Gamifying Community in WATERROWER Connect
Leaderboards and challenges raised daily active users 40 % and 30-day retention 25 %
Problem
The app tracked workouts brilliantly but felt empty. Without social hooks, users rowed in silence and churned after a handful of sessions.
Outcome
+40 % daily active users, +25 % 30-day retention, NPS +8 (“I finally feel part of a rowing family”).
Role
Product Designer
Team
2 Engineers, 1 Product Manager & Me
Timeline
Aug 2024 → Oct 2024
Why community?
Analytics showed that use fell the day after people hit their first personal record. Short hallway chats explained why. Rowers missed the buzz of training with others.
Our goal was to add community without making the app feel heavy. We chose three features: a live leaderboard, a weekly race that restarts every Monday, and an auto-share feed that posts every workout if the user flips one toggle in onboarding. The aim was to turn solo metres into shared moments.
🔒 NDA-Protected Project
The full story is under wraps. Drop me a note and I’ll happily share more!