Performance analytics for swimming clubs

What is Swim Vitals

The idea originated when my children were part of Bexley Swim Club, and we began attending swim meets. At certain galas swimmers times were not recorded . After chatting to a few parents then coaches it became clear there was a real need for a better way to track times and swimmers data.

Why is it a case study

There are several reasons why this is my first case study. It has both web and mobile app elements, I had to learn the intricacies of coaching at a swimming club through research, and it is a data-heavy project that required a fully functioning prototype to be tested poolside. Most importantly though, I learned some hard lessons along the way.

Research Goals

Below are the areas I wanted to explore during the research.

  • How clubs, coaches and parents used swimmers data
  • What was missing from thier current tools and what pain points do they have
  • What the competitors were doing and what tools were available on the market

Research Methodologies

  • In-depth user interviews with coaches and parents
  • Discovery calls with Swim England
  • Competitor analysis to determine the gap in the market

An example of existing data for just one swimmer which demonstrates the scale of the problem

A snippet of the user interview questions and notes from a swim coach session

Here is an example of features translated into user stories and acceptance criteria

Creating a brand

I created a playful water-inspired logo with a vibrant color palette, complementary font, and distinct icon style for a cohesive, recognisable visual identity.

High fidelity prototype and testing

One of the key insights from the initial research was the need to track time trials, unofficial meets, and additional in-race data, such as:

  • Splits
  • Turn times
  • Time to the first 15 meters
  • First glide

To address this, we needed a stopwatch feature within the mobile app. I designed and created a simple clickable prototype to help with the flow, but it really needed to be tested poolside by a coach. To facilitate this, I developed a high-fidelity prototype using Flutter and Firebase and installed it on TestFlight for testing.

Modular based design system

Next, I completed the implementation of a modular design system, which allowed for flexible, reusable components. This approach streamlined the design process and ensured consistency across all platforms.

Final designs

Here are some detailed screens from the desktop version of Swim Vitals, highlighting its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface.

Takeaways from the project

1

Even though I'm aware of the 'Planning Fallacy,' it still manages to catch me off guard from time to time. Despite having wireframes, user flows, and a sitemap, the design process took longer than I anticipated.

2

Be well-prepared and creative when conducting research. There was always a parent available for an interview or feature testing if you approached them during their child's training session. Many welcomed the opportunity, as training can become boring for some parents.

3

The biggest lesson of all: make sure you finish the work to at least give it a shot. Ultimately, the project never got off the ground even though the whole product was designed.