NeuralDrive
2018 - Today
iOS & Android App
UI/UX Design
About the project
NeuralDrive is a mobile app available on iOS and Android, designed to support athletes—whether they are actively training, resting, or recovering from injuries—by focusing on mental and cognitive enhancement. Through a series of engaging “mini” games, the app targets key cognitive areas like reaction speed, focus, and decision-making. Our goal was to create a tool that helps athletes not only improve physical performance but also sharpen their mental edge.
Developed in collaboration with two of my friends, NeuralDrive has been available in Europe since its launch, and worldwide since October of 2023.
I led the user experience and interface design, conducting all the research, wireframing, and user testing to ensure the app met the needs of our target audience.
I have illustrated the biggest milestones at NeuralDrive here:
2018
Today
The project NeuralDrive began with a simple but powerful thesis:
Athletes, in their downtime, are keenly interested in neurological games to complement their physical training. However, the fragmented nature of these games — spread across multiple apps — makes the experience frustrating. Many apps lack cohesive user experiences, hide content behind separate paywalls, and fail to deliver a polished product. Casual users, on the other hand, often have limited knowledge about neurological training and its benefits, making discoverability and clear guidance crucial to ensuring they can engage with and understand the value of these exercises.
This sparked our mission: to validate whether these pain points were real and develop a solution that consolidates these cognitive exercises into a single, well-designed platform.
To validate our thesis, we conducted interviews with 8 individuals from three target groups:
Professional Athletes (Primary Target Group)
Insights
Athletes expressed a strong need for quick, effective, and reliable neuro-training exercises. They were frustrated with existing apps due to poor usability, lack of depth, and fragmented offerings, which didn’t fit seamlessly into their rigorous schedules.
Coaches (Secondary Target Group)
Insights
Coaches highlighted the lack of a centralized app to recommend to their athletes. They also found it challenging to integrate neuro-games into training regimens, as many apps didn’t align with athletic goals or provide enough variety.
Casual Users (Tertiary Target Group)
Insights
While mildly interested in neurological training, casual users were deterred by poor explanations, lack of tutorials, and the absence of a compelling experience. For them, cognitive improvement was a secondary goal, and they wanted the app to feel more approachable and entertaining.
We began developing NeuralDrive with low-fidelity wireframes in Figma, focusing on core screens like the menu and navigation. Internal testing with friends and family helped refine usability, though no major structural changes emerged.
Moving forward, we adopted an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach to expedite development and gather real-world feedback. Our initial release featured:
We have also decided on these main categories:
Visual System
General Neuro Tools
Cognitive and Logic Games
Images coming soon
Over 2 years, we gathered extensive user feedback, which highlighted several issues:
• Nested and confusing navigation: Users had to click up to 5 times to access games.
• Lack of tutorials and explanations: Many struggled to understand game mechanics or their benefits.
• Limited language support: The app was only in German.
• No appearance settings: Users missed dark mode or other customization options.
Armed with this feedback, we redesigned NeuralDrive using React Native, following Apple’s HIG (Human Interface Guidelines) for a seamless experience. Key improvements included:
The revamped app received overwhelmingly positive feedback. All major pain points were resolved: navigation became intuitive, tutorials enhanced usability, and customization options improved overall satisfaction.
By continuing to listen to user feedback, we’ve ensured that NeuralDrive remains a reliable and enjoyable companion for athletes and casual users alike. With a robust foundation in place, NeuralDrive is poised for future growth, solidifying its position as the go-to app for neurological training.