Managing Classes Made Intuitive
overview.
425 Fitness is a mobile app for a local gym that helps members browse, book, and plan their fitness classes.
While the gym offers a wide variety of classes, the original app lacked calendar integration and had confusing booking flows — leading many members (including myself) to miss out. This redesign focused on helping users better manage their weekly schedule, whether classes were open or paid, by introducing an intuitive calendar flow and simplifying the booking experience.
Class scheduling clarity
that clearly distinguishes between open (free) and paid classes, reducing booking confusion
Add-to-calendar integration
that lets users save classes to their personal calendar for better weekly planning
challenge.
As a long-time member of 425 Fitness, I noticed ongoing friction with class scheduling — members had no way to save free classes easily, and confusing labels led to missed opportunities.
This project set out to design a lightweight Add-to-Calendar feature to streamline scheduling, reduce confusion between free and paid classes, and minimize missed sessions.
425 FITNESS APP ORIGINAL EXAMPLES
research.
425 Fitness wasn’t the only app with class scheduling, but it was the only one that made it harder than it needed to be. Most classes didn’t require booking, yet were labeled “Full” or “0/0 Enrolled.” There was no way to save or filter classes.
Other apps like 24GO and Orangetheory offered clearer labels and more consistent flows. While not perfect, they set stronger expectations and made class planning feel easier.
24GO
Orange Theory
Seattle Athletic Club
One participant had stopped using the app altogether, choosing to view the schedule through the website instead. The shared thread across all participants was a desire for something simpler, clearer, and less cluttered.
AFFINITY MAP
I started asking myself...
HOW MIGHT WE...
Streamline group class reminders for gym members so they never miss a workout?
HOW MIGHT WE...
Improve class labels so that users can confidently know if a class has space?
This project began with a wide feature set: class booking, personal schedule views, and even calendar syncing. A lot of big ideas in order to solve this issue for users. Ultimately, it became clear that a smaller, focused solution would be more effective.
USER FLOWS
LO-FI SKETCHES
I needed to see if this was the right direction
I tested a rough lo-fi prototype with 5 members to check if the direction made sense. I originally included calendar syncing, saved class views, and a larger feature set — but user feedback told me to scale it back.
Participants were confused by vague class labels like “Book” and “Open,” weren’t sure when they were being charged, and expected a simpler flow. These insights helped me narrow the scope: I dropped calendar sync, focused on clearer language, and introduced a single “Add to Calendar” action after booking.
HI-FI MOCKUP
Five points of confusion, one streamlined solution
Users responded well to the overall design direction, but it quickly became clear that there were still key areas of friction—mostly around clarity and confidence. The wording around booking, the visibility of class fees, and the behavior of certain UI elements all contributed to hesitation or second-guessing. This round of testing helped solidify what still needed work.
FINDING 1
Every participant was confused by the use of “Open” and “Book.” While “Book” felt like the right direction, users didn’t associate it with a paid class. Several assumed it just meant “reserve your spot.”
FINDING 2
Only a few users noticed the $15 drop-in fee during booking—and some clicked “Book” without reading. The cost needs to be clearly visible from the start, both in the class list and at the top of the detail screen.
FINDING 3
The “Add to Calendar” button worked well overall, but some users didn’t expect it to launch their phone’s default calendar app. A simpler, more direct explanation would reduce surprise—especially for older users.
FINDING 4
While users successfully canceled classes, the confirmation message disappeared too quickly. They wanted the moment to linger just long enough to feel complete before being redirected.
FINDING 5
The label “Things To Do” caused confusion. Some users thought it meant optional activities or suggested workouts, rather than their actual saved classes. “Today’s Plan” or “Your Classes” were preferred alternatives.
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prototype.
Lessons in Clarity and Restraint
This project challenged me to improve a real app without overcomplicating the solution. I started with a big feature set, but early testing made it clear: users didn’t want full calendar sync — they just wanted a simple way to save classes they cared about. Scaling back helped me focus on what mattered most.
I also became a sharper observer. Some users read everything. Others clicked through without hesitation. Designing for both taught me that clarity isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Moving Forward
If I had more time, I’d continue refining the schedule view and experiment with lightweight ways to manage saved classes. But this project reminded me: simplicity isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing exactly what the user needs.