Skip to content
  • Civic Tech
  • UX/UI Redesign
  • AI-assisted Prototyping
  • Usability Testing

Designing a better way to choose, not just another catalogue

A redesign of Zurich’s sports class search informed by research, product hypotheses and two rounds of usability testing

2.9× faster
Median search time
7/7
Ease-of-search rating
6/6
Used the map
Before After
Redesigned catalogue with course cards, filters and a map
Original Zurich sports catalogue with a form-based search
Explore the interactive prototype

CONTEXT

children and teenagers take part in city sports programmes. They and their parents have to search other websites or email clubs for missing information.

This adds work for clubs, many of which rely on volunteers.

What an interface can do

An interface can’t create more places in sports courses.

But it can make choosing easier for parents and reduce manual work for clubs.

RESEARCH

Where choosing a course breaks down

I ran an unmoderated usability test of the existing service and interviewed five parents of school-age children.

First UX test results ↗Interview guide ↗

Key findings

  • Location matters, but the existing map does not help parents compare courses.

  • Parents have to look elsewhere for trial-session details and email the club.

  • Addresses, instructor details, ratings and reviews are missing, making it harder to choose.

  • Multi-select and the gender filter are unclear, and the lists are too long.

BENCHMARKING

Found no local service covering the whole journey

I reviewed portals in eight major Swiss cities. None combined clear filters, a useful map, course details and trial-session booking.

Found approaches to combine in international services

SOLUTIONS

Designing the solution

I turned four product hypotheses into changes to the core journey:

Made the page useful before input

Parents can compare locations before entering a search or applying filters.

Clarified multi-select

I made all sports visible, marked selected sports with checkmarks, and added a counter.

Grouped course information

I organised key details into clear sections and added instructor information and reviews.

Before: information scattered across a long pageAfter: course details, instructor and reviews on one scannable screen.

Simplified trial requests

I added a request form to the course page to reduce emails between parents and clubs.

Added favourites

I included saving courses as a basic feature, without testing it separately.

UI-KIT & EDGE CASES

UI-kit & Edge Cases

Designed interface states

I included loading, empty and error states so users know what is happening.

VALIDATION

Tested the redesigned prototype

  • 6 parents
  • Maze · Unmoderated test
  • Lovable · AI-assisted prototype

Participants completed the same search task as in the first test. I tracked task success, search time, use of the built-in map or external sources. Afterwards, participants rated how easy the task was and whether they had enough information.

Click heatmap · Search and filters
Click heatmap · Course details

Testing results · 6 participants

Finding a suitable course was easy

7.0 out of 7

All 6 participants gave the highest rating.

There was enough information to make a decision

6.3 out of 7

4 participants rated it 6, and 2 rated it 7.

Ratings from 6 participants · Ease of search and information sufficiency
Full report in Maze ↗

RESULTS

Parents found courses faster and more easily

Five parents tested the existing service and took part in interviews; six tested the redesigned prototype.

I compared median time and ratings for the same search task.

8:13 → 2:52
Median search time
4.6 → 7.0
Mean SEQ score
4/5 → 0/6
Opened external maps

What these results mean

This small study does not establish statistical significance.

I used median time because it is less affected by unusually fast or slow attempts.

What to test next

Repeat the test with more participants.

After launch, check whether clubs receive fewer emails, this is still a hypothesis, not a measured outcome.

Making Zürich’s modern identity felt online

A clearer, more accessible activities portal can help bring Zürich’s smart city ↗ ambitions into everyday life.