parkr
found a spot!
OVERVIEW
where do I park?
As part of my Google UX Design Program, we were tasked with creating an app for social good. Parkr is an app to help people find parking in the city. The project aims to reduce stress when it comes to driving, increase safety, and allow people to plan ahead. Additionally, increased confidence in city-parking helps draw more people to local events, allowing for city growth and diversity.
PLATFORM
iOS
DISCLOSURE
Public Case Study
ROLE
User Experience Designer
TOOLS
Figma • Framer
DURATION
Sep 2022 - Nov 2022
PROBLEM STATEMENT
finding city parking is tough
Like many cities, Rochester, New York has a lot to do. At the same time, it has a lot of different rules when it comes to parking. For those who are not familiar with the city, it can become overwhelming to park.
Population (2022)
209,352
Types of Parking Signs
70+
Festivals per Year
140
yes, you can park here.
but only after 6pm.
and if it's a week day.
and if it's at a metered spot.
and if your car is red.
but you must leave by 6am.
It's hard to juggle all of this while you're driving. In fact, it can become distracting as people focus on reading signs, they forget to focus on the road. Others end up receiving tickets, induced stress, or see the city as inaccessible.
SOLUTION
parkr
a user-friendly mobile and desktop app designed to help users easily find parking, avoid tickets, and navigate signage before they arrive at their destination.
DESIGN PROCESS
what are people struggling with?
Understanding the pain points of users is crucial when designing a solution that effectively addresses their issues and solves their problems. Conducting surveys, interviews, and benchmarking against competitors are excellent ways to identify user challenges and gauge their expectations.
say "Hi" to the personas!
thinking like a user
To build a seamless experience for Parkr users, I mapped out both the user flow (how users move through the app) and the user journey (the steps they take, including their emotional experience at each point). These tools allowed me to design with empathy, ensuring that users of various backgrounds and needs would find the app intuitive and stress-free.
map it out: workflows and architecture
Before getting into the designs, creating an information architecture helps me account for all the different pages and workflows. This way, I get a high-level view of the app's hierarchy, helping me understand the depth of the app.
then sketch it out
After having a fundamental map of the app's hierarchy and information architecture, I can begin making some preliminary sketches. Since I have all the information I would need for different pages, it's a matter of practicing common UX practices to determine the size, placement, and arrangements of UI elements.
switch to hi-fi designs
Before testing with the users, I created some mockups for users to interact with. I used high-fidelity mockups since Apple's Figma Community files allows for easy mocking up. With better mockups, users can understand the functionality of the application better, resulting in better feedback.
people wanted a quicker way to select times
During user testing, I gathered a few friends to test out the functionality of the app. I curated questions that helped them understand the application, but made sure not to guide them towards an answer or a solution.
Instead, timing their task for completion and listening to their thoughts is what helps most.
"I'd like to be able to select times easier"
"I got overwhelmed with a whole calendar and time thing coming up"
"So, do I have to type in the time every time I want to see parking spots?"
iterate, iterate, iterate
Understanding user feedback is crucial in iterating designs. Out of the research participants, a majority of users suggested that they do not want to select specific dates and times.
7 out of 10
People requested a quicker way to select their date and time.
50% of people
Half of the people wanted to be able to park on a street even if the parking didn't allow it.
Reason being, sometimes the signs or regulations are not up-to-date due to local events.
DEVELOPER HANDOFF
what do developers get?
When I design, developers get an organized .zip file that outlines the overview of the project, workflows, page and component details, and all assets for the application. Each element and workflow is defined with notes to help add context to the application.
Providing support to developers is key in making sure my project is executed as intended. A lot can be lost between handoff and some information that seems straightforward, may not be for someone new to your project. Answering questions and addressing behaviors on a weekly basis helps the product be developed as intended.
RESULTS & IMPACT
