RunDot
RunDot
Understanding the People Behind the Performance
Understanding the People Behind the Performance
Understanding the People Behind the Performance
My Role
My Role
Lead UX Researcher
Lead UX Researcher
Impact
Impact
Informed dashboard, features, and content strategy for RunDot 2.0
Informed dashboard, features, and content strategy for RunDot 2.0
Timeline
Timeline
Q1 2025
Q1 2025
The Initial Understanding
We Thought We Knew Our Users... Until We Actually Listened to Them
We Thought We Knew Our Users... Until We Actually Listened to Them
Before research began, our internal perspective on RunDot’s users was shaped by a small but vocal subset: competitive endurance athletes. Product features, messaging, and even UI decisions were based on the belief that our audience was data-obsessed, highly structured, and self-motivated.
This led to early design decisions like:
Rigid training plans with minimal flexibility
Heavy emphasis on advanced performance metrics
Technical language assuming high baseline knowledge
But then we looked at the real usage data and saw friction.
Before research began, our internal perspective on RunDot’s users was shaped by a small but vocal subset: competitive endurance athletes. Product features, messaging, and even UI decisions were based on the belief that our audience was data-obsessed, highly structured, and self-motivated.
This led to early design decisions like:
Rigid training plans with minimal flexibility
Heavy emphasis on advanced performance metrics
Technical language assuming high baseline knowledge
But then we looked at the real usage data and saw friction.
The Problem
The Problem
The current RunDot experience serves a diverse group of users, but without clearly defined, research-backed personas; we lack insights needed to design features and UI that truly align with user needs.
This gap increases the risk of building based on assumptions rather than reality, leading to lower user satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
The current RunDot experience serves a diverse group of users, but without clearly defined, research-backed personas; we lack insights needed to design features and UI that truly align with user needs.
This gap increases the risk of building based on assumptions rather than reality, leading to lower user satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
The Research Approach
Qualitative Research with Real Users to Uncover What Motivates (and Frustrates) Them
Qualitative Research with Real Users to Uncover What Motivates (and Frustrates) Them
Qualitative Research with Real Users to Uncover What Motivates (and Frustrates) Them
The journey began to understand who RunDot was really serving, beyond the initial assumptions. To do that, I conducted a qualitative research study with 65+ RunDot athletes — beginner, returning, casual, and highly structured competitors.
Instead of asking what features they wanted, I utilized the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework to better understand the core ‘jobs’ our users were hiring RunDot for to clarify the context behind their needs.
“What motivates you to run?”
“What do you value most in your running experience?”
“What was going on in your life when you decided to look for a training solution?”
“Before starting with RunDot, what were you hoping it would help you achieve?”
“What, if anything, has frustrated or confused you while using RunDot?”
The journey began to understand who RunDot was really serving, beyond the initial assumptions. To do that, I conducted a qualitative research study with 65+ RunDot athletes — beginner, returning, casual, and highly structured competitors.
Instead of asking what features they wanted, I utilized the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework to better understand the core ‘jobs’ our users were hiring RunDot for to clarify the context behind their needs.
“What motivates you to run?”
“What do you value most in your running experience?”
“What was going on in your life when you decided to look for a training solution?”
“Before starting with RunDot, what were you hoping it would help you achieve?”
“What, if anything, has frustrated or confused you while using RunDot?”
Their stories revealed the emotional and behavioral side of training that internal roadmaps hadn’t captured.
Their stories revealed the emotional and behavioral side of training that internal roadmaps hadn’t captured.
Raw Notes to Real Patterns
Raw Notes to Real Patterns
Raw Notes to Real Patterns
Turning Messy Observations into Meaningful Insights
Turning Messy Observations into Meaningful Insights
Data Collection
Data Collection
Survey responses provided a flood of data and varied stories from runners with different goals, motivations, and frustrations. But raw data alone does not shape strategy — patterns do.
Survey responses provided a flood of data and varied stories from runners with different goals, motivations, and frustrations. But raw data alone does not shape strategy — patterns do.
Synthesizing to Understand
Synthesizing to Understand
To synthesize, I:
Tagged and categorized key insights using an affinity map in FigJam
Clustered behaviors, pain points, and emotional triggers
Framed each persona’s story through the Jobs-to-Be-Done lens:
Trigger: what job are they “hiring” RunDot to do?
Desired Outcome: what progress are they trying to make?
Obstacle: what gets in their way?
To synthesize, I:
Tagged and categorized key insights using an affinity map in FigJam
Clustered behaviors, pain points, and emotional triggers
Framed each persona’s story through the Jobs-to-Be-Done lens:
Trigger: what job are they “hiring” RunDot to do?
Desired Outcome: what progress are they trying to make?
Obstacle: what gets in their way?
By aligning the insights with JTBD, we were able to move beyond demographics and into design decisions. Each persona became rooted in a purpose, not just a profile.
By aligning the insights with JTBD, we were able to move beyond demographics and into design decisions. Each persona became rooted in a purpose, not just a profile.
Four Types of Runners, Four Different Needs
Four Types of Runners, Four Different Needs
Four Types of Runners, Four Different Needs
Our users aren’t one-size-fits-all. We uncovered four distinct personas RunDot must serve
Our users aren’t one-size-fits-all. We uncovered four distinct personas RunDot must serve
Our users aren’t one-size-fits-all. We uncovered four distinct personas RunDot must serve
From Personas to Product Moves
From Personas to Product Moves
From Personas to Product Moves
How Empathy Translated Into Practical Product Improvements
How Empathy Translated Into Practical Product Improvements
Our research didn’t end at understanding users, it directly shaped what we built. Each persona exposed specific unmet needs, and we used those to inform product priorities, interface changes, and feature strategy for RunDot 2.0.
Our research didn’t end at understanding users, it directly shaped what we built. Each persona exposed specific unmet needs, and we used those to inform product priorities, interface changes, and feature strategy for RunDot 2.0.
Persona Feature Insights
Persona Feature Insights
Persona Feature Insights
Mandy – The Motivated Beginner
Insight: Lacks confidence and gets overwhelmed by complexity
Mandy – The Motivated Beginner
Insight: Lacks confidence and gets overwhelmed by complexity
Mandy – The Motivated Beginner
Insight: Lacks confidence and gets overwhelmed by complexity
Jodi – The Busy, Balanced Runner
Insight: Needs flexibility and stress-reducing guidance
Jodi – The Busy, Balanced Runner
Insight: Needs flexibility and stress-reducing guidance
Jodi – The Busy, Balanced Runner
Insight: Needs flexibility and stress-reducing guidance
Chris – The Data-Driven Competitor
Insight: Wants control and advanced performance feedback
Chris – The Data-Driven Competitor
Insight: Wants control and advanced performance feedback
Chris – The Data-Driven Competitor
Insight: Wants control and advanced performance feedback
Elayne - The Holistic Runner
Insight: Views training as part of overall wellness
Elayne - The Holistic Runner
Insight: Views training as part of overall wellness
Elayne - The Holistic Runner
Insight: Views training as part of overall wellness
Mapping Features to User Personas
Mapping Features to User Personas
Mapping Features to User Personas
These weren’t features for the sake of it. Each decision was anchored in real user stories, making the platform more inclusive, adaptable, and human.
Each of these feature improvements/recommendations is mapped to a persona’s needs, but collectively they improve the experience for all users.
These weren’t features for the sake of it. Each decision was anchored in real user stories, making the platform more inclusive, adaptable, and human.
Each of these feature improvements/recommendations is mapped to a persona’s needs, but collectively they improve the experience for all users.
Design Rooted In Real Runners
Design Rooted In Real Runners
Design Rooted In Real Runners
How Real Voices Shaped a More Holistic, Human Experience
How Real Voices Shaped a More Holistic, Human Experience
The personas that were developed didn’t just sit in a research desk, they became a living foundation for product, design, and content decisions.
By grounding RunDot in authentic stories, behaviors, and motivations, we:
Shifted from a one-size-fits-all experience to a more adaptive, inclusive one
Prioritized features that reduced friction and built confidence (not just performance)
Created a system that could be flexible with user’s real lives, not just ideal training plans
The personas that were developed didn’t just sit in a research desk, they became a living foundation for product, design, and content decisions.
By grounding RunDot in authentic stories, behaviors, and motivations, we:
Shifted from a one-size-fits-all experience to a more adaptive, inclusive one
Prioritized features that reduced friction and built confidence (not just performance)
Created a system that could be flexible with user’s real lives, not just ideal training plans
Features & Functionalities to Resolve User Needs
Features & Functionalities to Resolve User Needs
Features & Functionalities to Resolve User Needs
These weren’t features for the sake of it. Each decision was anchored in real user stories, making the platform more inclusive, adaptable, and human.
These weren’t features for the sake of it. Each decision was anchored in real user stories, making the platform more inclusive, adaptable, and human.
Takeaway & The Future of RunDot
Takeaway & The Future of RunDot
Takeaway & The Future of RunDot
RunDot 2.0 Won’t Just Be Smarter, It’ll Be More Human
RunDot 2.0 Won’t Just Be Smarter, It’ll Be More Human
The user persona research didn’t just tell us who our users are, it clarified what they need from us at every step. Instead of designing for an idealized athlete, we started building a product that adapts to real-life runners with real-world constraints, motivations, and needs.
This research led to changes across onboarding, training logic, language, and long-term roadmap planning. Every screen in RunDot 2.0 will reflect the needs, emotions, and behaviors of the people actually using the application.
The user persona research didn’t just tell us who our users are, it clarified what they need from us at every step. Instead of designing for an idealized athlete, we started building a product that adapts to real-life runners with real-world constraints, motivations, and needs.
This research led to changes across onboarding, training logic, language, and long-term roadmap planning. Every screen in RunDot 2.0 will reflect the needs, emotions, and behaviors of the people actually using the application.
*The above image is only a mockup for what the final design might look like*
*The above image is only a mockup for what the final design might look like*