Outclass
Company Mayfly Ventures
Year 2024
Fitness Studio Management
Empowering Small fitness studio owners
Summary
Outclass, a fitness SaaS startup founded in 2022 by Gabi Johnston, Michelle Le Poidevin and Nick Johnston. Gabi and Michelle, both experienced Pilates instructors and studio owners, struggled with the existing solutions available in the market for small fitness studios. Initially, the product was built but didn't meet the standards they had envisioned. They reached out to my team to completely rebuild the product, from design to implementation, in order to achieve their goals.
My Role
āļø Design Process
In the venture studio world, agility is key for faster returns, making an efficient design process essential. For Outclass, a short 3 to 4-week project, I led the design workshops, gathered requirements, and conducted user research with studio owners and founders. This approach helped the team quickly prioritise features, develop the information architecture, and move rapidly through wire-framing, prototyping, and testing to deliver the final MVP product.
š”I deation and Wireframing
Initial ideas and sketches were developed during the low-fidelity wireframing stage, focusing on information architecture. These were reviewed and refined with stakeholders and studio owners.
š„ļø Prototyping and Testing
Using the low/no-code platform Bubble, we quickly developed front-end prototypes, which accelerated the development process. Early testing revealed mobile functionality limitations, particularly in client check-ins, which we addressed to enhance user experience.
Project Timeline
Week 2 - Define
ā¦ Information architecture (IA)
ā¦ Feature prioritisation
ā¦ Lo-fi sketches
ā¦ Tech review
Week 4 - Deliver
ā¦ High-fidelity prototyping
ā¦ Developer handover
ā¦ Ongoing research plan
Project Goals
Streamline Operations: Automate and simplify management tasks to save admin time.
Enhance Communication: Improve client interactions with automated SMS and email.
Optimise Mobile Experience: Ensure full functionality and ease of use on mobile devices.
Pricing Customisation:
Offer flexible pricing, memberships, and studio branding options.
Improve User Access and Support:
Provide role-specific access and easy support.
Continuous Improvement:
Refine the platform with ongoing user research.
Challenges
š Simplifying Studio Management
Small fitness studios faced challenges managing bookings, client databases, and invoicing. The goal was to streamline these processes for studio managers, instructors, and clients.
š Identifying Competitor Pain Points
Existing competitor products were either too complex or too basic, leaving a gap for small studio owners who needed an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution.
š Transitioning to an All-In-One Solution
Moving from a basic booking system to a comprehensive platform that covered all aspects of studio management, from bookings to client relationships and invoicing.
šāāļø Tight Deadline for Rebuild
The challenge was completing the entire rebuild within a one-month design sprint, requiring rapid iteration without sacrificing quality
Outcome
As the lead product designer, I worked closely with the founders and instructors to deeply understand their day-to-day operations. By gathering key insights, I was able to simplify the product flow and streamline essential tasks such as client management, pricing, invoicing, and integration with the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme). The result was a user-friendly, efficient platform tailored to the specific needs of small fitness studios, allowing them to manage their businesses more effectively and grow.
Dashboard and smart insights
Maximising Studio Efficiency and Client Engagement
The dashboard provides real-time insights into client activity, class performance, and revenue breakdowns. Owners can track signups, engagement, and inactivity to enhance client retention, while notifications for payments and no-shows keep operations smooth.
CRM made easy
Streamlined Booking & Client Management
Outclass offers a seamless, intuitive booking system that simplifies class scheduling and client management for fitness studios. With easy access to attendee information, including membership status, payment issues, and health concerns, instructors can manage client relationships with ease.
Simple setup
All-in-one Platform
Outclass offers a complete, user-friendly platform tailored specifically for small fitness studios. Easily set up classes, manage bookings, and track client information all in one place.
