Context
Upon PALO IT's introduction to Cyclo Power Factory at the Change Now Summit, the start-up had already grabbed the public's attention with it's innovative concept of personal training as an energy production device.
The idea: under the moniker of "useful fitness" cyclists across gyms, office fitness facilities and their own homes supply a portion of their own energy needs. What's more, the company itself matches the equivalent of the energy saved in euros, and distributes it to NGOs. If the effort reaches a value of 100€, Cyclo doubles their contribution.
Challenge
A good idea is only as effective as its real-world application allows it to be, and that was the driving ethos behind the project's goals.
Two weeks of Design Thinking workshops and extensive user testing sessions helped the team realise its proof of concept. Fun, user-friendly mobile applications took the forefront of the work being done, relying on IoT, social events and sports challenges to appeal to Cyclo's distinct user base.
Outcomes
Three MVP cloud applications delivered over a 20-day period, including:
- A mobile web application capable of reporting fitness metics—utilising real-time, IoT data processing through low-energy Bluetooth sensors.
- A back-office application custom-built for sports coaches, allowing them to manage their user base and organise 'live' races at events.
- A back-office application for recreating great rides from around the world (e.g. the Rue de Rivoli to Sacré Cœur).