One Firelight — Fitness and Wellness Platform (Case Study)

From a powerful idea to a ready to launch wellness platform. See how aligning content strategy, information architecture, and a lean design system turned ambiguity into a clear, testable MVP, without slowing the creative engine.

A content‑led fitness and wellness startup needed to turn a pandemic‑born idea into a clear MVP experience that blends movement, music, and mindfulness while aligning brand, content production, and product.

Shaped a fuzzy concept into a testable, content‑driven MVP with a clean information architecture, an editorially aligned design system, and prototypes ready for stakeholder buy‑in and build.

Role

UX & Product Design Consultant @ Cloud District

Client & Market

One Firelight, Wellness Platform, USA.

Timeline

2020–2021

Who might find this case interesting?

Product designers and UX leads working on content‑heavy consumer apps who need a solid information architecture that grows with catalog depth and programming.

Founders and product managers balancing content production, brand storytelling, and a pragmatic MVP who want a clear cut for first release without painting themselves into a corner.

Design and engineering teams aiming to reduce friction between editorial calendars and product delivery, where a lightweight design system can unlock faster publishing.

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Overview

One Firelight set out to rethink home wellness by combining workouts with music and mindful practices. The founders had a strong creative vision and an ambitious content plan, but the product direction and launch path were undefined. I partnered with the team to bring structure: define the experience, prioritize the first release, and ensure the platform could scale with content and community.

Strategic Discovery Focus

I began with market and competitor benchmarking to map position and table stakes. Field conversations and an expert review surfaced what users expect from fitness platforms and where this brand could differentiate. We used card sorting to shape categories, sessions, and collections so programming felt intuitive. The outputs informed a product narrative and a layered navigation model that kept content discovery simple while leaving room for series, programs, and future community features.

Project Constraints

Time was tight, the team was distributed, and content production ran in parallel with product work. Requirements evolved as brand, music, and wellness strands converged. We needed to show progress early, reduce ambiguity for engineering, and keep room for experimentation as the catalogue grew. These constraints forced pragmatic choices and a focus on flow clarity over visual flourishes.

Approach and Solution

I reframed the product as a content platform first and a feature set second. We defined a scalable information architecture, naming, and content model. I designed low‑fidelity wireframes to validate navigation, session detail, search, and program progression. I set up a lean design system that matched editorial needs so new content could ship without bespoke UI. Prototypes allowed stakeholders to feel the experience and align on the MVP cut, while CRO principles guided decisions around trials, onboarding, and conversion moments.

Outcome

The team gained a shared blueprint for the first release and a clear path for growth. Stakeholders aligned on a realistic MVP scope, and engineering could begin with fewer open questions. The platform’s navigation, session model, and design system reduced production friction and positioned the brand to scale new series without rethinking the UI each time.

Deliverables

• UX information architecture and content taxonomy
• Low‑fidelity wireframes across critical journeys
• Clickable prototypes for stakeholder review and dev handoff
• Lean design system and naming conventions
• Benchmarking, field notes, and expert review reports
• CRO guidance for trials, onboarding, and subscription moments
• MVP business plan inputs and scope recommendations

Methodologies

Information architecture, benchmarking, card sorting, expert review, field studies, conversion rate optimization, design systems, product design, MVP conceptualization.

What I Learned

Treat content, brand, and product as one system. When naming, categories, and UI patterns share the same language, teams move faster and users understand the offer.

Clarity beats novelty in early releases.

Start with the simplest path to discovery and completion, then layer sophistication as the catalogue and audience mature.