Emma Majernik | Boston College PST SMART Booklet

The SMART Booklet

I co-created and designed The Smart Book—a clean, user-friendly guide to help coaches bring sport psychology into everyday training.

View the Booklet

The
Details

Timeline

November 2021 - December 2021

Skills

Visual Communication

UX/UI Design

Content Strategy

Psychology to Practice Translation

Project Overview

Tasked with creating a resource that brought psychological theory into practice, my partner and I developed a coach-facing guide that simplifies and promotes the use of Psychological Skills Training (PST) in an easy to use format for real world application. The project combined content strategy, educational design, and sport psychology to empower teams with tools that enhance mental performance.

PROBLEM

Coaches often struggle to incorporate psychological skills training (PST) into their programs due to a lack of clear, accessible resources.

GOAL

Aim to create an intuitive, user-friendly resource that empowers coaches to easily implement PST, enhancing athletic performance and mental well-being.

SOLUTION

A seamless, well-structured educational tool that combines practical PST strategies with a user-centric interface, empowering coaches to enhance athletic performance and mental well-being.

Project Framework

The Design Process

What is The SMART Book?

The Smart Book is a sport psychology guide I co-authored and designed with clarity and usability in mind. Focused on Psychological Skills Training (PST), the booklet blends engaging visuals with structured layouts to make complex mental training concepts easy for coaches to understand and apply. From typography to user flow, every element was crafted to create an approachable, empowering learning experience—helping coaches help their athletes train smarter.

Why SMART?

When it comes to sports and exercise, goal setting is a game-changer—for both athletes and coaches. It’s one of the core mental skills that can boost performance, drive motivation, and support overall well-being. Whether someone’s training for a big competition or just trying to stay active, having clear, meaningful goals helps them stay focused, measure progress, and build confidence along the way.

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PECIFIC

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EASURABLE

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CHIEVABLE

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ELEVANT

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IME - BOUND

Studies show that athletes who set structured goals—especially SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)—are more likely to stay motivated and see real results. That’s why we created The Smart Book: to give coaches an easy way to bring psychological skills training into their programs, starting with one of the most powerful tools out there—goal setting.

Project
Reflections

This project was a pivotal part of my college experience—it marked the first time I got to truly apply UX/UI principles in a hands-on way. From wireframing to visual layout, it was also my introduction to using Canva as a design tool, which opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities. I loved the freedom to explore and experiment with design choices while staying focused on usability and clarity.

What made this project especially meaningful was how it brought together my passions: sports, exercise, psychology, and design. Building a resource that supports coaches and athletes through psychological skills training felt both purposeful and personal. It confirmed my interest in creating tools that are not only functional but also engaging and impactful for users.