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01

Identifying Three Problems

01

I have been living in San Francisco for 3 years, when I take my friend's car to some restaurants, we have the big problem, parking! I think to find a good parking place is very hard in downtown.

02

As an international student, I have enough experience with the rent house, it is a problem for the foreign students, and sometimes I cannot find the good room fit my standard because the rental website sort not including the range for international students requires. The rental resource sharing system is very poor in this area. 

03

I'm always buying more food put into the refrigerator, but a lot of food expired, I have to throw away, with the food waste, I think it is necessary to make a reminder to change.

Selected Problem

Parking is very difficult to find or search in San Francisco.

Government tries to plan some method to solving the city parking problem in
San Francisco, but the expectation is not good.

Most urban people think the technology can't help the parking issue be solved because the way we get around cities is so much in flux.

The government uses the dynamic pricing to control the parking issue.

Solutions

Create a quick parking app that could solve SF's parking problem. Find the cheapest, closest parking to the user's destination. Get a guaranteed parking spot in advance with your credit card. My app feature is more smart and efficient. 

Competitive Audit

How they solve the problem: 

 

SpotHero gives the user access to thousands of garages, lots, and valets nationwide. 

 

How they don't fully solve the problem:

 

SpotHero cannot revise user's first reservation which is inconvenient.

How they solve the problem: 

 

Parking Panda instantly accesses and redeem user's parking confirmation on the way in and out of select locations.

 

How they don't fully solve the problem:

 

Parking Panda plays a playoff game and this app worried users wouldn’t get parking.

How they solve the problem: 

 

SpotHero gives the user access to thousands of garages, lots, and valets nationwide. 

 

How they don't fully solve the problem:

 

SpotHero cannot revise user's first reservation which is inconvenient.

Interview Guide

Problem
Parking is very difficult to find in the Bay Area.

 

Research Question
1. How do people find a parking place in San Francisco?
2. What do people care about most of a search for a parking space?

 

Introduction
My name is Yision and I’m a graphic design student at Academy of Art University. I’m doing a urban problem research for a UX design project. I'm working on this semester. 

 

Target Users

Almost all the people who travel by private vehicles such as cars, motorbikes etc.

 

Participant Background Question
1. What’s your name?

2. How old are you?

3. What professional field are you in?

4. Can you Introduce your family members?

5. Do you live in SF? If so, how long?

 

Main Questions

1. What is your most way to travel?

2. Are you having trouble finding parking spots?

3. Which is important for you to choose the best parking place? Price or easy to find?Or other?

4. How often do you face parking problems at your house if you have an apartment in front of it?

5. Have you ever used parking search apps? If yes, which ones? How about the user experience?

6. What are the basic features you would expect from a parking search app?

7. Do you think parking apps really alleviate parking problems?

 

Dream Questions

1. How would you measure the cost of parking app compare with accept parking problem?

2. What do you wish most for in the parking app? 

3. How would you consider the app is better than valet service?

 

Wrap-up

Is there anything you want to tell more? If not, thank you so much for your time, I really appreciated!

Interviewee

Daniel Jue, Engineer, 31
1. Normally I take the BART to my workplace, for the vacation, I will drive the car to somewhere.
2.Exactly! Parking in the downtown is very hard, it cost my time and I hate it!

​

Simona Parnicka, Writer, 46

3. The first thing for me is easy to find, some parking lots are large, if I forgot the parking place number or floor number, I found the car precise location is hard. 

4.Rare times for my loving house, because the parking place is more than my working place.

​

Glenn Fleishman, Teacher, 42

5. Yes, I have been using an app called SpotHero, but I don't like this app, because the reservation system is bad.

6. I expect the app could combine more option together, no just finding a nearby spot without thinking the other factors.

​

Broady Zhang, Graphic designer, 28

7. I think it solves problems for more drivers although the solution couldn't keep up with the amount of the vehicle.

8. I think it's valued than just accept the problem.

​

Eric Taub, Manager, 35

9. I wish the app can be more smart, making it easier to find parking spots is not merely a matter of convenience for drivers, but a necessity for cars when they start doing the looking themselves.

10. I prefer the app because the app can give you more choice and also cheaper than valet.

Persona

Demographics
  • Age:46 years old

  • Location: San Francisco

  • Occupation: Engineer

 

Frustrations
  • Not being able to find available parking 

  • Having to pay for parking with coins

  • The hassle of finding a parking spot near the main street and surrounding areas

 

Needs
  • Easy to find a parking place and safety

  • Reservation service more convenient

  • Online payment could be more flexible and speedy

​

Goals
  • Diversity selection and customization 

  • Parking smart to save the money and time 

Demographics
  • Age:34 years old

  • Location: Oakland

  • Occupation: Product Manager

 

Frustrations
  • Normally take the BART or MUNI to the workplace 

  • Like parking on the street side because easy to find

  • Would rather find valet parking although too expensive

 

Needs
  • Consistently arriving on time for classes and meetings

  • Remembering where I parked my car

  • To park downtown for the majority of the day/night

 

Goals
  • Without driving around the city for long time

  • Find sites for booking easy

Interview Summary

Interview Insights

  • People would like to parking place where is easy to find or track.​​

  • Parking hard always happen in weekend or night rush time.

  • People think it's necessary to reserve the parking place in advance.

  • As a user, people want to easy booked parking using the app, so never again getting no slot when come to building the park.

  • Most of the interviewees want to easy managing their time, so they can see time’s left and getting the notification when times upcoming the end.

  • The app should be easy pay, and also convenient for cancel.

  • Easy communication is needed in using peer-to-peer parking service. Users hope the communication cost is as little as possible. 

  • People feel intolerability to wait for a parking place for a long time.

02

Design Principles

Satisfied
All the essential options needed by the user are given, cheering their bubbles. They can view their parking slot on the last screen with the specific screen appearance and the icon for booking is given at the right base.
​
Affordance
All the details to be selected are given in simple sequential screens, anyone can use the app at any time without tangles.
 
Recognition
The back option is given even at the last screen where it can be identified by the user easily and evoked in future.
​
Simplified
The app is intended in an uncomplicated way with very easy steps. Once you open the app, it will take you all the way from tracking the spot to booking.
 
 
Aesthetic
The abridged look and necessary options of the app lure the user and grant them to handle it more and often the frolic way assuring Aesthetic-Usability.

User Journey Map

Sections & Features

User Needs

- Parking sites around the location

- Smart recommends

 

 

Features

- Insert users location or destiny system will give suggestion

- After user choose the preferred park, will get a place for park

User Needs

- Compare the parking place with prices and locations

 

 

Features

- Use the filter to have more choice

- Add to Favorites

- Show the intelligent recommendation on the comparing page

User Needs

- Change the reservation

- Purchase way

 

 

Features

- Booking details for cancel or change at any time

- All payment types are available to be changed

User Needs

- Payment method could add conveniently and pay efficiently

 

 

Features

- Payment info fill in

- connect with menu

Moscow Chart

Information Architecture

Design Draft

03

Mobile Pattern Audit

Sketch & Paper Prototype

Annotated Wireframes

Component Sheet

Heuristic Evaluation

key features

Visual System

Moodboard

Concept 1

Concept 2

Concept 3

Style Guide

Concept 1

Concept 2

App Name&Icon

Spaces

​

Spaces is a simple and functional App that reduces traffic by helping drivers find parking benefits. Drivers can easily and quickly find an open spot without driving around in the city.

​

The App icon was designed based on the word "Parking" letter "P", and the locator spot, it shows the simple, quick and clear for parking service.

SPACE

Find parking easily and quickly!
Final Design
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