ASICS Studio – Fitness App · Accent Portfolio Template

ASICS Studio – Fitness App

UX Design · Strategy & Research · Product Concepting

ASICS came to us with an open challenge:
How could a performance running brand connect with a new generation of fitness-minded millennials in the U.S.?

In Japan and Europe, ASICS was synonymous with holistic fitness. But in the U.S., it was known almost entirely for running. To grow beyond that, the company needed a digital experience that could inspire everyday movement and help reposition ASICS as part of people’s broader fitness lives.

Our task wasn’t to design a specific product yet — it was to explore what kind of digital experience could bridge that gap.

“We know who we are in running. We don’t yet know how to show up in everyday fitness.” — ASICS stakeholder

Process

My Role & Objective

Role: Lead UX Designer & Researcher

Scope: End-to-end strategy and design: discovery, user research, persona development, experience definition, and MVP product design

Success looked like:

Identifying the right audience and opportunity for ASICS’ digital expansion
Defining a digital experience aligned with ASICS’ brand purpose (Sound Mind, Sound Body)
Translating brand trust in running into everyday fitness engagement

Constraints:

Limited brand equity in U.S. fitness market
No pre-defined product direction, strategy had to inform concept
Compressed 12-week window from discovery to prototype

Understanding the Problem

We started wide, exploring what “fitness” meant to our target audience.

Research activities:

10 stakeholder interviews to understand ASICS’ goals and brand perception
20 user interviews with fitness-minded millennials (gym goers, casual exercisers, yoga enthusiasts)
Ran a 3-week diary study with 10 participants
Survey of 500 U.S. adults aged 25–40 on fitness motivations
Competitive audit of digital fitness experiences (Nike Training Club, Peloton, Aaptiv, Calm, Fitbit)

What we found:

Brand awareness was strong, but relevance was narrow. People respected ASICS for running performance, not lifestyle or fitness.
Users sought balance, not intensity. Many described workouts as stress relief or mental reset, not performance training.
Choice overload was real. Users were tired of complex, video-heavy apps and wanted simpler, guided experiences.
People wanted variety, but time was the barrier. Most participants liked class-style workouts but struggled to fit them into busy schedules of work and personal commitments.

“I love studio classes, but between work and kids, it’s impossible to make it on time.” — Diary study participant

During our research one pattern emerged : a large segment of Runkeeper users , people who already tracked runs with ASICS’ existing app, were also doing yoga, HIIT, and strength training on the side. They were mostly using YouTube workouts to fill the gaps between runs.

This insight became the pivot point for our strategy: rather than start from zero with a new audience, we could build traction by designing for Runkeeper’s cross-training users first, a credible bridge between ASICS’ running heritage and the everyday fitness space.

“I use Runkeeper for my runs, but I need something for strength and recovery days. I wish it all lived in one place.” — Runkeeper user interview

Defining the Oppertunity

We reframed the challenge around a new strategic insight:
ASICS didn’t need to reinvent its audience, it needed to expand within it.

The opportunity was to grow deeper into the Runkeeper ecosystem, serving existing runners with cross-training and recovery support, while using that foundation to enter a new category of general fitness.

This meant designing a digital product that could support both run-specific training and everyday fitness needs through a broad mix of classes: strength, yoga, cardio, mobility, and recovery.

To fit real lives, we focused on audio-first workouts with optional video support, designed for flexibility — short sessions that could be done at home with no equipment or at the gym with equipment.

Our design pillars became clear:

Balance and simplicity: workouts that fit around life, not the other way around.
Purposeful motivation: coaching that felt encouraging, not aggressive.
Runkeeper integration: connect the experience back to ASICS’ running heritage while expanding into everyday fitness.

User Needs	Business Needs
Short, flexible workouts that fit into busy lives	Expand ASICS’ footprint beyond running
Cross-training guidance for runners	Strengthen engagement in the Runkeeper ecosystem
Broader fitness options and recovery routines	Build brand credibility in U.S. digital fitness

Ideation & Design Exploration

With the opportunity defined, we explored how to bring it to life.

Early explorations:

Audio-first guided workouts for flexibility and focus
Video-supported movement demos for clarity when users wanted visual cues
Quick-start paths organized by goal, time, or equipment availability
Calm, brand-consistent visual system rooted in ASICS’ “Sound Mind, Sound Body” identity

We created low-fidelity prototypes testing different discovery flows — by workout type, goal, and mood. The strongest performer combined time-based entry (10, 20, 30 minutes) with mood-based discovery (“energize,” “unwind,” “build strength”).

“Sometimes I don’t care what kind of workout it is — I just know I have 20 minutes and want to feel better after.”

Testing & Iteration

We ran two main rounds of user testing:

Round 1 – Concept Validation

8 of 10 participants preferred the “audio-first” experience for convenience and focus.
Users appreciated the tone: “It’s motivating, but not yelling at me.”
Stakeholders saw strong brand alignment.

Round 2 – MVP Flow Testing

Simplified onboarding increased first-workout completion.
Grouping workouts by time reduced browsing fatigue and improved engagement.
Participants loved the variety of class types, “It feels like everything I actually need between runs.”

Feedback confirmed that we’d found the right balance: a platform that supported runners and broader fitness users, all under one brand voice.