inTouch

Design Problem: Create a Weight Watchers application for the iPhone that will keep members using the application and actively involved in the Weight Watchers program.

Teammates: Burr Walker, Joe Yelochan

Concept: inTouch is an iPhone application that provides Weight Watchers members a way to keep in touch with their Weight Watchers community on-the-go.

We began by investigating why people quit Weight Watchers, and how to encourage them to stay with the program. Through interviews with a former Weight Watchers meeting leader, we discovered that community support was an important part of success in the Weight Watchers program. Members who attended meetings regularly lost more weight than members who did not attend meetings, and members who attended meetings with a "buddy" attended the most regularly, and lost weight most successfully.

With this in mind, we set out to create an application that takes advantage of the unique capabilities of the iPhone to provide support and encouragement. We discussed potential methods of supporting this community aspect of Weight Watchers, and settled on a mentor system and location-based commenting and communication. The strength of the iPhone is that it stays with you all the time, and provides quick and convenient access to a wealth of resources. Users may find applications that provide information or education useful at first, but often the appeal fades with time. Social networks and contact with supportive mentors provide lasting value.

inTouch uses an internet-based mapping system and the iPhone's GPS capabilities to keep track of where a user is. Users can leave comments associated with a particular location, which will then be visible to other inTouch users when they are in that same location. The iPhone vibrates or makes a small alerting sound (chosen by the user) to indicate that comments are visible in the user's current location. The user can pull out the iPhone to find out what people have been saying about a location and leave new comments.

The inTouch application works together with a system of mentoring within Weight Watchers. WW members who have successfully reached their weight-loss goals agree to mentor new members. Each mentor has a small number of members with whom they keep in contact, to check in on progress and provide encouragements. Mentors can use inTouch to keep in touch with their mentees asynchronously, communicating with them based on associations with particular places or activities. For example, a mentor might leave meal-planning tips at the grocery store, and encouragement to exercise at a gym or park.