Case study / Product design & UX
Same route, every day. Motivation goes first.
Tarin helps people find new walking, jogging, and running routes at home or in a new city, and keep track of their progress.
12 weeks
Product manager, UX design lead
Lara Mendez, Isabela Muñoz
Survey, depth interviews, focus group, journey mapping, usability testing
Route discovery for walkers, joggers, and runners
Mobile app concept with route directory, navigation, and progress tracking
01 / The problem
Repetition is what makes a routine stop working.
People struggle to find new routes to vary and stay motivated in their daily workouts. Research shows that diverse experiences in a workout routine can lift mood, but finding a route that is safe, scenic, and the right length is harder than it sounds.
The goal
To make route searching simple for people who want variety in their daily walk, jog, or run.
02 / Research
Three methods, one target group.
Quantitative
We surveyed people who walk, jog, or run as their daily movement. Synthesis produced two journey maps and three main pain points in exploring a new route, and helped us narrow the target demographic.
Scenery, distance, weather
The top three factors people weigh when planning a route.
45% plan ahead
Almost half plan their route before heading out.
Qualitative
Nine interviews and one focus group with five people in our target age gave first-hand insight and refined the initial solution.
03 / The reframe
How might we create a tool that helps people find safe and scenic routes while ensuring an efficient workout?
Interview results
- Main motivation: stay healthy, control weight, release stress, and complete personal goals.
- The most common emotions are happiness, tranquility, and an adrenaline rush.
- For most people it is easier to stick to a route they already know.
- Google Maps and Apple Watch are the main tools used when working out while traveling.
- Bicycle routes, closed streets, unsafe areas, and unfamiliar places are the main causes of dissatisfaction when exploring somewhere new.
- Scenery, safety, weather, and distance are what people weigh when recommending a route to someone else.
Expert interviews
- Achieving personal goals is what motivates experts to run.
- Runners choose the right attire and hydrate to prepare for a workout.
- Google Maps and Garmin are the main tools runners use to complete training while traveling.
- Runners believe traveling affects their training.
- Scenery, safety, and level of difficulty are what runners weigh when suggesting a route to others.
Focus group
- A simple logo that relates to the name of the app.
- Interest in how the information is gathered.
- Notifications about what is happening nearby.
- Voice notifications for guidance.
- Progress shown over time.
- Routes verified by the team, for security.
- People would mainly use the app while traveling.
- The option to share a route with others.
04 / The solution
Introducing Tarin.
Tarin provides alternative routes and challenges for dedicated runners, joggers, and walkers who want to keep exploring while tracking their achievements.
First low-fidelity screens from the initial design round
05 / User testing
Three major improvements after feedback.
Based on testing feedback we iterated the design in three places.
Bottom navigation bar
A simpler, clearer navigation bar that all users could understand.
Run directory
A new screen listing the selected route type with a short description, rating, and image for each, so users get a preview without opening every route.
Map and route search
We moved the map and nearest routes off the homepage into separate screens, so users can browse, filter, and then select the route they want.
06 / The app
Discover, choose, navigate, track.
Discover your next route
Whether you want to walk, jog, or run at home or in a new destination, Tarin has your back. All routes are verified by experts and reviewed by other users.
Pick the perfect route
Clicking on the image gives detailed information for each route, reviews from other users, and more images.
Navigate
Written and audio instructions, along with elevation changes and live alerts.
Keep track of your progress
Log all your routes in a personalised screen, and easily find your favourites for next time.
07 / Outcome
A route directory people can trust.
Tarin closes the gap between wanting variety and finding it: routes verified by experts and reviewed by other users, filtered by the things people actually weigh, and logged so progress stays visible over time.
