#ixd503

This is it… The 359th post. This is (probably) going to be the last post of my university life. It has been a long and hard journey that had its ups and downs.

Through the duration of this project, I noticed the biggest change in how I was handling the workload. I noticed how much faster I was creating my illustrations, how much more efficiently I was dealing with coding problems regarding HTML & CSS and how much better my app and website design was looking.

But one change that I am very proud of is my typing. I used to write with very advanced words that were making my written content harder to read. This changed when I listened to Dan’s explanation of why doing this was unnecessary. This change is very meaningful for me, I feel like my typing is much more “personal” now not only in my blog posts but even in everyday conversations on social media. It also means I am spending less time writing because I’m no longer double-checking if my sentences make sense. I know they do because I write them as I think of them instead of dwelling on how to make them longer.

Even before I started university, I wanted to create a boxing app/website that would advance the sport forward. I wanted to make a boxing project that was innovative, motivational, fun and educational. Now my biggest dream has been accomplished. Like I mentioned before, so many people give up the sport after just a few sessions. Motivation, fear and seeing others do so well are all valid reasons why people feel discouraged to come back into boxing clubs. This does not mean the end however; I still want to launch the app within the App Store(s). To do this however, I still have to include video tutorials to make the app much more effective in the teaching stage and I still want to add a lot more sessions. I want the app to last a lot longer than the initial 24-day introductory period, I have already half-achieved this with the introduction of the challenge mode but more needs to be done!

The biggest advantage for me was that I played to my strengths with this project; I mixed my passion for design & boxing to create this app. I knew what newcomers to the sport needed and had coaches, participants and martial arts forums to turn to for help. My project was driven on feedback and understanding and I feel this makes the app unique.

The biggest weakness of the project is that I wanted to quickly advance to the prototyping stage. I feel like I could have focused more on sketching more interfaces, trying out different monograms and playing around more with different colours. This weakness was reduced by the fact that I experimented with the app layout, colour, fonts and monograms later on which led to that huge rehaul and changed the apps direction. I can’t help but think what the outcome would be had I stayed longer in the sketching phase. I’m interested in this because the updated app idea came along when I was experimenting with the digital wireframes. 

https://www.instagram.com/punchandrise/

Website

Research

Pinterest

The design of printed material had to be a statement of the brand. All promotional material features the same content seen through other media and the colours & monogram had to be present in these materials.

Vision

This will be the first app with an easy-to-understand interface, different colours & evolved design. The app is meant to be quick, to-the-point and motivational. This is done to create an app for the future of boxing, where participants are encouraged to try something new.

Purpose

There is nothing better than enjoying a hobby. Punch & Rise has the purpose of motivating participants and helping them develop that enjoyment. To do that, the app helps participants gain confidence before entering the gym.

Community

There is nothing more important than spreading the hobby & community involvement is essential to make a sport viral. From posts to sponsors to community events, this aspect of the app is what will set it apart.  People making photos of their home workout setup while participating in the app is what will bring people together.

Progression

Visiting Boxing Gyms

The gym is where people will first see & hear about the app. This will be done through mentions from the coach & participants, but also through merchandise such as shirts which could be hung on the walls of gyms.  By doing this, newcomers are more likely to become aware of this app thus making it more impactful. 

The coach will first let newcomers use the onboarding app before they come into the gym for sessions, this will save the coaches time & let them focus on motivated participants who will stay there in the long run.

Merchandise

Obtainable

These would consist of items like shirts, boxing gloves, shorts & water bottles. Essentially, they would be items that can be purchased, won or given. These items are designed to raise knowledge and curiosity regarding Punch & Rise.

Local

Kickstarter

A Kickstarter would be done before launch. This would help see if people have a positive outlook regarding the app idea & help make critical adjustments from people who will genuinely support the development. Merchandise would be given to people who would fund certain amounts. These would be called starter packs where common boxing equipment (created by Punch & Rise) would be given; gloves, shirts or wraps could be included.

The need for a Kickstarter is immense. It would help build the brand, roll out the app smoothly, sponsor community events & help with getting gyms onboard with the idea.

The main technologies were paper, Affinity Designer, Affinity Publisher & Invision. There were other technologies used too such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, Tumblr (of course), Pinterest & Miro.