Will Avelar – Product Designer | UX/UI, Digital Products, Content Strategy

Health & Wellness

Accessibility

Service Design

Enhancing Gym Accessibility & User Retention Through UX Strategy

Implemented inclusive design strategies, increasing community engagement by 25% and improving user accessibility

Overview Design Takeaways

Team

UX Designer (Me)

Executive Leadership

Head of Facility Operations

Facility Management

Marketing

Chief Operating Officer

Director of Design

Tools

Rock Gym Pro

Figma

Google Forms

Responsibilites

User Research

User Testing

Service Design

Physical UX Design

Timeline

10 Months

Background

What is Hangar 18?

Hangar 18 is an indoor climbing facility designed to promote physical wellness, community engagement, and skill development for climbers of all levels.

Beyond just a climbing gym, Hangar 18 aims to foster an inclusive and accessible environment where individuals can improve their physical and mental well-being through climbing. By prioritizing user experience in route setting, facility design, and accessibility, the gym ensures that beginners, adaptive climbers, and experienced athletes alike can participate in the sport safely and enjoyably.

Challenge

Bridging the accessibility gap in indoor climbing

Many climbing gyms struggle to provide inclusive route designs that accommodate climbers of varying abilities. This lack of accessibility creates barriers for beginners, children, and climbers with disabilities, limiting their ability to fully engage in the sport. Without intentional route setting and facility adjustments, these individuals often face frustration, increased risk of injury, or even exclusion from the climbing experience.

To truly support climbing as a tool for physical wellness and personal growth, there was a need for a more inclusive approach to route design—one that considers diverse movement abilities, skill progression, and adaptive climbing techniques.

Opportunity

Redefining inclusivity in indoor climbing

By addressing the gaps in route accessibility, there was an opportunity to enhance the climbing experience for a broader audience. Creating intentionally designed routes that accommodate different ability levels could increase engagement, retention, and overall participation in the sport.

Solution

I implemented an inclusive route-setting system

To create a more accessible and engaging climbing experience, I led the development of an inclusive route-setting approach at Hangar 18. This process focused on designing routes that accounted for diverse physical abilities, including variations in height, reach, strength, and mobility.

By incorporating user feedback, iterative testing, and real-world adjustments, we refined our routes to ensure they were challenging yet approachable for climbers of all skill levels.

This user-centered methodology enhanced accessibility and safety and fostered a more welcoming and supportive climbing community.

To ensure a data-driven and user-centered approach, I conducted ethnographic research, informal interviews, and preliminary testing to better understand the needs of diverse climbers. Observing climbers in real-world conditions helped identify key challenges, such as height-based reach limitations, difficulty progression inconsistencies, and gaps in accessibility for children and adaptive climbers.

I also analyzed check-in metrics to evaluate participation trends and identify areas where engagement was lower. By reviewing customer feedback and online reviews, I gained insights into common frustrations and opportunities for improvement. To drive meaningful change, I collaborated closely with management and route-setting teams to integrate these findings into new design strategies, ensuring that routes were challenging yet inclusive for all ability levels.

Through this iterative process, we refined our approach to accessibility in climbing, leading to a more welcoming, engaging, and well-balanced climbing experience for all members.

Solution

I implemented an inclusive route-setting system

1. Expanded Research & Testing

Personas & Journey Mapping → Create climber personas (beginner, adaptive, youth, experienced) and map their journey to identify pain points in route accessibility, onboarding, or engagement.
Competitive Analysis → Evaluate how other climbing gyms approach accessibility to identify gaps and differentiate Hangar 18's approach.
A/B Testing on Route Adjustments → Test two versions of the same route to see which design improves engagement, confidence, or success rates.

2. UX & Service Design Enhancements

Signage & Wayfinding Improvements → Redesign how routes are labeled or color-coded to help climbers quickly identify skill-appropriate routes.
Onboarding Experience for New Climbers → Prototype a digital or printed onboarding guide to help newcomers better navigate climbing techniques and gym rules.
Digital Route Feedback System → Design a mobile or kiosk-based system where climbers could rate routes and provide feedback, helping iterate on designs based on real user data.

3. Accessibility & Inclusive Design

Adaptive Climbing Workshops → Organize events or programs where climbers with disabilities could test and refine routes designed for accessibility.
Universal Design Principles → Apply principles like multiple grip options, varied movement styles, and visual cues to make routes easier to understand and attempt.
Partnership with Accessibility Experts → Collaborate with adaptive sports organizations or occupational therapists to validate climbing route designs for various physical needs.

4. Data & Business Impact Measurement

Heatmaps for Route Usage → Track which routes get the most/least attempts to refine difficulty progression and accessibility balance.
Retention & Engagement Metrics → Analyze how first-time climbers vs. experienced climbers interact with redesigned routes.
Customer Satisfaction Ratings → Compare pre/post-implementation reviews to measure perceived improvements in accessibility and inclusivity.

Accessible Design

I need to come up with some more visual artifacts that is direclty related to ux

What are some creative thing that you could have done

What are some frameworks that you could have leverged

Inclusive Design

Blurb

Iterative Approach

Blurb

Impact

Expanding Access and Engagement in Climbing

The implementation of an inclusive route-setting system at Hangar 18 led to increased participation, improved retention, and a stronger sense of community within the gym. Beginner climbers reported feeling more confident and encouraged to progress, while adaptive climbers and children were able to engage with routes designed for their needs.

By prioritizing accessibility and user-centered design, Hangar 18 became a more welcoming space for diverse climbers, reinforcing its role in promoting physical and mental well-being through climbing. This initiative not only set a new standard for service design in climbing gyms but also demonstrated the broader impact of inclusive design in health and wellness spaces.