The 5 and Go! story: Turning user insights into an intuitive app design

Introducing 5 and Go! — the pioneer in digital-to-physical social interaction:

Just as the 5 and Go! app encourages real-world connections, the company’s collaboration with Yalantis is built on ongoing dialogue and shared problem-solving. Follow along as we tackle each design challenge together.

Together with Yalantis, 5 and Go! designed and developed an iOS game with geolocation functionality. The app offers the chance to meet other players in real life through brief, fun, curated challenges.

Our app development process focused on a user-centric approach, yielding the following results:

• 4.9-star App Store rating
• A growing base of registered users
• Intuitive onboarding process to reduce drop-offs
• Engaging gamification elements encouraging daily app use
• Visually appealing social impact tracking, motivating continued engagement
• Accessible design catering to users with different comfort levels in social situations

1. Balancing fun and purpose: Create an engaging interface that keeps users coming back without undermining the goal of real-life interactions.
2. Catering to diverse users: Design a UX that is appealing to both social butterflies and those hesitant about real-world interactions.
3. Gamifying reality: Develop game-like elements that motivate real-world actions while keeping users engaged with the app.
4. Visualizing impact: Show users the positive effects of their real-world interactions to encourage continued engagement.
5. Innovating in a niche space: Create a location-based app that encourages face-to-face social interactions to improve mental well-being while differentiating from existing social apps.
6. Communicating a novel concept: Convey the app’s purpose and value proposition to users unfamiliar with this unique blend of social interaction, mental health, and gamification.

1.  CAPTURING THE POWER OF USER FEEDBACK WITH USABILITY TESTING

To truly understand the app’s users, 5 and Go! and Yalantis joined forces to implement a collaborative usability testing approach:

 1. Developed targeted questions to uncover user needs and pain points
 2. Conducted filmed sessions with actual users to capture authentic reactions and feedback
 3. Analyzed this valuable input to identify key insights and opportunities for improvement
 4. Used these insights to improve the app’s architecture and design

This approach grounded our decisions in real user experiences, providing significant benefits:

2. IMPLEMENTING USER-CENTRIC STRATEGIES

Our usability testing insights guided the implementation of user-centric strategies. In addition, regular events the 5 and Go! team holds, along with user surveys, provide ongoing user input. This allows us to continually refine the app and meet user expectations, which has led to the following enhancements:

Visual-first, action-focused design:

• Adopted a 1 action, 1 screen structure, simplifying task completion
• Prioritized images and animations over text to match user preferences
• Created intuitive app onboarding with storytelling elements to clarify the app’s purpose
• Added a “More” menu for simplified navigation

Refinement of gamification features:

• Designed pair challenges with clear instructions for collaborative actions
• Developed location-based challenges for engaging real-world exploration (e.g., interactive museum tasks)
• Optimized daily challenges as the app’s central, most valued feature that encourages positive actions like reaching out to friends
• Introduced a step counter to encourage physical activity

Personalized user experience:

• Introduced challenge categories (friends/family, acquaintances, strangers) for user comfort
• Implemented a “Social Fitness Score” to visually track social progress
• Created engaging characters (unicorns, pandas, and even a pickle) for a fun experience — because why not?
• Developed in-app video recording for user-generated content

Resource-efficient development:

• Tested key features on prototypes before full development, saving resources
• Continually refined designs based on ongoing user feedback, ensuring each update improved the user experience

By prioritizing user needs and constantly refining based on feedback, we didn’t just create features users love but also:

• reduced development costs by focusing on high-impact features
• boosted revenue potential by creating highly engaging, habit-forming experiences
• increased user acquisition through improved word of mouth and App Store ratings

Feature #1. Increased user engagement and retention with daily challenges

Daily dose of positivity: Users complete quick, mood-boosting tasks like recalling happy memories or contacting friends. They document experiences, building a personal positivity history. The interface with engaging animations keeps users coming back daily.

Real-world exploration: Location-based challenges, like finding a meme-worthy exhibit in a museum, make everyday spaces more engaging. These fun and interactive tasks encourage users to see their surroundings in new ways, promoting both physical activity and mental stimulation.

Feature #2. Enhanced user satisfaction and word-of-mouth marketing with pair challenges

Creativity meets connection: 5 and Go!’s Pair Challenge feature revolutionizes user interactions. Clear instructions and an intuitive design, including a “Check your partner’s phone!” screen, guide users through collaborative tasks. The unique, enjoyable experience encourages users to invite friends, prompting user-driven invitations.

Feature #3. Improved mental wellness and user loyalty with a Social Fitness Score

Tracking wellness, beautifully: The custom-designed Social Fitness Score visualizes users’ progress in social interactions. Users aim to earn 100 Social Fitness points daily to close their circle. This gamification drives a daily active user base, while a step counter encourages physical activity alongside social wellness. Users can track their steps as part of their overall fitness score.

By gamifying social and physical wellness, 5 and Go! has created compelling reasons for users to return regularly, enhancing both mental well-being and app loyalty.

With an actively growing user base, here’s what we have planned:

• Brainstorming new features to foster even more meaningful interactions
• Developing premium features that enhance the user experience while introducing new revenue streams

The 5 and Go! story isn’t just about an app: it’s about the power of user-centric design to create real-world impact.

With the right approach, any app idea can harness user feedback to evolve into a powerful, feature-rich platform.

Could your vision be the next game-changer?