Ryan Beck - Vert

Vert | Social Network App

(Case Study)

Vert

An iOS app built to help female action sports athletes progress in the field they are passionate about, connect with like-minded individuals, and help them get recognized by today’s leading brands.

Role

Concept, UI/UX Design, and Graphics

Software Used

Figma, Adobe XD, and Maze

Duration

Jan - March 2021

View Prototype

The Problem

“People are always trying to put women lower than the guys. This is why we aren’t getting paid as much and why we shouldn’t get paid as much. If given us the chance, we can definitely show that women deserve it.”

-Hailey Langland

Professional Snowboarder - X Games Gold Medalist & 2 Time Olympic Athlete

User Interviews

I created a comprehensive discussion guide to help guide me along my interview process and keep me on track. I was able to set up interviews with the following profiles:

One Male Athlete

One Recreation Enthusiasts

Two Female Athletes

One, Male Athlete

Josh has been involved in the snowboard industry since a teen. Now thirty-six, his primary focus is exploring as much of the backcountry on the weekends. You can catch him riding mountain bikes on his local trails and helping local brands with digital advertising

One, Recreation Enthusiast

Jana is a 26-year-old outdoor enthusiast. You can catch her playing volleyball at local beaches, going for weekend hikes, or at her local yoga studio in her free time.

Two, Female Athletes

Becky, 21 is still actively competing in local professional contests and looking for the next big jump in her career. Dana is 32 and has been involved in the snowboard industry for over 20 years and looking to mentor the next up-and-coming female athletes.

Interview Goals

• I hope to discover how to approach my sports network

• Could my app succeed if it was gender specific?

• How could I get my app to trend amongst other social networks (Strava, Instagram, and Facebook)

View Interview Discussion Guide

My Findings

PERSONAL DISCOVERIES

● Women athletes still aren’t making closely what male athletes are making.

● Prize money isn’t the same. Surfing is the only sport getting equal prize pots.

● Sports networks are trying to include women athletes but it’s not enough.

● In effect starting Jan 2020 California has a new equal-pay act for athletes.

USER RESEARCH

● You can leverage social media to get recognized just about anywhere.

● Contests and product testing would increase user engagement.

● Direct contact point to ease communication between athletes and team managers.

● The gender-specific app was a hit, there are networking groups but no specific app on the market.

● Would be great to have a platform that helps future athletic careers.

Strava

Icon Source

Instagram

Analyzing Competition

STRAVA

Made for athletic enthusiasts. Strava, Gamifies fitness tracking to make
working out fun.

ICON SOURCE

Provides a secure platform for brands to connect with athletic influencers and boost company visibility.

INSTAGRAM

Connects B2C, but fails at connecting with everyone. Businesses tend to overlook the talent and hesitate to communicate with influencers that have low engagement.

MAIN PERSONA

Athletes that need a platform to help further careers and can’t afford an agent. Will participate in contests and are enticed for potential free product.

SECONDARY PERSONA

Successfully made it and wants to give back to the industry by mentoring the upcoming generation athletes.