case study
Infinity was a course project in GBDA 210 Introduction to User Experience Design, where we designed a carpooling application under the guidance of Professor Ville Mäkelä.
Our main goal was to build a safe and affordable carpooling app in four months, connecting users with similar interests. The app was designed for ease of use, highlighting its functionality, usability, and overall user experience.
Team: Amie Liu, Aileen Chen, Dylan Sharma, Fiona Feng, Natalie Hebert, Vehara Rupasinghe
Platform: Mobile, Desktop
Sector: Shared Transportation Services
Tools Used: Figma, Google Docs
My Role:
Some ride-sharing services provided by prominent corporations often pose challenges for users.
Therefore, users need a ride-sharing solution that is affordable and prioritizes their safety and well-being, ensuring a reliable and satisfied experience for diverse individuals.
The intended users of this innovative ride-sharing solution include a wide range of individuals seeking an affordable and secure mode of transportation. We primarily targeted cost-conscious users like university students and white-collar workers. This solution aims to democratize a convenient transportation application.
Our research included semi-structured interviews with six participants, including both classmates and working professionals commuting around Ontario. The data analysis process shows that a consistent focus on safety emerged as a top concern for our participants. Additionally, a significant preference for interactive and engaging rides was found, with participants expressing a desire to connect with each other with similar interests.
As we moved from user research to a list of requirements, we focused on security features and personalized experiences. The list was to provide direction to the design process and aid in prioritization.
We created a persona based on the interviews to understand the primary user group that would use our application.
Then, we created a scenario to envision how the users would interact with the application, which allowed us to better understand user needs.
During the initial steps of app design, I focused on the user account creation flow and trip booking based on the presented scenario.
The inclusion of a verification page adds security, ensuring a robust and trustworthy user authentication process.
Adding a driver registration page in a carpooling app is a proactive measure to ensure the safety and security of users.
During the walkthrough, we physically interacted with paper mockups, simulating the user's journey through the interface, which allowed us to identify potential usability issues and ensured that our design aligned closely with user expectations and usability goals.
After receiving feedback from participants, we created wireframes using Figma. Customizable saved locations on the homepage were identified as a key improvement, allowing users to easily access frequently visited places. Another crucial addition was consolidating all ride activities on the Trips page.
For the website design, my team members and I reformatted the profile, ride request, ride booking, and ride arrival/chat pages. New pages like the preference quiz and driver/passenger selection were added for better user engagement and to understand more about users' preferences. The headings were reworded for clarity. A side menu was incorporated for easier navigation on the "Ride" page, and buttons were simplified for a more intuitive experience.
During heuristic evaluation, my responsibility was to observe two participants, who have no experience in UIX design, travel through the task flows. Then, we analyzed data to examine and assess the usability of the interface, evaluating visibility and severity frequency on a scale of 1 to 5.
The primary challenges that we found were on the “Home” and “Create Account” pages. There was complexity and user confusion, impacting the overall user experience.
The final prototypes allowed us to refine the user interface, ensuring a more visually immersive representation of the application.
Throughout the design process, we gained valuable insights that significantly improved the overall user experience and experienced conducting critiques for usability design. Adapting the prototypes based on Nielson's heuristics offered newfound knowledge and hands-on experience. The experience underscored the importance of anticipating usability considerations early in the design process. Users could get a clear and detailed picture of the finished product. I enhanced my ability to think from the user’s perspective, allowing me to minimize human errors and maximize the efficiency and convenience of the design project.
By implementing A/B testing for our specific design features, we could compare user engagement and preferences. This approach could help determine the most effective design choices and inform further refinements. In addition, assessing and optimizing the performance of the application, such as page load times, response rates, and overall responsiveness, could enhance the technical aspects to ensure a smooth and efficient user experience. By incorporating these next steps, the design can undergo continuous improvement, adapting to evolving user needs and high standards.