Line Up

The problem

Finding recreational activities in Surrey means navigating a fragmented landscape. Rec centre drop-ins, nearby gyms, fitness classes, and local leagues all live in different places — separate websites, Facebook groups, and word of mouth. Nothing brings all of this together. And even when residents do find something, the information available is rarely enough to commit. How many people are actually going? What skill level are they? Will there be enough players for a real game? For someone new to Surrey or fitting sport into a busy schedule, that uncertainty is often enough to stop them going altogether.

Surrey.ca — the city’s primary recreation portal — lists drop-in sessions but was built as a general municipal platform covering everything from property tax to waste collection and so on. Recreation is one section among many, and the experience reflects that. Knowing just about the remaining spots tells you nothing about whether the session will have enough players, what skill level they play at, or whether showing up alone means you will get to play at all.

This gap is not just a UX problem. For newcomers and immigrants building a life in a new place, recreational sport is one of the fastest pathways to community and belonging. When the system fails to surface that opportunity clearly, the people who need it most are the ones who miss out.

01. Research Process

Problem identification and competitive audit

I began with my own experience — arriving in Surrey as an athlete, unable to find indoor courts in winter, discovering Surrey.ca through word of mouth two years after moving, and showing up alone to sessions not knowing if enough players would be there. This personal experience became the foundation of the research.

A competitive audit of five platforms — Surrey.ca, Meetup, Facebook Groups, Strava, and Sportiner — confirmed that no existing tool combined session discovery, attendance visibility, and player connection in one place for Surrey recreational sports.

Competitive audit — five platforms across the capabilities that matter.

Feature	Surrey.ca	Meetup	Facebook Groups	Strava	Sportiner	Line Up
Attendance confidence know if a session will actually happen	✕ Surrey.ca: No — not supported	– Meetup: Partial — limited support	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	✕ Strava: No — not supported	✕ Sportiner: No — not supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Attendee visibility see who else is going before you book	✕ Surrey.ca: No — not supported	– Meetup: Partial — limited support	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	✕ Strava: No — not supported	✓ Sportiner: Yes — fully supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Skill level transparency know the skill level of a session	✕ Surrey.ca: No — not supported	✕ Meetup: No — not supported	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	✕ Strava: No — not supported	– Sportiner: Partial — limited support	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Partner pairing find someone to play with	✕ Surrey.ca: No — not supported	✕ Meetup: No — not supported	– Facebook Groups: Partial — limited support	✕ Strava: No — not supported	✓ Sportiner: Yes — fully supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Fitness and gym discovery find classes and gyms nearby	✕ Surrey.ca: No — not supported	✕ Meetup: No — not supported	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	✕ Strava: No — not supported	✕ Sportiner: No — not supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Available in Surrey works for Surrey residents	✓ Surrey.ca: Yes — fully supported	✓ Meetup: Yes — fully supported	✓ Facebook Groups: Yes — fully supported	✓ Strava: Yes — fully supported	✕ Sportiner: No — not supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Sports-specific focus built for recreational sport	– Surrey.ca: Partial — limited support	✕ Meetup: No — not supported	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	– Strava: Partial — limited support	✓ Sportiner: Yes — fully supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported
Find session by sport filter by basketball, volleyball, etc	✓ Surrey.ca: Yes — fully supported	– Meetup: Partial — limited support	✕ Facebook Groups: No — not supported	✕ Strava: No — not supported	✕ Sportiner: No — not supported	✓ Line Up: Yes — fully supported

• ✓ Yes — fully supported
• – Partial — limited support
• ✕ No — not supported

User research

To better understand the experiences of Surrey residents and validate the problem identified through competitive analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to 7 Surrey residents who play recreational sports. In addition to the primary research, 17 posts from r/SurreyBC were analysed — documenting the same frustrations independently raised by strangers over years, confirming the problem extends beyond the study participants.

7

Surrey residents surveyed

17

Posts from r/SurreyBC analysed

76

Data points synthesised

76 data points were synthesised through affinity mapping, producing four clusters that shaped every design decision in Line Up.

• P1

  Wants to know how busy the gym is in real time before going

• P1

  Was disappointed by a busy gym — didn't know it would be that crowded

• P1

  Has no hesitation attending a facility alone; the social barrier is not a factor

• P1

  Would feel more confident with more trainers available

• P1

  Wants the gym open later on weekends

• P2

  Has no hesitation showing up alone to play

• P2

  Comfortable using Surrey.ca — finds the system works fine

• P2

  Does not feel the need for more information before booking

• P3

  Bookmarked the focused search page directly to avoid navigating Surrey.ca from scratch every time — a personal workaround

• P3

  The search function on Surrey.ca is very convoluted

• P3

  Would not go if there was a last-minute scheduling conflict or illness

• P3

  Booking a session online involves too many steps

• P3

  Has experienced all forms of disappointment at sessions — too crowded, wrong skill level, not enough people for a proper game

• P3

  Hesitates if other participants might not be inclusive or welcoming

• P3

  Wants to know when a session is cancelled or on hiatus before travelling there

• P3

  Has avoided attending a session because he had no one to go with

• P4

  Friends not showing up has caused him to skip sessions

• P4

  Has been disappointed by sessions that were too crowded or had players at a much higher skill level

• P4

  Wants player profiles showing skill level and number of people attending

• P4

  Wants to know who else is coming and their skill level before showing up

• P4

  Wants to know if there will be a full court or half court game

• P4

  Books drop-in sessions immediately on Monday for Wednesday due to limited availability — has to plan days ahead

• P4

  Wants a way to organise tournaments through the booking platform

• P5

  Hesitates because of uncertainty about who will show up

• P5

  Hesitates because of uncertainty about the skill level of other players

• P5

  Hesitates because of uncertainty about whether players want singles or doubles

• P5

  Hesitates because of uncertainty about waiting time if too many people arrive

• P5

  Has been disappointed when no competitive players showed up to play against

• P5

  Has been disappointed many times — people wanted doubles but he prefers singles

• P5

  Wants player profiles showing skill level

• P5

  Wants an option to team up with someone online before the session

• P5

  Wants notifications about upcoming events and competitions

• P5

  Wants to know which days specific skilled players are attending

• P6

  Showing up alone is not the barrier — knowing the skill level beforehand is

• P6

  Books the facility either by phone or online after finding players

• P6

  Has been disappointed many times — plays football at a high level and amateurs showing up makes the game not enjoyable

• P6

  Always uncertain whether enough skilled players will show up

• P6

  Only gets two days a week to play, so each session matters — cannot afford a wasted trip

• P6

  Skill level uncertainty is the main thing that makes him change his mind about going

• P6

  Finds players through Facebook groups before booking a facility

• P6

  Wants categories separating pro and amateur players

• P6

  Wants player profiles that notify him when specific players are attending

• P6

  Has avoided attending a session because he had no one to go with or felt unsure about showing up alone

• P7

  Schedule conflicts are the main reason for not going

• P7

  Asked at the front desk to find out about sessions — no online discovery

• P7

  Wants live information on how many people are using the facility right now

• P7

  Wants to track their own schedule and progress

• P7

  Prefers going alone — solo participation is not a barrier

• P7

  Arrived and didn't know the pool was full — discovered only on arrival

• discovery

  No free indoor anything around here — best you can get is YMCA or Surrey rec centres

• discovery

  You're not going to find a free indoor court anywhere — you can rent school gyms and rec centres, that's about it

• attendance

  If there was a free one it would be packed with 100s of kids

• access

  Why can't we just have more free drop in times for kids

• discovery

  I just checked it out — do you know if it's possible to book a court or is it just drop in?

• skill level

  Any place to play soccer or basketball for an older out of shape guy — I used to be an athlete but I want to make sure I'm not getting into a situation where I'm dragging others down

• skill level

  Does anyone have experience playing at South Surrey Arts and Recreation centre drop ins on Tuesday and Friday evenings — how is the level and vibe there? I just moved to the South Surrey area

• discovery

  Where do y'all play basketball in Surrey — pretty new to Surrey, wondering if you know indoor basketball courts good for drop ins, I'm down to join a league too if anyone is interested

• attendance

  Rec Centres all do as far as I know and you have to register but it's nearly impossible to get in — always filled and the city's website can't handle the traffic come registration time

• skill level

  Anyone down to play badminton beginner friendly — thinking about Newton rec or any rec in Surrey, it's been a while since I've picked up a racket so definitely will be rusty

• discovery

  Any outdoor basketball court in Surrey? My place is around 8 minutes walk to Surrey Central station

• discovery

  Anywhere to play volleyball? Near King George Station in Surrey

• attendance

  Surrey.ca parks and recreation has a section to sign up for drop in sports — badminton every day almost at rec centres all over Surrey and it fills up fast

• discovery

  Anywhere in Surrey/Langley that has badminton courts or just a gym with drop in badminton? Used to go to Richmond but now I live in Surrey

• discovery

  Badminton scene in Surrey mostly from community centre drop ins — courts are shared with basketball and indoor soccer vs dedicated carpet in Richmond

• skill level

  Been wondering about this too — new to the area, haven't played in a while, I see Guildford rec has badminton times but wondering how competitive it is and looks like they only have doubles

• attendance

  I need help finding an indoor public basketball court in Surrey BC — most are packed with 100 kids and I need a not-known one

• skill level

  Will we be total detriments to a team if we join — my friend has never played volleyball in her life

• skill level

  Not sure if this is the best place to ask but I want to know the range of abilities typically at rec centre drop in volleyball

• discovery

  I've been wondering this too — miss playing so much

• discovery

  I just moved to Surrey and am trying to re-orient myself to communities and activities I like

• discovery

  Hi where in poco do you play — I've been searching for dedicated badminton courts outside Richmond

• player connection

  I wonder if solo players can go and hope to find a partner

Affinity mapping

76 data points were clustered into four themes. Each cluster below is stated in the wording used on the original board.

• Cluster 01

  Skill level uncertainty

  Players cannot determine skill level of attendees before showing up — creating anxiety, wasted trips, and disappointing sessions.

• Cluster 02

  Attendance visibility

  Users have no way to know how many people will actually show up, or whether a session will have enough players for a real game — making every booking feel like a gamble.

• Cluster 03

  Discovery gaps

  People who do not know where to go in the first place. They cannot find courts, sessions, or activities. The information exists somewhere but it is invisible to them.

• Cluster 04

  Social connection

  People who want to find someone to play with before they show up. Not just knowing how many are attending, but connecting with specific players and finding a partner for partner-dependent sports.

Key research findings

• Finding 01

  Skill level uncertainty

  4 of 7 participants independently raised skill level uncertainty as a primary barrier. Experienced players avoided sessions where amateurs showed up. Beginners feared being unwelcome at competitive sessions. Neither group had any way to assess this before arriving.

• Finding 02

  Attendance visibility

  The spots remaining format on Surrey.ca created anxiety rather than confidence. Participants who only had one or two evenings per week to play could not afford a wasted trip based on a meaningless number.

• Finding 03

  Discovery gap

  Most participants discovered recreational activities through word of mouth, not through any platform. Several Reddit posts spanning four years show the same questions being asked repeatedly — confirming that Surrey.ca’s recreation section is effectively invisible to new residents.

• Finding 04

  Player connection

  For partner-dependent sports like badminton, showing up alone meant potentially not getting to play at all. Multiple participants had avoided sessions entirely because they had no one to go with.

Persona

Marilyn, 28, graduate student, South Surrey. New to Surrey, relies on classmates to find activities, has heard of Surrey.ca but never used it. Plays basketball and volleyball. Her core frustration: missing out on activities she does not know exist, and wasting time showing up to sessions that are not worth attending.

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When I want to be active after work, I want to quickly find a basketball session near me where I know the skill level matches mine and there will be enough players — so I can just show up, play, and feel like my time was well spent.

02. From Wireframes to UI

User flows

Three user flows were mapped before any screens were designed.

Flow 1 covers finding and booking a drop-in session — the core journey. Flow 2 covers player profiles and open-for-pairing across the attendees screen. Flow 3 covers gym and fitness class discovery.

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Wireframes

12 lo-fi wireframes were built in Figma before any visual design began. Every layout decision was traced back to a research finding — the attendance bar format, the price placement, the “who’s going” section, the open-for-pairing prompt at booking confirmation.

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Design system

A design system was established before touching hi-fi screens. Plus Jakarta Sans for display headings. Inter for all body text. A 10-colour palette anchored by Midnight Navy and Electric Blue. An 8-component library including the session card in three states — good to go, filling up, and session full.

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Hi-fi screens

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The final prototype covers the complete user journey from onboarding through booking confirmation. Key design decisions include the attendance bar showing 14/20 rather than spots remaining, the confidence signal indicating whether a session has enough players, price visible upfront in the session hero block, and the open-for-pairing tag set at booking confirmation rather than during onboarding.

03. Usability Testing

Methodology

A remote unmoderated usability test was conducted with 7 participants using the System Usability Scale and five post-task questions. Participants were Surrey residents who play recreational sports. The core task given to all participants was to find a basketball drop-in session, assess whether it was worth attending, and complete a booking.

Testing was conducted remotely via questionnaire and voice note explanation. Results were analysed using thematic analysis across four clusters mirroring the original research methodology.

Participant profiles

Seven participants, all Surrey residents who play recreational sports.

Participant	Age	Interested in sports	Surrey.ca familiar	Task completed
P1	25	Yes — Basketball	Yes	Yes
P2	28	Yes — Gym	Yes	Yes
P3	30	Yes — Basketball	Yes	Yes
P4	26	Yes — Basketball	No	Yes
P5	29	Yes — Mix	No	Yes
P6	28	Yes — Basketball	Yes	Yes
P7	34	Yes — Swimming	Yes	Yes

Iterations

Five design changes were made based on testing findings. The most significant were surfacing waitlist availability directly on the session detail screen, replacing icon-only sport filters with labelled pills, merging the “who’s going” and attendees sections, and adding skill level to each player row on the attendees screen.

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04. Reflection

Line Up validated that the attendance confidence problem is real and that a focused, research-backed solution can score significantly above industry usability benchmarks even at prototype stage.

If I were to continue this project the immediate next step would be implementing partner request functionality — two participants independently requested this without prompting, suggesting the open-for-pairing tag meets awareness needs but leaves users wanting a more direct way to connect before sessions.

A moderated usability test would strengthen the findings. Testing was conducted remotely without observation, which means friction points not captured through self-reporting may exist. One participant’s inability to find sessions in the unmoderated test is the clearest example — a moderated session would have revealed exactly where the discovery breakdown occurred.

This project reinforced that the strongest design decisions are the ones you can trace directly back to something a real person said. Every feature in Line Up exists because someone in Surrey — in a survey, in a Reddit post, or in my own experience — encountered a problem that no existing platform was solving.