Guide to “back pocket” app design

It has become easier than ever to create what we call “back pocket” mobile applications. These applications focus less on user interface and more on typical processes that a user goes through with the goal being to limit the amount of time spent on their mobile devices. Unfortunately, many mobile apps still think that adding more screens is the way to go.

How many times have you been to a restaurant, gym, or sporting event and you were told to:

“Download our app.”

I was recently visiting the gym in my hometown and was told to download the gym’s mobile app in order to receive my free pass.

Fair enough.

When I opened the app, I was baffled by how many steps there were to sign in.

Here’s what the process looks like every time I walk into the gym now.

Enter Gym

1. Unlock phone

2. Swipe through home pages to find “health” folder

3. Open health folder

4. Tap on Gym app

5. Scroll through options that 90% of people don't use.

6. Find and tap guest pass box

7. Tap QR code to take me to a screen of the QR code (This step isn’t really necessary seeing as the code scans just fine without tapping on it)

8. Scan QR code at the front desk

9. Begin workout (finally)

If you’ve read our post on The Best Interface Is No Interface, then you’ll see this as a perfect example of “screen-based thinking” — -the idea that everything needs to be done by interfacing with a mobile application.

I applaud the gym for trying to get people involved with new workouts and challenges, but does this really need to be done through the application on our mobile devices?

Let’s think about what people do when they go to the gym.

1. Enter gym
2. Scan key fob or slide card
3. Workout (usually by lifting weights or running on a treadmill)

Where should the mobile app need to fit into this process?

Let’s see if we can turn this mobile application into a “back pocket” app. A “back pocket” app automates routines like the check-in process so that a user never has to pull their phone out of their pocket.

First, let’s at least get rid of the home screen and replace it with a big “Check in” button that takes you to the QR code.

Here’s what our check-in process looks like now

Enter gym

1. Unlock phone
2. Swipe through home pages to find “health” folder
3. Open health folder
4. Click on Gym app
5. Tap “check-in” box
6. Scan QR code at the front desk
7. Begin Workout

That’s a little better, but how can we make it even easier?

Even with some improvements, the gym goer’s experience still has quite a few more steps than the typical process of scanning a key fob. When app-ifying the experience, we need to make the process just as easy, if not easier, than the process we are replacing.

A key component to reducing the number of steps in the app-ified experience is location — what if we could start the check-in process before the user even enters the gym?

Using a tool like SpotSense we can send users a push notification as soon as they enter the gym. This notification can take them straight to the QR code screen.

What does the process look like for the user now

Enter Gym

1. Swipe to open the notification
2. Unlock phone
3. Scan QR Code at the front desk
4. Begin Workout

By using location and sending a simple notification, we have cut the check-in process from 9 steps to 4 steps

But wait, there’s more.

What if we automated the process even more? Again, let’s take a holistic approach and focus on why the user is at the gym: to work out, not check in.

If the system the gym uses to check in members has an API, the SpotSense dashboard can be used to create a geofence-based rule that automatically calls out to the API with the user's information, checking them in.

Now, we have the following process:

1. Enter gym
2. Begin workout

Isn’t that much better?

When building an app for any purpose, it is essential to understand what your users are trying to achieve and make that process as frictionless as possible.

Leveraging a user’s location in your mobile app is a key ingredient in making a back pocket app, and platforms like SpotSense make leveraging location a piece of cake.

Want to create location-based experiences like this one for your app users? Sign up for the SpotSense beta!