Background
At the point that I joined this Development Team the User Research for this product had already been completed. The team had already identified and started working on solutions to the durability issues plaguing the current model. Much of the work which needed to be done had to do with redesigning not only the console but also the programming which the user would follow when using the product. Nautilus, the parent company of Schwinn did not employ a single UI Designer at this time and so the work fell upon the research team to create the design and documentation for how the console would function.
The main competitor was the Assault AirBike. Their design which had taken the majority of the market share, was an older Schwinn design which had been reinforced and a new console installed. Reviews for this product were very positive. Wanting to take advantage of advancements since this older model had been produced, the Development team started from the ground up to create a better product all around. Coming off the heels of the recent success of the Bowflex MAX Trainer and it’s unique console; there was a strong desire internally to create a console which greatly improved the user experience.
