Sports nutrition · Mobile app

KultLab: discovery phase for a sports nutrition mobile app

Discovery phase for the mobile app of KultLab, a sports nutrition retail chain in Siberia: research, requirements and a complete package of documentation and prototypes ready for development. Tools: Figma and Confluence.

ClientKultLab, a sports nutrition retail chain (Siberia)

IndustryRetail, sports nutrition, e-commerce

PlatformsMobile app

Timeline2–6 weeks (typical MVP discovery timeline)

KultLabRetail, sports nutrition

About the product

KultLab is a sports nutrition retail chain operating in Siberia. The company was planning to launch its own mobile app and came to us for a discovery phase: to design the digital product before development started, so that the engineering team would receive a clear, well-reasoned specification instead of building the interface on the fly.

The goal of discovery is to reduce uncertainty and the risk of costly rework. At this stage we ran the analysis, gathered requirements and prepared a complete documentation package: detailed wireframes, user stories, interactive prototypes in Figma and a description of the logic in Confluence.

The challenge

Starting development without a worked-out design and requirements means building in the risk of rework, missed deadlines and budget overruns. The chain runs several stores, each with its own stock, so the app needed transparent availability logic and the ability to buy from the store that actually has the item.

A separate challenge was to design the catalog and home screen to engage users (promotions, bestsellers, banners) and to plan correct handling of personal data from the outset, in line with the applicable data protection law.

Project highlights

Sign-in and structured catalogSearch, “Promotions” and “Bestsellers”Stock availability by storeBuy from the store that has the itemPromo banners for engagementPersonal data storage architecture

Solution and approach

We ran the work as a classic discovery phase: first analysis and requirements gathering, then user scenarios (user stories), wireframes and interactive prototypes. All logic and documentation lived in Confluence; the visual layer and clickable prototypes were built in Figma.

We paid particular attention to the non-trivial parts: stock availability by store, the purchase flow across different stores and the personal data storage architecture. As a result, the client received a ready-to-hand-off package for development with no blind spots.

Product features

Sign-in

User sign-in and registration screens

Product catalog

A structured sports nutrition catalog with search and product cards

Promotions and bestsellers

“Promotions” and “Bestsellers” sections with curated products to drive engagement

Availability by store

Stock logic across the chain’s stores and purchase from the right store

Promo banners

Banner and promo block variants for the home screen

Personal data compliance

Personal data storage architecture designed to meet legal requirements

KultLab app home screen with search, Promotions and Bestsellers tiles and product cards

Home screen and catalog

The app’s key screen brings store navigation together: a product search bar, large quick-access tiles for “Promotions” and “Bestsellers” with item counts, and a product feed with a link to the full catalog.

Product cards show the image, name, rating, flavor and price, while “HIT”, “SALE” and “POPULAR” badges highlight priority items and nudge users toward a purchase.

Close-up of the KultLab catalog layout with promo blocks and product grid

The catalog up close

A separate frame shows the structure of the home screen on its own: search, two accent blocks for “Promotions” and “Bestsellers”, and a grid of product cards in the “Products” section.

This layout sets the visual hierarchy, promo and navigation first, then the catalog, and serves as the reference layout for future development.

KultLab home screen variant with promo banner carousel and product feed

Promo banner and product feed

A home screen variant with a promotional banner carousel: a card for a discounted product with the old and new price, a navigation arrow and a slide indicator.

Below the banner is the same product feed with cards and badges. This is how discovery captures different user engagement scenarios before development begins.

Why discovery before development, not building straight away

A discovery phase is structured product design before the first line of code is written. For the mobile app of a multi-store chain with complex availability logic this is especially important: an architectural mistake at the start turns into expensive refactoring halfway through development.

By the numbers

2–6 wkstypical MVP discovery timeline

100%of documentation ready for handoff to development

PIIstorage architecture designed to legal requirements

2tools: Figma and Confluence

Completed the discovery phase: research into the market, competitors and target audience.

Detailed wireframes of the first screens: sign-in and catalog with banner variants.

User stories written, including purchases from different stores based on stock availability.

Designed the purchase flow across stores: customers see up-to-date stock in every store of the chain.

Sign-in and catalog screens with banner variants worked out in Figma.

The outcome: a foundation for starting development, with documentation in Confluence and prototypes in Figma.

Personal data and architecture at the design stage

As early as discovery, we laid down a personal data storage architecture that meets the requirements of the client’s jurisdiction. This lets the development team build the app on the right rules from day one instead of reworking storage and data flows after launch.

Within discovery we designed how users’ personal data (name, phone number, delivery address) is stored and processed. The model provides for locally hosted data storage and a minimal set of fields, following the data minimization principle.

The app is designed around the client’s legal obligations for personal data: user consent to processing, a privacy policy, storage on locally hosted servers and role-restricted access. The client acts as the data controller.

Working out requirements before code reduces legal and product risk: stock availability by store, purchases from different stores and personal data handling are described in Confluence and backed by Figma prototypes.

Tech stack

FigmaWireframes, UI design and interactive prototypes

ConfluenceDocumentation, user stories and logic specifications

Planning an app like this? Let’s talk discovery

Tell us about your product and we will help you design it before development starts, with clear requirements, prototypes and documentation. Let’s discuss how a discovery phase can de-risk your project.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a discovery phase in mobile app development?

Discovery is the product design stage before development begins: client interviews, user scenario analysis, architecture and interface design, prototypes and technical documentation. The result is a clear specification and prototypes the team can start building from right away.

What does the client get at the end of discovery?

At the end of discovery the client receives user stories, the app architecture diagram and data model, clickable prototypes of key screens (Figma), documentation in Confluence, and an assessment of complexity and risks. The package lets development start without re-briefing the developers.

How does stock availability across the chain’s stores work?

In KultLab’s discovery we designed a purchase flow that accounts for stock in the warehouses of different stores. Users see current availability at the nearest store or any other store in the chain, can add the item to the cart or choose another store that has it. This rules out orders for items that are out of stock.

How does discovery help save on development budget?

The cost of fixing an architectural mistake grows at every stage of development. During discovery a fix takes hours and costs very little; once development has started it takes days and refactoring; after release it takes weeks and rework. A typical discovery timeline for a mobile app is 2–6 weeks.

How long does mobile app discovery take?

It depends on the complexity of the business logic and the client’s availability for sync meetings. Typical range: 2–4 weeks for a single app. This is not a guarantee for a specific project; actual timelines are agreed at the briefing.

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