UX Researcher

A slow adopter of technology, that is how the competitive fitness industry is often perceived. No longer, if Fit For Free and sister company Sportcity have anything to say on the matter. The two second largest sports chains in the Netherlands have wild plans for their digital products. The UX Researcher has an important role to play in this process.

About Fit For Free

Unleashing a true online fitness revolution, that’s what Fit For Free and Sportcity have in mind. Olympus Investment, the parent company of both brands, aspires to become a state-of-the-art health and fitness platform. Following the acquisition by Bencis Capital Partners in 2018, a new management team has started to realise this ambition. An important element in all this is the focus on ‘digital fitness’.

The digital transformation is in full swing. Based on a successful pilot, a new app was launched at the end of 2019 to help members achieve their personal health goals. As it turns out, many members lose their motivation to exercise due to the lack of a personalised approach and the feeling that they never really have time. The new product therefore offers personalised workouts that you can add to your own online calendar. Furthermore, the app works with a machine-learning-based algorithm. The more someone uses the app, the more personalised to that specific user it becomes.

This is just the beginning. Olympus Investment is working on an integrated fitness journey that goes beyond the confines of the gym. A strong emphasis in the year 2020 will be on conducting a lot of research, investing in product development as well as designing and building new features. The focus is on ground-breaking functionalities inside, but especially outside the gym.

“Our main goal is to become the number one health app. In addition to sports and exercise, we are going to focus more on stress, sleep and nutrition. Think of it as a kind of life coach. This app is in line with our mission of growing old in happy & healthy fashion.” – Tim de Jardine, Chief Product Officer

The basis is already there, but there is still a lot of work to be done to reach the level of ‘gym 2.0’. That is why a new team is currently being formed to further expand this digital transition. One does not simply become the number one health app overnight. To become the best, you need to find out exactly what your users want. The UX Researcher is going to find an answer to this question.

Vacancy: UX Researcher

In the tech lab at Fit For Free, the UX Researcher ensures the perfect user experience of the app. Thanks to his/her researching skills, this person gains a thorough understanding of the user’s wishes. Fit For Free wants the user experience to fit seamlessly with the customer’s needs. A love for behavioral psychology and great commercial awareness are therefore desirable. Through thorough user research, client surveys and an in-depth knowledge of the market, this person makes the digital life coach continuously better and more relevant.

In order to get a clear understanding of the market, the UX Researcher goes out into the field. He or she personally visits the various clubs in the Netherlands to find out exactly what is important to the customers. A perfect command of the Dutch language and strong communication skills are therefore necessary. This person asks the exact right questions that lead to useful insights. Then he/she presents these during the weekly product meeting. Here, the multidisciplinary tech team looks at the learning curve, translates the insights into hypotheses and sets priorities.

In addition to, among other things, performing A/B testing and heading up concept sprints, the UX Researcher has a clear vision regarding his/her field of expertise. This person knows how to get inside the mind of the desired app user and has an inquisitive attitude. And just like Fit For Free, he/she is open to discovering new possibilities. This person reports to the Technology Lead and works from a new office in Amsterdam.

Fit For Free works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Hayke Tjemmes at hayke.tjemmes@topofminds.com for more information.