neelakolkar2001@gmail.com
Email copied!
John Deere
Walkathon App
Stride Together: Walk, Track, Compete, and Conquer the John Deere Walkathon! 🚶🏻
About
John Deere, a leader in agricultural and construction machinery, values teamwork and employee well-being. As part of their internal wellness initiatives, they launched the Walkathon—an engaging platform designed to encourage an active lifestyle while fostering a sense of camaraderie among employees.
The Walkathon brought teams together in a step-tracking competition, where participants tracked their daily steps, competed for top spots on a dynamic leaderboard, and celebrated monthly rankings. This initiative emphasized collaboration and friendly rivalry, keeping employees motivated and connected.
To support this event, I designed a sleek and user-friendly app that enhanced the Walkathon experience. The app included:
Leaderboard: Showcasing team and individual rankings in real time.
Step Tracking: Displaying progress through intuitive visualizations.
Login & Signup: Ensuring secure and seamless access for participants.
The Walkathon app became the digital centerpiece of the event, driving participation and engagement while aligning with John Deere’s commitment to innovation and community-building.
ROLE
Product Designer
TIMELINE
3 Months
LOCATION
Pune, India (Remote)
1k+
Total users
engaged
100%
User engagement
and daily visits
Challenge
& Goal
Problems
User Engagement: Designing an interface that motivates users to actively participate and track their progress daily.
Real-Time Updates: Ensuring the leaderboard and step-tracking data update seamlessly without delays to maintain excitement and competition.
Team Dynamics: Highlighting both individual and team performance in a way that fosters collaboration without overshadowing individual efforts.
Simplified Onboarding: Creating a login and signup process that is intuitive and accessible to a diverse user base with varying levels of tech-savviness.
Visual Clarity: Balancing a visually appealing design with clear and concise information for quick navigation.
Goals
Boost Participation: Create a platform that encourages maximum involvement by making step tracking and competition engaging.
Promote Team Spirit: Design features that celebrate teamwork while maintaining the competitive edge of the event.
Enhance Usability: Develop a user-friendly app that is easy to navigate, even for first-time users.
Drive Motivation: Use gamification elements, such as leaderboards and monthly rankings, to keep users motivated throughout the event.
Support Wellness: Align the app’s purpose with John Deere’s broader goal of fostering a healthy and connected workforce.
Key Features
Step Tracker: Automated step counting, progress rings, and achievement badges.
Leaderboard: Real-time rankings for teams and individuals, with monthly updates.
Login & Signup: Simple and secure onboarding process.
Team Competitions: Team-based rankings alongside individual performance.
Gamification: Badges, streak tracking, and notifications to boost motivation.
Monthly Rankings: Fresh rankings each month to keep the competition lively.
Responsive Design: Seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Research
To design an effective and engaging Walkathon app, I started by gathering insights into the goals and expectations for the event. This research phase focused on:
Understanding User Needs:
I interviewed potential participants to understand their preferences for step-tracking apps and wellness challenges. Key insights included the desire for simplicity, ease of use, and features that encourage daily engagement.Event Goals and Structure:
I studied the structure of the Walkathon event—team competitions, real-time tracking, and monthly rankings—to ensure the app aligned with the event's objectives of promoting collaboration, healthy competition, and sustained participation.Competitor Analysis:
I reviewed existing wellness and fitness apps to identify best practices in step tracking, gamification, and team-based features. This helped me refine the app's functionality and design, ensuring it provided a competitive edge while remaining user-friendly.Brand Alignment:
I also examined John Deere’s brand guidelines to ensure the app’s visual style and user experience felt authentic and consistent with the company’s identity.
This research laid the foundation for the app’s design, ensuring it was both functional and aligned with the core values of the Walkathon.
Wireframing and Ideation
To kickstart the design process, I focused on translating the Walkathon's goals into a visual framework. I created wireframes that outlined the key features of the app:
Leaderboard: Designed to highlight team and individual rankings, with an emphasis on clarity and real-time updates to keep users engaged.
Step Tracker: Visualized step counts with progress bars and achievement badges to motivate users as they tracked their daily efforts.
Login & Signup: Simplified the onboarding process with clear forms and prompts, ensuring a seamless entry for all participants.
These wireframes served as the backbone for the app’s structure, helping me ensure that the user journey was intuitive and aligned with the competitive and collaborative spirit of the Walkathon. I prioritized creating a layout that would allow users to quickly access their stats, team performance, and personal progress without feeling overwhelmed.
The wireframes were iteratively refined based on feedback, ensuring that each feature was functional, visually cohesive, and supportive of the event's goals. They set the stage for turning ideas into a dynamic app experience.
Wireframes
Prototyping and UI Design
With the wireframes finalized, I transitioned to crafting a high-fidelity design that was both visually appealing and functionally robust. My primary focus was to create a user interface that reflected the excitement of the Walkathon while staying true to John Deere’s brand identity.
Color Palette and Typography:
I used an energetic yet grounded color palette, blending vibrant tones to symbolize movement and activity with subtle greens and yellows that tied back to John Deere’s branding. Clean, bold typography ensured readability across different screen sizes.Leaderboard Design:
The leaderboard was designed to be the app’s centerpiece. I implemented a visually dynamic layout that showcased team rankings at the top while allowing users to drill down into individual performance. A combination of icons, progress bars, and animations added life to the display, making it engaging and competitive.Step Tracker:
The step tracker was intuitive and motivating, featuring progress rings and daily/weekly milestones. Gamification elements like streak tracking and step badges were added to keep users motivated and invested.Login and Signup:
The onboarding screens were kept minimalistic yet user-friendly. A straightforward design ensured a smooth start for participants, while subtle brand cues added a sense of familiarity and trust.Responsive Design:
Keeping accessibility in mind, I ensured that the app’s UI adapted seamlessly across devices, from desktops to smartphones, ensuring no participant was left out.
The finalized UI brought the Walkathon to life, providing a vibrant, competitive, and easy-to-navigate digital space for participants to engage with the event.
Visual Design & Branding
In designing the Walkathon app, I focused on aligning the visual design with John Deere’s established brand identity, ensuring a seamless connection between the company’s values and the user experience.
Color Palette:
I incorporated John Deere's signature green and yellow tones to maintain brand consistency while adding vibrant accents to energize the design. These colors not only reflect the brand’s agricultural roots but also evoke a sense of vitality and competition in the app.Typography:
I used bold, clean typography that mirrors the straightforward and reliable nature of the John Deere brand. The typefaces were chosen for their legibility and modern appeal, making sure the app felt both professional and approachable.Icons and Graphics:
Icons were designed to be simple, intuitive, and in line with the brand’s visual language. Custom illustrations and icons were used to reflect the Walkathon’s fun, competitive spirit while staying true to the brand’s industrial and robust aesthetic.Brand Consistency:
All design elements, from buttons to progress bars, were crafted to align with John Deere’s visual language. I made sure the app maintained a clean, cohesive look that felt part of the John Deere ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s commitment to quality and teamwork.
By keeping these design elements consistent with John Deere’s identity, the Walkathon app not only felt familiar and trusted but also highlighted the company’s emphasis on innovation, teamwork, and wellness.
Usability testing and Iteration
After initial testing, several iterations were made based on user feedback to refine the app’s functionality and enhance the experience. Here are the key changes:
Leaderboard Layout
Issue: Cluttered design, unclear top performers.
Iteration: Simplified layout with larger fonts and color-coded rankings for clarity.
Decision: Prioritized easy visibility for top performers to boost user engagement.
Step Tracker Feedback
Issue: Static progress rings, low motivation for low-step users.
Iteration: Added dynamic progress bars and achievement badges.
Decision: Motivational elements were added to engage all users, not just the top performers.
Signup Flow
Issue: Confusing multi-screen signup process.
Iteration: Streamlined to a single form with social login options.
Decision: Simplified onboarding to improve participation and retention.
Admin Panel
Issue: Difficulty managing teams and rankings.
Iteration: Developed an intuitive admin panel for easy team management and ranking updates.
Decision: Made the admin interface as simple and efficient as possible.
Gamification Elements
Issue: Overly competitive, disengaging casual users.
Iteration: Added daily rewards and team challenges to include everyone.
Decision: Created a more balanced experience for both competitive and casual users.
Mobile Responsiveness
Issue: Slow load times and layout issues on mobile.
Iteration: Optimized images and interactions for better performance.
Decision: Ensured smooth mobile performance for accessibility on-the-go.
These iterations helped refine the app, making it more engaging, user-friendly, and effective for both participants and administrators.
Final implementation
After thorough testing and iteration, the Walkathon app was finalized for launch. Here’s a summary of the key components that were implemented:
Polished User Interface
The final design incorporated all feedback, with a clean and intuitive UI, ensuring seamless navigation for both participants and admins.
The leaderboard, step tracker, and gamification elements were fine-tuned for maximum engagement and clarity.
Backend Integration
The app was connected with the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
Summary
Outcome
Engagement: The app successfully motivated employees to participate in the Walkathon, fostering a sense of community and healthy competition.
User Adoption: Positive feedback on the app’s intuitive interface and engaging features led to high user adoption rates.
Operational Success: The admin panel simplified event management, enabling organizers to efficiently monitor and update the event in real-time.
Learnings
User-Centric Design: Prioritizing user feedback during testing was key to delivering an app that met participant needs.
Balancing Competition: Incorporating both competitive and inclusive elements ensured engagement from a diverse user base.
Iterative Approach: Regular testing and iteration improved functionality, addressing usability issues early in the process.
Brand Consistency: Aligning the design with John Deere’s visual identity enhanced familiarity and trust.
Responsive Design Matters: Optimizing for mobile devices was critical, as most users accessed the app on-the-go.
Feedback
Participants: Users appreciated the app’s simplicity, gamified elements, and how it made fitness fun and competitive.
Admins: The admin panel was highlighted as a game-changer for its ease of use and real-time control features.
Opportunities for Improvement: Suggestions included adding social sharing options, integrating with wearables, and expanding challenges to include other fitness activities.
This project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, iterative development, and balancing functionality with an engaging experience, setting the stage for future wellness initiatives.ith the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
"The JD Walkathon app completely changed the way I think about fitness. Competing with my teammates on the leaderboard was so much fun—it motivated me to take extra steps every day, even on weekends! The badges and progress rings kept me hooked, and I loved how easy it was to track my progress. Plus, the team challenges brought us closer, making it more than just a fitness goal—it felt like a shared journey. Kudos to the team behind this app for creating something so engaging and easy to use!"
Anonymous Employee
App User & Walkathon Participant
More work this way
Think I’d be a good fit for your team or project? Let’s connect.
Neel Akolkar
Senior Software Engineer & UX Designer. Currently crafting experiences at Capgemini.
© designed & built by NEEL AKOLKAR
made in framer – 2025
John Deere
Walkathon App
Stride Together: Walk, Track, Compete, and Conquer the John Deere Walkathon! 🚶🏻
About
John Deere, a leader in agricultural and construction machinery, values teamwork and employee well-being. As part of their internal wellness initiatives, they launched the Walkathon—an engaging platform designed to encourage an active lifestyle while fostering a sense of camaraderie among employees.
The Walkathon brought teams together in a step-tracking competition, where participants tracked their daily steps, competed for top spots on a dynamic leaderboard, and celebrated monthly rankings. This initiative emphasized collaboration and friendly rivalry, keeping employees motivated and connected.
To support this event, I designed a sleek and user-friendly app that enhanced the Walkathon experience. The app included:
Leaderboard: Showcasing team and individual rankings in real time.
Step Tracking: Displaying progress through intuitive visualizations.
Login & Signup: Ensuring secure and seamless access for participants.
The Walkathon app became the digital centerpiece of the event, driving participation and engagement while aligning with John Deere’s commitment to innovation and community-building.
ROLE
Product Designer
TIMELINE
3 Months
LOCATION
Pune, India (Remote)
1k+
Total users
engaged
100%
User engagement
and daily visits
Challenge & Goal
Challenges
User Engagement: Designing an interface that motivates users to actively participate and track their progress daily.
Real-Time Updates: Ensuring the leaderboard and step-tracking data update seamlessly without delays to maintain excitement and competition.
Team Dynamics: Highlighting both individual and team performance in a way that fosters collaboration without overshadowing individual efforts.
Simplified Onboarding: Creating a login and signup process that is intuitive and accessible to a diverse user base with varying levels of tech-savviness.
Visual Clarity: Balancing a visually appealing design with clear and concise information for quick navigation.
Goals
Boost Participation: Create a platform that encourages maximum involvement by making step tracking and competition engaging.
Promote Team Spirit: Design features that celebrate teamwork while maintaining the competitive edge of the event.
Enhance Usability: Develop a user-friendly app that is easy to navigate, even for first-time users.
Drive Motivation: Use gamification elements, such as leaderboards and monthly rankings, to keep users motivated throughout the event.
Support Wellness: Align the app’s purpose with John Deere’s broader goal of fostering a healthy and connected workforce.
Key Features
Step Tracker: Automated step counting, progress rings, and achievement badges.
Leaderboard: Real-time rankings for teams and individuals, with monthly updates.
Login & Signup: Simple and secure onboarding process.
Team Competitions: Team-based rankings alongside individual performance.
Gamification: Badges, streak tracking, and notifications to boost motivation.
Monthly Rankings: Fresh rankings each month to keep the competition lively.
Responsive Design: Seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Research
To design an effective and engaging Walkathon app, I started by gathering insights into the goals and expectations for the event. This research phase focused on:
Understanding User Needs:
I interviewed potential participants to understand their preferences for step-tracking apps and wellness challenges. Key insights included the desire for simplicity, ease of use, and features that encourage daily engagement.Event Goals and Structure:
I studied the structure of the Walkathon event—team competitions, real-time tracking, and monthly rankings—to ensure the app aligned with the event's objectives of promoting collaboration, healthy competition, and sustained participation.Competitor Analysis:
I reviewed existing wellness and fitness apps to identify best practices in step tracking, gamification, and team-based features. This helped me refine the app's functionality and design, ensuring it provided a competitive edge while remaining user-friendly.Brand Alignment:
I also examined John Deere’s brand guidelines to ensure the app’s visual style and user experience felt authentic and consistent with the company’s identity.
This research laid the foundation for the app’s design, ensuring it was both functional and aligned with the core values of the Walkathon.
Wireframing and Ideation
To kickstart the design process, I focused on translating the Walkathon's goals into a visual framework. I created wireframes that outlined the key features of the app:
Leaderboard: Designed to highlight team and individual rankings, with an emphasis on clarity and real-time updates to keep users engaged.
Step Tracker: Visualized step counts with progress bars and achievement badges to motivate users as they tracked their daily efforts.
Login & Signup: Simplified the onboarding process with clear forms and prompts, ensuring a seamless entry for all participants.
These wireframes served as the backbone for the app’s structure, helping me ensure that the user journey was intuitive and aligned with the competitive and collaborative spirit of the Walkathon. I prioritized creating a layout that would allow users to quickly access their stats, team performance, and personal progress without feeling overwhelmed.
The wireframes were iteratively refined based on feedback, ensuring that each feature was functional, visually cohesive, and supportive of the event's goals. They set the stage for turning ideas into a dynamic app experience.
Wireframes
Prototyping and UI Design
With the wireframes finalized, I transitioned to crafting a high-fidelity design that was both visually appealing and functionally robust. My primary focus was to create a user interface that reflected the excitement of the Walkathon while staying true to John Deere’s brand identity.
Color Palette and Typography:
I used an energetic yet grounded color palette, blending vibrant tones to symbolize movement and activity with subtle greens and yellows that tied back to John Deere’s branding. Clean, bold typography ensured readability across different screen sizes.Leaderboard Design:
The leaderboard was designed to be the app’s centerpiece. I implemented a visually dynamic layout that showcased team rankings at the top while allowing users to drill down into individual performance. A combination of icons, progress bars, and animations added life to the display, making it engaging and competitive.Step Tracker:
The step tracker was intuitive and motivating, featuring progress rings and daily/weekly milestones. Gamification elements like streak tracking and step badges were added to keep users motivated and invested.Login and Signup:
The onboarding screens were kept minimalistic yet user-friendly. A straightforward design ensured a smooth start for participants, while subtle brand cues added a sense of familiarity and trust.Responsive Design:
Keeping accessibility in mind, I ensured that the app’s UI adapted seamlessly across devices, from desktops to smartphones, ensuring no participant was left out.
The finalized UI brought the Walkathon to life, providing a vibrant, competitive, and easy-to-navigate digital space for participants to engage with the event.
Visual Design & Branding
In designing the Walkathon app, I focused on aligning the visual design with John Deere’s established brand identity, ensuring a seamless connection between the company’s values and the user experience.
Color Palette:
I incorporated John Deere's signature green and yellow tones to maintain brand consistency while adding vibrant accents to energize the design. These colors not only reflect the brand’s agricultural roots but also evoke a sense of vitality and competition in the app.Typography:
I used bold, clean typography that mirrors the straightforward and reliable nature of the John Deere brand. The typefaces were chosen for their legibility and modern appeal, making sure the app felt both professional and approachable.Icons and Graphics:
Icons were designed to be simple, intuitive, and in line with the brand’s visual language. Custom illustrations and icons were used to reflect the Walkathon’s fun, competitive spirit while staying true to the brand’s industrial and robust aesthetic.Brand Consistency:
All design elements, from buttons to progress bars, were crafted to align with John Deere’s visual language. I made sure the app maintained a clean, cohesive look that felt part of the John Deere ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s commitment to quality and teamwork.
By keeping these design elements consistent with John Deere’s identity, the Walkathon app not only felt familiar and trusted but also highlighted the company’s emphasis on innovation, teamwork, and wellness.
Usability testing and Iteration
After initial testing, several iterations were made based on user feedback to refine the app’s functionality and enhance the experience. Here are the key changes:
Leaderboard Layout
Issue: Cluttered design, unclear top performers.
Iteration: Simplified layout with larger fonts and color-coded rankings for clarity.
Decision: Prioritized easy visibility for top performers to boost user engagement.
Step Tracker Feedback
Issue: Static progress rings, low motivation for low-step users.
Iteration: Added dynamic progress bars and achievement badges.
Decision: Motivational elements were added to engage all users, not just the top performers.
Signup Flow
Issue: Confusing multi-screen signup process.
Iteration: Streamlined to a single form with social login options.
Decision: Simplified onboarding to improve participation and retention.
Admin Panel
Issue: Difficulty managing teams and rankings.
Iteration: Developed an intuitive admin panel for easy team management and ranking updates.
Decision: Made the admin interface as simple and efficient as possible.
Gamification Elements
Issue: Overly competitive, disengaging casual users.
Iteration: Added daily rewards and team challenges to include everyone.
Decision: Created a more balanced experience for both competitive and casual users.
Mobile Responsiveness
Issue: Slow load times and layout issues on mobile.
Iteration: Optimized images and interactions for better performance.
Decision: Ensured smooth mobile performance for accessibility on-the-go.
These iterations helped refine the app, making it more engaging, user-friendly, and effective for both participants and administrators.
Final implementation
After thorough testing and iteration, the Walkathon app was finalized for launch. Here’s a summary of the key components that were implemented:
Polished User Interface
The final design incorporated all feedback, with a clean and intuitive UI, ensuring seamless navigation for both participants and admins.
The leaderboard, step tracker, and gamification elements were fine-tuned for maximum engagement and clarity.
Backend Integration
The app was connected with the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
Summary
Outcome
Engagement: The app successfully motivated employees to participate in the Walkathon, fostering a sense of community and healthy competition.
User Adoption: Positive feedback on the app’s intuitive interface and engaging features led to high user adoption rates.
Operational Success: The admin panel simplified event management, enabling organizers to efficiently monitor and update the event in real-time.
Learnings
User-Centric Design: Prioritizing user feedback during testing was key to delivering an app that met participant needs.
Balancing Competition: Incorporating both competitive and inclusive elements ensured engagement from a diverse user base.
Iterative Approach: Regular testing and iteration improved functionality, addressing usability issues early in the process.
Brand Consistency: Aligning the design with John Deere’s visual identity enhanced familiarity and trust.
Responsive Design Matters: Optimizing for mobile devices was critical, as most users accessed the app on-the-go.
Feedback
Participants: Users appreciated the app’s simplicity, gamified elements, and how it made fitness fun and competitive.
Admins: The admin panel was highlighted as a game-changer for its ease of use and real-time control features.
Opportunities for Improvement: Suggestions included adding social sharing options, integrating with wearables, and expanding challenges to include other fitness activities.
This project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, iterative development, and balancing functionality with an engaging experience, setting the stage for future wellness initiatives.ith the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
"The JD Walkathon app completely changed the way I think about fitness. Competing with my teammates on the leaderboard was so much fun—it motivated me to take extra steps every day, even on weekends! The badges and progress rings kept me hooked, and I loved how easy it was to track my progress. Plus, the team challenges brought us closer, making it more than just a fitness goal—it felt like a shared journey. Kudos to the team behind this app for creating something so engaging and easy to use!"
Anonymous Employee
App User & Walkathon Participant
More work this way
Think I’d be a good fit for your team or project? Let’s connect.
Neel Akolkar
Senior Software Engineer & UX Designer. Currently crafting experiences at Capgemini.
© designed & built by NEEL AKOLKAR
made in framer – 2025
Think I’d be a good fit for your team or project? Let’s connect.
Neel Akolkar
Senior Software Engineer & UX Designer. Currently crafting experiences at Capgemini.
© designed & built by NEEL AKOLKAR
made in framer – 2025
neelakolkar2001@gmail.com
Email copied!
neelakolkar2001@gmail.com
Email copied!
John Deere
Walkathon App
Stride Together: Walk, Track, Compete, and Conquer the John Deere Walkathon! 🚶🏻
About
John Deere, a leader in agricultural and construction machinery, values teamwork and employee well-being. As part of their internal wellness initiatives, they launched the Walkathon—an engaging platform designed to encourage an active lifestyle while fostering a sense of camaraderie among employees.
The Walkathon brought teams together in a step-tracking competition, where participants tracked their daily steps, competed for top spots on a dynamic leaderboard, and celebrated monthly rankings. This initiative emphasized collaboration and friendly rivalry, keeping employees motivated and connected.
To support this event, I designed a sleek and user-friendly app that enhanced the Walkathon experience. The app included:
Leaderboard: Showcasing team and individual rankings in real time.
Step Tracking: Displaying progress through intuitive visualizations.
Login & Signup: Ensuring secure and seamless access for participants.
The Walkathon app became the digital centerpiece of the event, driving participation and engagement while aligning with John Deere’s commitment to innovation and community-building.
ROLE
Product Designer
TIMELINE
3 Months
LOCATION
Pune, India (Remote)
1k+
Total users
engaged
100%
User engagement
and daily visits
Challenge & Goal
Challenges
User Engagement: Designing an interface that motivates users to actively participate and track their progress daily.
Real-Time Updates: Ensuring the leaderboard and step-tracking data update seamlessly without delays to maintain excitement and competition.
Team Dynamics: Highlighting both individual and team performance in a way that fosters collaboration without overshadowing individual efforts.
Simplified Onboarding: Creating a login and signup process that is intuitive and accessible to a diverse user base with varying levels of tech-savviness.
Visual Clarity: Balancing a visually appealing design with clear and concise information for quick navigation.
Goals
Boost Participation: Create a platform that encourages maximum involvement by making step tracking and competition engaging.
Promote Team Spirit: Design features that celebrate teamwork while maintaining the competitive edge of the event.
Enhance Usability: Develop a user-friendly app that is easy to navigate, even for first-time users.
Drive Motivation: Use gamification elements, such as leaderboards and monthly rankings, to keep users motivated throughout the event.
Support Wellness: Align the app’s purpose with John Deere’s broader goal of fostering a healthy and connected workforce.
Key Features
Step Tracker: Automated step counting, progress rings, and achievement badges.
Leaderboard: Real-time rankings for teams and individuals, with monthly updates.
Login & Signup: Simple and secure onboarding process.
Team Competitions: Team-based rankings alongside individual performance.
Gamification: Badges, streak tracking, and notifications to boost motivation.
Monthly Rankings: Fresh rankings each month to keep the competition lively.
Responsive Design: Seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Research
To design an effective and engaging Walkathon app, I started by gathering insights into the goals and expectations for the event. This research phase focused on:
Understanding User Needs:
I interviewed potential participants to understand their preferences for step-tracking apps and wellness challenges. Key insights included the desire for simplicity, ease of use, and features that encourage daily engagement.Event Goals and Structure:
I studied the structure of the Walkathon event—team competitions, real-time tracking, and monthly rankings—to ensure the app aligned with the event's objectives of promoting collaboration, healthy competition, and sustained participation.Competitor Analysis:
I reviewed existing wellness and fitness apps to identify best practices in step tracking, gamification, and team-based features. This helped me refine the app's functionality and design, ensuring it provided a competitive edge while remaining user-friendly.Brand Alignment:
I also examined John Deere’s brand guidelines to ensure the app’s visual style and user experience felt authentic and consistent with the company’s identity.
This research laid the foundation for the app’s design, ensuring it was both functional and aligned with the core values of the Walkathon.
Wireframing and Ideation
To kickstart the design process, I focused on translating the Walkathon's goals into a visual framework. I created wireframes that outlined the key features of the app:
Leaderboard: Designed to highlight team and individual rankings, with an emphasis on clarity and real-time updates to keep users engaged.
Step Tracker: Visualized step counts with progress bars and achievement badges to motivate users as they tracked their daily efforts.
Login & Signup: Simplified the onboarding process with clear forms and prompts, ensuring a seamless entry for all participants.
These wireframes served as the backbone for the app’s structure, helping me ensure that the user journey was intuitive and aligned with the competitive and collaborative spirit of the Walkathon. I prioritized creating a layout that would allow users to quickly access their stats, team performance, and personal progress without feeling overwhelmed.
The wireframes were iteratively refined based on feedback, ensuring that each feature was functional, visually cohesive, and supportive of the event's goals. They set the stage for turning ideas into a dynamic app experience.
Wireframes
Prototyping and UI Design
With the wireframes finalized, I transitioned to crafting a high-fidelity design that was both visually appealing and functionally robust. My primary focus was to create a user interface that reflected the excitement of the Walkathon while staying true to John Deere’s brand identity.
Color Palette and Typography:
I used an energetic yet grounded color palette, blending vibrant tones to symbolize movement and activity with subtle greens and yellows that tied back to John Deere’s branding. Clean, bold typography ensured readability across different screen sizes.Leaderboard Design:
The leaderboard was designed to be the app’s centerpiece. I implemented a visually dynamic layout that showcased team rankings at the top while allowing users to drill down into individual performance. A combination of icons, progress bars, and animations added life to the display, making it engaging and competitive.Step Tracker:
The step tracker was intuitive and motivating, featuring progress rings and daily/weekly milestones. Gamification elements like streak tracking and step badges were added to keep users motivated and invested.Login and Signup:
The onboarding screens were kept minimalistic yet user-friendly. A straightforward design ensured a smooth start for participants, while subtle brand cues added a sense of familiarity and trust.Responsive Design:
Keeping accessibility in mind, I ensured that the app’s UI adapted seamlessly across devices, from desktops to smartphones, ensuring no participant was left out.
The finalized UI brought the Walkathon to life, providing a vibrant, competitive, and easy-to-navigate digital space for participants to engage with the event.
Visual Design & Branding
In designing the Walkathon app, I focused on aligning the visual design with John Deere’s established brand identity, ensuring a seamless connection between the company’s values and the user experience.
Color Palette:
I incorporated John Deere's signature green and yellow tones to maintain brand consistency while adding vibrant accents to energize the design. These colors not only reflect the brand’s agricultural roots but also evoke a sense of vitality and competition in the app.Typography:
I used bold, clean typography that mirrors the straightforward and reliable nature of the John Deere brand. The typefaces were chosen for their legibility and modern appeal, making sure the app felt both professional and approachable.Icons and Graphics:
Icons were designed to be simple, intuitive, and in line with the brand’s visual language. Custom illustrations and icons were used to reflect the Walkathon’s fun, competitive spirit while staying true to the brand’s industrial and robust aesthetic.Brand Consistency:
All design elements, from buttons to progress bars, were crafted to align with John Deere’s visual language. I made sure the app maintained a clean, cohesive look that felt part of the John Deere ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s commitment to quality and teamwork.
By keeping these design elements consistent with John Deere’s identity, the Walkathon app not only felt familiar and trusted but also highlighted the company’s emphasis on innovation, teamwork, and wellness.
Usability testing and Iteration
After initial testing, several iterations were made based on user feedback to refine the app’s functionality and enhance the experience. Here are the key changes:
Leaderboard Layout
Issue: Cluttered design, unclear top performers.
Iteration: Simplified layout with larger fonts and color-coded rankings for clarity.
Decision: Prioritized easy visibility for top performers to boost user engagement.
Step Tracker Feedback
Issue: Static progress rings, low motivation for low-step users.
Iteration: Added dynamic progress bars and achievement badges.
Decision: Motivational elements were added to engage all users, not just the top performers.
Signup Flow
Issue: Confusing multi-screen signup process.
Iteration: Streamlined to a single form with social login options.
Decision: Simplified onboarding to improve participation and retention.
Admin Panel
Issue: Difficulty managing teams and rankings.
Iteration: Developed an intuitive admin panel for easy team management and ranking updates.
Decision: Made the admin interface as simple and efficient as possible.
Gamification Elements
Issue: Overly competitive, disengaging casual users.
Iteration: Added daily rewards and team challenges to include everyone.
Decision: Created a more balanced experience for both competitive and casual users.
Mobile Responsiveness
Issue: Slow load times and layout issues on mobile.
Iteration: Optimized images and interactions for better performance.
Decision: Ensured smooth mobile performance for accessibility on-the-go.
These iterations helped refine the app, making it more engaging, user-friendly, and effective for both participants and administrators.
Final implementation
After thorough testing and iteration, the Walkathon app was finalized for launch. Here’s a summary of the key components that were implemented:
Polished User Interface
The final design incorporated all feedback, with a clean and intuitive UI, ensuring seamless navigation for both participants and admins.
The leaderboard, step tracker, and gamification elements were fine-tuned for maximum engagement and clarity.
Backend Integration
The app was connected with the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
Summary
Outcome
Engagement: The app successfully motivated employees to participate in the Walkathon, fostering a sense of community and healthy competition.
User Adoption: Positive feedback on the app’s intuitive interface and engaging features led to high user adoption rates.
Operational Success: The admin panel simplified event management, enabling organizers to efficiently monitor and update the event in real-time.
Learnings
User-Centric Design: Prioritizing user feedback during testing was key to delivering an app that met participant needs.
Balancing Competition: Incorporating both competitive and inclusive elements ensured engagement from a diverse user base.
Iterative Approach: Regular testing and iteration improved functionality, addressing usability issues early in the process.
Brand Consistency: Aligning the design with John Deere’s visual identity enhanced familiarity and trust.
Responsive Design Matters: Optimizing for mobile devices was critical, as most users accessed the app on-the-go.
Feedback
Participants: Users appreciated the app’s simplicity, gamified elements, and how it made fitness fun and competitive.
Admins: The admin panel was highlighted as a game-changer for its ease of use and real-time control features.
Opportunities for Improvement: Suggestions included adding social sharing options, integrating with wearables, and expanding challenges to include other fitness activities.
This project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, iterative development, and balancing functionality with an engaging experience, setting the stage for future wellness initiatives.ith the necessary backend systems to track steps in real-time, update leaderboards, and manage user data securely.
Features like real-time notifications, progress tracking, and team management were fully integrated.
Admin Panel Functionality
The admin panel was finalized to allow event organizers to monitor team performance, update rankings, and send notifications effortlessly.
A dashboard was included for easy tracking of app usage and event engagement.
Mobile Optimization
The app was fully optimized for mobile devices, ensuring it was fast and responsive across all screen sizes.
Images, icons, and UI elements were optimized for quick load times and smooth interactions.
Deployment and Launch
The app was successfully deployed and launched with support from the marketing and HR teams to drive participation.
A user-friendly onboarding process was established to ensure smooth sign-ups and engagement.
Monitoring and Support
Post-launch support was set up for users experiencing any issues, with dedicated channels for feedback and troubleshooting.
Real-time monitoring was established to track app performance and make adjustments if necessary.
The final implementation ensured a user-friendly, engaging, and well-functioning app that aligned with the Walkathon’s goals and John Deere’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for both participants and administrators.
"The JD Walkathon app completely changed the way I think about fitness. Competing with my teammates on the leaderboard was so much fun—it motivated me to take extra steps every day, even on weekends! The badges and progress rings kept me hooked, and I loved how easy it was to track my progress. Plus, the team challenges brought us closer, making it more than just a fitness goal—it felt like a shared journey. Kudos to the team behind this app for creating something so engaging and easy to use!"
Anonymous Employee
App User & Walkathon Participant
More work this way
Think I’d be a good fit for your team or project? Let’s connect.
Neel Akolkar
Senior Software Engineer & UX Designer. Currently crafting experiences at Capgemini.
© designed & built by NEEL AKOLKAR
made in framer – 2025
Think I’d be a good fit for your team or project? Let’s connect.
Neel Akolkar
Senior Software Engineer & UX Designer. Currently crafting experiences at Capgemini.
© designed & built by NEEL AKOLKAR
made in framer – 2025
neelakolkar2001@gmail.com
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neelakolkar2001@gmail.com
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