track of their shots?
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Utilize the data from their shots to improve their game
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To better understand their individual game
Research Analysis
Through user interviews, active users of TheGrint expressed how the app helps them understand their distance, track their missed shots, and evaluate their overall performance. The desire to track performance for individual clubs aligned with the design objective. Valuable feedback was gathered regarding certain UI elements, such as button size and clarity, inspiring a focus on addressing these usability issues to create a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
User interview key takeaways:
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I use golf apps for the GPS and to keep track of my performance or score.
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It helps me understand where I can improve and what I'm doing well on.
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Interviewees care about:
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Individual club yardage (distance)​.​
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Understanding miss shots.
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Putting stokes.
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GIR%.
User Personal
Jordan
Occupation: Sales Rep
Age: 22
Location: San Francisco
Biography
Jordan is an avid golfer and a golf junkie who plays golf a minimum two times a week. Jordan usually walks the course, if he can. Jordan also enjoys keeping track of his score and performance for future reference.
Wants & needs
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Keep better track of every shot.
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Understand his yardage for each club.
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Overall performance on the course.
I always think about how I can improve my game.
Frustrations
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Not knowing his distance for each club
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Information not being saved for future reference to improve his game.
User Personal
Amy
Occupation: Marketing
Age: 25
Location: San Francisco
Biography
Amy has been golfing for one year and she is obsessed with the sport. She goes to the field once a week but practices multiple times a week. She enjoys keeping track of her performance as it helps her practice.
Wants & needs
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Know where she can improve within her game.
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Single source for her golf game.​​
"Practicing the right way is so important to me. That's why I keep track of everything"
Frustrations
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Not knowing his distance for each club
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Information not being saved for future reference to improve his game.
Competitive Analysis
Exploring similar apps like 18Birdies, SwingU, and GolfLogix revealed valuable insights for enhancing TheGrint's user experience. Features such as shot tracking and scorecard summaries provided inspiration for integrating similar functionalities and streamlining data input.
18Birdies:
Another app that provides an experience similar to TheGrint, with the added capability of tracking users' shots. This feature inspired me to explore ways to integrate a similar experience into TheGrint, potentially enhancing its functionality for golfers.
SwingU:
While SwingU doesn't offer shot tracking capabilities, I was particularly drawn to their scorecard summary design. Given that our users desire the ability to save and access their data, integrating a similar design approach could help streamline the data input process and enhance the overall experience.
Low-fidelity wireframes
Before creating wireframes, I sketched my ideas and brainstormed features to enhance the UI for a better user experience.
Before creating my low-fidelity wireframes, I developed a user flow chart to refine the design process and ensure a solid solution.
Low-fidelity wireframes Before designing my wireframes, I started by sketching my ideas and brainstorming some features I can add and changes I can make to the UI for a better user experience. Before starting my low-fidelity wireframes, I first created a user flow chart to solidify the process to designing a solution. By incorporating sketches, features, and user flow charts, the low-fidelity wireframes were designed to enhance the user experience while inputting approach shot data. The aim was to enable users to view their performance in real-time during a round, allowing them to improve their game while enjoying the app.
High-fidelity mock ups/ User flow
To provide users with enhanced insights, I've incorporated new features based on user feedback. Users can now monitor their evolving performance seamlessly, without interrupting their round. This allows users to focus on their stats and make well-informed decisions on the course.
Before Bob's tee shot:
He leverages TheGrint app to enhance his golfing experience. Reviewing the personalized "Shot Analysis", Bob gains valuable insights into the statistics for each club. This empowers him to make informed adjustments for optimal performance and play his best game.
To ensure user-friendly experience, I added a notification at the top, prompting users to stand next to their ball before utilizing the GPS Tracking feature. Research suggest users prefer minimal reading, influencing the different appearance from the wireframe. I allocated more space to the "Accuracy Section' to facilitate tracking approach shots, effectively working with the rangefinder. A clear indicator assures users that the app is actively calculating, eliminating confusion. Based on user feedback, I redesigned the UI to improve navigation between the "Live Performance Tracker" and "Shot Analysis" sections by address the small size and proximity of the back button to the "enter" button.
After Bob's tee shot:
He proceeds to his ball, preparing for the second shot. At the ball, he pressed the calculate button to instantly compute the distance of his tee shot. This real-time information seamlessly integrates into his overall statistics and "Shot Analysis", equipping him with valuable information.
Implementing sliders, users can effortlessly input data on a single screen and navigate back if needed. The redesigned "Putt and Score" section maintains the app's aesthetics while accommodating additional data, balancing familiarity and enhanced functionality. If users need to input another approach shot, they can simply swipe right or press the plus sign to add an additional shot.
Bob hitting approach then finishing hole:
After calculating the distance of this tee shot, Bob proceeds with his second shot, leveraging the app's GPS to determine the appropriate club based on his "Shot Analysis". With a perfect shot, his ball lands on the green. As Bob approaches his ball, he swipes left to calculate his approach. Pressing "calculate" seamlessly syncs the distance of his approach shot with his stats, maintaining an accurate record of his performance.
With each input data, users can continuously fine-tune their game and closely monitor their performance. User feedback emphasized the significance of understanding their approach game and tracking distance. The pivotal "Shot Analysis" feature enhances the golf experience, empowering users to gain valuable insights and optimize their gameplay.
Bob now at hole 2:
He checks his "Live Performance Tracker" and celebrates his updated max driver distance of 254 yards. Excited by his new record, Bob's energy surges as he eagerly continues his game.
My designs
Conclusion
I genuinely enjoyed tackling this design challenge, and I'm confident that my design will enable users to effortlessly input data on their approach shots while leveraging their stats to improve their game. Throughout this challenge, I empathized with the user, drawing from my own experience as a golfer.
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​If given more time to work on this project, I would like to design a widget that enables users to access the app without unlocking their phones so that users can quickly access the app, further enhancing the user experience.
