One Iota | Harvey Li

One Iota: Golf Performance Tracking

[Product Design, Mobile App]

Description

A hackathon-winning mobile companion app for One Iota Performance that helps competitive amateur golfers log key stats quickly during a round. The design focuses on minimizing input friction with GPS-based course preloading, tap-first logging, and lightweight notes, while directing users to the web platform for deeper analysis.

Client

One Iota Golf Performance

My Role

UX Design Lead · UX Researcher

Team

Jerry Li, Christina Lee, Kasey Le

Timeline

2-week real-world client project

Design direction

We shifted from an early smartwatch-first concept to a mobile app that better fit the client’s delivery constraints and users’ real behaviors. The goal was to create an “on-course capture layer” that prioritizes speed and clarity, while keeping advanced analysis on the existing website.

Experience principles

1.Tap-first input over typing to reduce friction

2.Prioritize the few stats that matter most during play

3.Preload context automatically (course and hole info)

4.Lightweight reflection instead of a tedious mental assessment

5.Hand off to web for deep analysis when the round ends

Key features

GPS course detection + preloaded round setup Automatically identifies the course and loads default round details to reduce pre-game setup time.
Prioritized stat logging Focuses on the most commonly tracked stats (for example fairway hits, par, putts) to keep input under tight time windows between holes.
Voice notes for quick capture Enables fast, hands-free notes for additional context or personal metrics not included in the core set.
One-page simplified round summary Condenses front 9 and back 9 insights into a single view and routes power users to the website for deeper analysis.
Location-based reminders Uses movement away from the hole to prompt logging and reduce missed entries.

Prototyping and user testing

We built a Figma prototype and tested the flow with golfers recruited from the Vancouver Formosan Golf Club. Testing validated the “capture on mobile, analyze on web” model and highlighted improvement opportunities, including:

Provide a quick post-round snapshot before redirecting to web
Improve filtering for reviewing past rounds and data
Define a clearer method to transfer voice notes into the web experience

Extension concept

After the hackathon, I explored a smartwatch variant as an additional “ultra-light capture” option for golfers who want minimal device handling during play.

Client context

One Iota Performance is a golf performance analytics platform. However, the existing experience is web-only and is typically used after a round, not during play.

User insight

Our research revealed a major behavior gap: golfers prefer to record stats during the round, but the current web workflow is not optimized for on-course use.

0% of surveyed golfers reported using a website to track stats during play
82% track performance while playing
Golfers often have only a few minutes between holes and want quick, low-effort input

Core problem

Competitive amateur golfers need a faster, more portable way to capture essential performance data on-course, without the heavy mental assessment and dense UI patterns of the current web platform.

How might we

How might we streamline stat input for competitive amateur golfers to make performance tracking efficient and realistic during a round?

Mobile Features

Automatically detects the golfer’s current location and suggests nearby courses before the round starts. Once confirmed, the app preloads course details, weather, and round settings to reduce manual setup time.
Shows the golfer’s current position on the course and provides map based progress and distance information during play. This helps users quickly understand where they are, how far they are from the hole, and what information matters for the next shot.
Prioritizes the most important golf statistics, such as score, fairway, green result, approach distance, and putts, so users can record useful performance data with fewer steps. The input flow uses tap based controls for common actions, while optional text fields remain available for users who want to capture more detailed data.
Allows golfers to record quick notes before a round or after each hole, making it easier to capture personal observations that do not fit into standard tracking fields. This supports flexible reflection without forcing users to type during play.
Condenses key round data into a clear summary page with separated Front 9 and Back 9 analysis. This helps golfers review their performance quickly without navigating through complex charts or multiple pages.
Uses GPS based triggers to remind users to record their stats after leaving the current hole. This helps reduce forgotten entries and keeps performance data more complete throughout the round.

Smartwatch Companion Experience

The Apple Watch experience supports quick, low friction tracking during play, while the mobile app handles setup, course overview, and post round review.

Designed the watch as a companion device that connects to the mobile app and syncs round data across devices. This lets the phone handle setup, overview, and post round review, while the watch supports fast input during play.
Designed a smartwatch input flow for quick in round tracking, allowing golfers to record scores, putts, approach distance, and green results without pulling out their phone. The watch experience focuses on large controls, minimal steps, and glanceable feedback for use during active play.
Provides a quick post round summary on the watch, including score, scoring breakdowns, mood, stress, and energy ratings. From the same screen, golfers can save the summary, delete the entry, or open voice notes to capture additional reflections without switching back to the mobile app.

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