Runville Habit Builder Case Study

As the UI designer for Runville, a lifestyle learning app that helps people create sustainable running routines, I focused on simplifying the experience for beginners. The product already showed promise with more than 1,000 downloads, strong satisfaction scores, and a cost per download that was 3× lower than similar apps. My work centered on keeping that momentum by pairing personalization features with accessible design.

Challenges Identified

• Navigation friction: Most users were from Kazakhstan and new to learning apps. They often struggled to find key areas such as the workout library or the start run button, generating a steady stream of support emails.
• Exhausting week planning: The original onboarding required lengthy weekly planning forms. Casual runners who wanted a quick workout found the process overwhelming and frequently dropped off.
• Limited shareable moments: Community-minded runners wanted creative ways to celebrate their progress and promote the app organically.

Ideation and Solutions

Feature 1: Onboarding Stories

I designed a six-story onboarding flow inspired by Instagram. Each story highlights a core feature, demonstrates the relevant taps, and sets user expectations. This format immediately answered the most common support questions and reduced the time it took for users to feel confident exploring the interface.

Feature 2: Daily Session Generation

To eliminate choice paralysis, we shifted from weekly planning to a single adaptive daily workout. The session draws from the information gathered during registration and offers three simple actions: accept, shuffle for a new option, or adjust advanced settings such as intensity or run type. The update respected the behavior of tired or casual runners who just wanted to get moving quickly.

Feature 3: Image Generation Tool

For higher engagement, I designed a lightweight image generator that enables runners to:

• Select from curated templates that match their aesthetic
• Combine them with personal photos and workout stats
• Instantly publish to social channels like Instagram

The feature taps into existing sharing habits and encourages organic app promotion.

Feature 4: Library Tab Expansion

I also mapped the structure for a refreshed library tab that includes:

• Free and premium workouts to support a freemium model
• Expert-written articles on nutrition, marathon prep, and training science
• Quick AI follow-ups for personalized guidance

The goal was to lengthen in-app sessions and demonstrate premium value without creating an overwhelming paywall experience.

Key Outcomes

Together these updates made the app friendlier, faster, and more motivating for new runners. I left the project with stronger instincts for balancing delightful UI moments with accessibility. Most importantly, the work aligned with Runville's mission: help people build lasting habits, not just collect another abandoned training plan.