Usability testing (2 rounds)

Making it more intuitive for the user

Change #1 - Added a favorite option

During the usability study, interviewees mentioned that it would be a nice to have a way to see past parking spots or past parking spots they liked. Since if the drive into work, they would be using the same parking lot more often.

I also later removed the app name and logo from the top bar, since based on UI of other apps, it was not necessary and was taking up space on the screen.

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Version 2

version 3

Change #2 - adding the spots left and distance from the destination

During the usability test, interviewees voiced that they would like to be able to see the number of spots left before clicking on the spot as it would save them the trouble if there was only a few spots left. They also said the would like to know the distance from their destination to gage how much they would need to walk.

Another change they wanted was to be able to zoom in, to see street names more clearer.

Version 3

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Version 3

Change # 3 - Making the entrance the first picture on the parking spot modal

During the usability test, users stated they would like to see how the parking lot entrance looked. I added the parking lot entrance as the first picture and added two more pictures so the user can see how the parking looks inside the parking area.

During another usability test, users mentioned they would like to know how many spots are left so they would know if they need to book soon or if they can tell a friend that there's spots available.

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Version 3

I wanted users to feel calm while using the app. So I picked colors with cool tones. Blue and teal are known to be calming colors and white is known to be peaceful. I also noticed that many of the pictures to do with calmness had gradients in them. So I implement some gradients to the app as well.  

I chose proxima nova as the font type as it is sans-serif and it has a really clean look to it. I used ropa sans when creating the wordmark. I wanted the brand wordmark to have clean soft lines that were well defined as when it comes to parking, the words straight lines comes to mind.

Figuring out where to put specific colors and where to inject them was more difficult than I expected it to be. I tried a few different variations of colors. I had to ensure that the colors were accessible on every screen.

After receiving feedback and making iterations I created my final high fidelity prototype.

1. Search made easy

2. Being able to filter through parking spots

3. In-built navigation gps

The search feature is easy for users to use. They can simply type the location they would like to go to and the app would start giving suggestions. Park'in also has saved search history.

Users can filter through parking spots. Want a spot with CCTV cameras, don't worry we have an option for that. Dislike parallel parking, there's a filter to help avoid it.

Park'in also has an in-built gps navigation system, so users do not need to leave the app to enter the address on another app. It saves the user a step.

To create a marketing website, I first explored the marketing websites of other parking apps on both desktop and mobile. I built out a UI Inspiration board and drew some sketches. I designed two versions of the marketing website and did a critique session. After taking the input into account, I made iterations and made my final prototype.

I wanted to expand park'in onto other platforms. I initially thought of expanding it to the desktop. However, as I began brainstorming, it made the most sense to design for car play. Park'in is a parking app, which means most people would be using it on the go. Having it designed for car play also creates a safer environment so that drivers are not tempted to touch their mobile phone, instead they can just select the options on the car play screen.

Some constraints I faced with this were that the UI for car play is limited, so I had to relook at my UI elements. I also could not include has many filter options, as drivers cannot look through as many options while driving, so I limited my filters to just four: avoid parallel parking, parking garage, free parking and parking with CCTV cameras. I used these four options, as during my research, these were the types of parking my interviewees mentioned the most.

What's next for park'in

I would like to expland park'in to other platforms such as desktop and tablets, to have it reach a wider audience.

I would like to add more accessibility features to park'in. Such as a voice command feature that's compatible with siri and google home. Having a voice command feature would be really useful to drivers. It would also ensure that drivers are not using the app while driving and they can simply call on siri or google to do the action for them

Key learnings

One of my biggest learnings was how crucial feedback is. Whether it is from user interviews or peers. Taking feedback well is a very important part of the process. And with each piece of feedback, I learned something new. I learned that re-working my prototype is a never ending process as there are always things to improve and UX is constantly evolving so it is important to continue to make iterations over time.

I also learned how important time management is. Certain tasks that may not seem to take long can and it is important to time box yourself to make sure things are done in a timely manner.

I explored the tarot cards of tech to see questions I could answer.

I decided to answer THE SCANDAL.
The worst headline, I can think of is driver in fatal car crash while using park'in app. Needing to use the app while driving could cause potential harm, if a driver is distracted and tries to use the app while driving. This is why I wanted to develop car play and a voice command feature to help avoid a dangerous situation.