UAre App
Changing the way people move, build support networks, and adopt healthy habits
Role
Lead designer
Timeline
April - June 2022
Project overview
UAre is a health tech startup focused on helping people move better, build meaningful support networks, and build healthy habits. The project began with a goal to validate the app concept and secure investment. Off the back of positive feedback and funding success, the scope expanded, and I led the end-to-end design of the full UAre app, from initial workshops through to final handover. Today, the app is successfully launched on the App Store, gaining traction with early adopters, and continuing to secure investor interest as it scales in the health and wellness space.
My contribution
As the lead designer on this project, I ran all in-person stakeholder workshops, helped shape product strategy, and was responsible for the full UX and UI design. I worked closely with the co-founders to turn early ideas into clear product requirements and collaborated with developers to ensure a smooth handover and implementation. Midway through, I was joined by another designer who supported the work by contributing to UI elements remotely, while I remained responsible for driving the overall design direction, experience, and stakeholder engagement.
Reflections
This project gave me a front-row seat to the full product development cycle in a startup setting - tight timelines, evolving priorities, and a lot of moving parts. I learned how to balance quality with speed, when to advocate for design, and when to flex to meet real-world constraints.
Facilitating workshops helped align a diverse stakeholder group, and being embedded in the team allowed me to shape a product that felt true to their vision. More than anything, this project strengthened my ability to work cross-functionally, solve problems creatively, and design with both users and business goals in mind.
Transforming Ideas into Action Through Workshops
To kickstart the project, we organised a series of workshops with key stakeholders to align on business objectives, understand the target audience, and define the core features of the app. This collaborative approach allowed us to shape a clear strategy for development. To secure early investment, I created a "quick and dirty" clickable Figma prototype in Figma to showcase the app’s key features, helping to attract the necessary funding for full-scale development.
With funding secured, we moved into full development. Our collaboration continued smoothly as we worked to expand the app’s features and refine the user experience. Regular workshops and design reviews with the co-founders ensured the product evolved in line with business goals and user needs. This ongoing collaboration was essential for refining the app, improving its design, and keeping the project aligned with our vision.
Key screens designed to showcase the app’s core features and purpose, used to secure full investment.
Bringing the Vision to Life
A key focus from the start was making sure the app felt personal and relevant to each user’s goals and needs. We put a lot of care into shaping the onboarding experience to capture important details like fitness levels and goals. We also integrated with third-party platforms like Garmin, making it easy for the app to plug into users’ existing routines and deliver a more tailored experience. Another central feature was the ability to connect with mentors and experienced athletes. We designed two distinct user flows - one for those looking for support and another for those providing it, making it easy to build genuine connections and support within the app, tying back to the core business goal of fostering a strong sense of community.
To support a smooth and scalable design process, I created a design system that covered key components, typography, colour, and layout styles. This ensured visual consistency across the app and made it easier to roll out new features quickly. The system also helped streamline collaboration, and made handovers to developers more efficient, with clearly defined patterns and reusable elements that sped up implementation.
Throughout the project, I collaborated closely with the development team to ensure smooth design handovers and fast iterations. Regular check-ins with the co-founders kept us aligned with business goals, while the agile team dynamic helped us meet tight deadlines and deliver a high-quality product.
Today, the app has been successfully launched on the App Store, valued by early adopters, and continues to attract investment as it evolves in the health and wellness sector.
