Noa
fitness companion

App Design

Duration

6 Weeks

Project Type

Classroom Project

Guided By

Jagadish Kumar

Xavier D'Silva

Duration

6 Weeks

Project Type

Classroom Project

Guided By

Jagadish Kumar

Xavier D'Silva

Noa is a fitness companion app that helps beginners feel confident entering the gym. It offers guided support, reassurance, and simple tools that prepare users both mentally and practically for their fitness journey.

Noa is a fitness companion app that helps beginners feel confident entering the gym. It offers guided support, reassurance, and simple tools that prepare users both mentally and practically for their fitness journey.

Problem

Many young adults struggle with gym anxiety due to unfamiliar machines, fear of judgment, and confusion about where to begin. Most fitness apps amplify this pressure by focusing on performance rather than reassurance.


Noa was designed to help ease this anxiety and guide users toward a more confident, comfortable relationship with fitness.

Many young adults struggle with gym anxiety due to unfamiliar machines, fear of judgment, and confusion about where to begin. Most fitness apps amplify this pressure by focusing on performance rather than reassurance.


Noa was designed to help ease this anxiety and guide users toward a more confident, comfortable relationship with fitness.

Research Overview

Key Findings

I conducted surveys and interviews with over 170 participants, including beginners, regular gym-goers, and trainers, to understand how gym anxiety affects behaviour, motivation, and consistency.

I conducted surveys and interviews with over 170 participants, including beginners, regular gym-goers, and trainers, to understand how gym anxiety affects behaviour, motivation, and consistency.

Insights

Survey insights revealed four main triggers that shaped Noa’s design direction right from the start.

Survey insights revealed four main triggers that shaped Noa’s design direction right from the start.

Target Audience

Based on these insights, Noa focuses on young adults aged 18–28 who are new to fitness or returning after a break. This group often feels anxious, self-conscious, or uncertain in gym environments and needs gentle guidance and reassurance to build comfort and consistency.

Based on these insights, Noa focuses on young adults aged 18–28 who are new to fitness or returning after a break. This group often feels anxious, self-conscious, or uncertain in gym environments and needs gentle guidance and reassurance to build comfort and consistency.

Competitive Landscape

How the app evolves with the user

Information Architecture

Low Fidelity Screens

Started with quick sketches exploring calm, approachable layouts that didn’t overwhelm the user.

Started with quick sketches exploring calm, approachable layouts that didn’t overwhelm the user.

Visual Identity

Noa’s design centres on comfort and reassurance, using soft pastels, approachable typefaces, and friendly illustrations to create a calm, non-intimidating gym experience. It intentionally avoids the intense, performance-driven style of typical fitness apps.

Key Features

Noa’s core features work together to simplify the gym experience and support users at every stage of their journey.

Noa’s core features work together to simplify the gym experience and support users at every stage of their journey.

High Fidelity Screens

Once the low-fidelity wireframes were refined through feedback, they were developed into high-fidelity screens with a clean, cohesive, and reassuring visual style.

Once the low-fidelity wireframes were refined through feedback, they were developed into high-fidelity screens with a clean, cohesive, and reassuring visual style.

  1. Onboarding

Designed to make users feel comfortable from the start, the onboarding flow gathers essential details gently and keeps the process short. It concludes with an optional video designed for first-time gym-goers to introduce basic gym terms and foster familiarity.

  1. Home

Designed as a calm starting point, the home screen provides users with a quick overview of their day, from workouts and energy trends to mood reflections. It encourages consistency without pressure, offering gentle insights and motivation.

Designed as a calm starting point, the home screen provides users with a quick overview of their day, from workouts and energy trends to mood reflections. It encourages consistency without pressure, offering gentle insights and motivation.

  1. Workout

A motivating and straightforward workout flow that guides users through sets, reps, and rest while offering reminders and gentle encouragement. During breaks, it nudges users to hydrate and stay mindful.

A motivating and straightforward workout flow that guides users through sets, reps, and rest while offering reminders and gentle encouragement. During breaks, it nudges users to hydrate and stay mindful.

  1. Guides

A library of tools and readings from breathing and grounding to gym basics and articles built to help users learn, calm down, and prepare confidently.

A library of tools and readings from breathing and grounding to gym basics and articles built to help users learn, calm down, and prepare confidently.

  1. Post Workout

After each session, users earn badges for effort and consistency, not numbers. They’re also asked to reflect on their mood, which helps Noa understand their emotional progress and adjust plans accordingly.

  1. Circle

A social space to share small wins, find encouragement, and connect with others managing gym anxiety. It helps users feel less alone and builds a sense of progress through community.

A social space to share small wins, find encouragement, and connect with others managing gym anxiety. It helps users feel less alone and builds a sense of progress through community.

  1. Profile

Houses user details, earned badges, and settings, giving quick access to preferences, plans, and account controls in one place.

Houses user details, earned badges, and settings, giving quick access to preferences, plans, and account controls in one place.

  1. AI Companion

AI Companion

A 24/7 companion offering instant guidance, motivation, and reassurance whenever needed.

A 24/7 companion offering instant guidance, motivation, and reassurance whenever needed.

Future add-ons

Noa could expand into a connected wellness ecosystem, linking with Apple Health, sleep, and period trackers for deeper personalisation. Features like voice-guided support, an AR gym scan, and an Apple Watch app could extend Noa’s calm guidance beyond the phone, creating a more holistic mind–body experience.

Noa could expand into a connected wellness ecosystem, linking with Apple Health, sleep, and period trackers for deeper personalisation. Features like voice-guided support, an AR gym scan, and an Apple Watch app could extend Noa’s calm guidance beyond the phone, creating a more holistic mind–body experience.

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