Warrior Code - Social Platform for Martial Artists

Overview

Warrior Code is a social network platform designed specifically for martial artists to connect, track their training progress, and share their journey with a like-minded community. I was brought on to perform the initial user experience research and design the initial version of the platform.

The challenge was to create an interface that appeals to martial artists of all disciplines—from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Muay Thai to Karate—while providing meaningful tools to track progress and build community, as well as establish a strong identity for the brand.

My Role

As the UX/UI designer, I was responsible for:

• Creating user journey maps for key workflows
• Designing the marketing website to attract and convert users
• Designing core product features (gym tracker, social feed)
• Developing a visual design system that resonates with the target audience

Research & Discovery

Research insights

Community Over Competition

• Martial artists value supportive communities more than competitive leaderboards
• Sharing technique breakdowns and learning moments is more important than showcasing wins
• Users want to connect with practitioners from different disciplines to learn cross-training techniques

Training Tracking Needs

• Current solutions (notebooks, spreadsheets, generic fitness apps) don't capture martial arts-specific metrics
• Need to track techniques learned, sparring sessions, belt/rank progress
• Want to see patterns in training frequency and areas of focus

Visual Preferences

• Clean, focused interface without distractions
• Respect for martial arts tradition balanced with modern design
• Emphasis on content (techniques, training) over social vanity metrics

User Journey Mapping

I created detailed user journey maps for critical user flows:

New user onboarding

• Account creation with discipline selection
• Profile setup (rank, gym/dojo affiliation, training goals)
• Initial content discovery and following suggestions
• First post creation

Gym owner

• Registering your gymnasium
• Manage gym page and information
• Progress milestones and achievements

Social engagement

• Browsing feed of community content
• Engaging with posts (reactions, comments, shares)
• Following other practitioners

These journey maps helped identify pain points, opportunities for delight, and where the product could differentiate from generic social platforms.

Website Design

Designed a marketing website to communicate the value proposition and drive sign-ups:

Homepage

• Hero section emphasizing community
• Feature highlights with visual demonstrations
• Clear call-to-action for registration

Features Page

• Detailed breakdowns of gym tracker, social feed, and community features
• Visual demonstrations of the interface

About Page

• Mission and vision for the platform
• Team introduction
• Contact information

Design Approach:

• Bold, confident typography reflecting martial arts discipline
• Action photography showcasing various martial arts disciplines
• Color palette balancing energy (action) with focus (discipline)
• Mobile-first responsive design for on-the-go access

Key Design Principles

Throughout the project, I adhered to core principles that guided design decisions:

1. Respect the Practice: Honor martial arts traditions while embracing modern technology
2. Community First: Prioritize connection and learning over competition and vanity
3. Friction-Free Tracking: Make logging training effortless, even when exhausted post-workout
4. Cross-Discipline Unity: Create a space where different martial arts practitioners learn from each other
5. Content Over Chrome: Let training content and community interactions shine

Outcomes

The design work established a strong foundation for Warrior Code's product development:

• Clear Product Vision: User research and journey maps aligned the team on user needs
• Cohesive Brand Identity: Marketing site and product designs present a unified brand
• Development-Ready Designs: Component library and detailed specs ready for implementation
• Positive User Feedback: Early design testing with martial artists validated the approach

User Feedback from Design Testing:

"Finally, an app that understands how martial artists actually train. I'm tired of trying to fit BJJ into generic workout trackers."

"Love that it's not just about flexing wins. I can share technique questions and get real feedback from the community."

Technologies & Tools

Design & Research:

• Figma
• FigJam

Deliverables:

• User research synthesis documents
• Persona definitions
• User journey maps (3 core flows)
• Website design (5 pages)

This project showcased my ability to combine user research with thoughtful interface design, creating experiences that resonate with a specific community while solving real user needs. The work demonstrates end-to-end UX/UI capabilities from discovery through high-fidelity design.