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Private Parking Spot Finding App
Making optimal use of idle private parking spaces to enhance efficiency and utility.
Overview
This private parking spot-finding application is dedicated to optimizing the parking experience of drivers in the Toronto area by renting idle private parking spots.
*This project was completed as part of the Fundamentals of User-Experience Design course (INF1602) at the University of Toronto.
Contribution
User Research
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Miro
Timeline
September - December 2023
Problem Statement
The quest for public parking spots often poses a challenge for drivers, from finding suitable spaces within budget to receiving timely assistance for any issues. Meanwhile, the observation of idle private parking resources across various social media channels sparked our initiative.
Competitor Analysis
The secondary research method revolves around online research and conducting comparisons with similar products including Green P Parking, SpotHero, PayByPhone, etc.
The existing parking applications cater to most of the public parking market’s needs. However, market analysis and user feedback highlighted some concerns:
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There are additional service fees and non-refundable pre-deposits.
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Reservation fees exceed actual parking costs.
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Spots in public areas might not stay reserved.
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Customer service can be unresponsive.
*Public Parking Spaces = Commercial Parking Lots + Street Parking Spots
Primary Research
We surveyed with 64 participants and interviewed 12 participants. Then we narrowed the main concerns into 3 aspects: findability, cost, and usability.
61.8%
Take an averagely 5-15 minutes to find a parking space in downtown Toronto.
64.7%
Are willing to pay under $5 per hour for a more convenient and close-by parking spaces.
75.8%
Think the public parking spaces are used ineffectively.
From the research findings, we categorized the primary challenges faced by interview participants.
Research Analysis
Let me introduce our persona Cindy Parker, a downtown college student living in midtown.
Based on Cindy's behaviours and personality traits, we assumed how would she say, do, feel, and think when looking for public parking space downtown Toronto.
By charting Cindy’s ongoing journey, we gain insight into her actions, thoughts, and emotions. We then highlighted the key challenges by the whole team voting.
-- Cindy needs a platform to park near her destination with accurate searching methods and find affordable parking with secured safety --
Ideation
We generated 19 ideas in total. Through a collaborative voting process according to their feasibility and impact on the problem-solving aspect, we then conducted 10 ideas moving to the prototyping stage.
Illustrating the enhancement in Cindy's parking experience through the implementation of the Community Parking, the plan's four steps—plan, reserve, find, and park.
Prototyping
With the diagram displaying the future scenario for our users, we conducted our clear direction and a set of goals to fulfill the needs of our persona, including findability, customer service inefficiency, and cost concerns.
Cindy secures a parking spot ahead of time, eliminating the hassle of aimlessly driving around to look for a parking spot.
Cindy can receive immediate 1-on-1 assistance to resolve unforeseeable situations with real spot owners.
Cindy earns rewards and discounts regarding as parking coupons, reducing her parking costs.
Sketches
We focus on 2 standard task flows to help the user set up their journey ("Login/ Sign-up", and "Onboarding”) and 3 main tasks to address user pain points (“Findability”, “Rewards”, and “Customer Service”).
Low-fidelity Wireframe
We then translated our chosen sketches into the first set of low-fidelity digital wireframes. We conducted the first round of usability testing to test the flow of the app and catch any issues early on.
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Usability Evaluation
We chose observation and interview as evaluation methods and asked 5 representative users to try pur clickable prototype on Figma to test the overall flow and navigation clearness. The users were asked to complete 3 tasks.
Task 1: If you want to find a parking spot, how would you reserve it? (Findability)
Task 2: How do you check your points and coupons, then earn points? (Rewards)
Task 3: How do you call the owner if you want to contact them? (Customer Service)
Misclick Rate for Each Task
1/5
0
4/5
Users Feedback from Interview
Very functional app that gets straight to the point. No annoying ads!
Very similar to Uber, very minimalistic, clean, simple nothing extra that crowds the screens.
It is a lot cheaper than public parking and it feels safer knowing that you are in a secured garage.
Wondered if you could lock in a parking spot for a long time? Make a deal with the owner?
The payment system needs improvement, methods and checkout process need more details.
Evaluation Summary: Findability -- Task 1
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The overall feedback is positive, users completed the task of searching and reserving parking spots appreciating the customizable filters and settings.
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However, certain wording and navigation features need to be revised such as simplifying the "Get Directions" function, requing too many taps to access.
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Flexible payment options and the ability to modify reservations will consider a broader range of preferences.
Evaluation Summary: Rewards -- Task 2
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Users are very satisfied with the rewards feature and find it a nice surprise since existing parking apps do not commonly adopt it.
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The user thinks that the feature is well-designed and aligns with their habits as well as other apps (PC Optimum) with a similar point and reward system.
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The labels and icons are clear and easy to follow. Future upgrades can include weekly promotions and deals to maintain customer loyalty.
Evaluation Summary: Customer Service -- Task 3
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Users finished the task of calling 1-on-1 customer service but encountered errors and struggle, and needed assistance with navigation.​
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The greatest struggle is finding the owner's contact information, users did not know where to look, and some tried to tap on chat but were confused when it was not part of the task flow.
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The users suggested adding a button for direct navigation or having the parking spot reservation information directly on the home page so that users can find the contact methods easily. Otherwise, everything after navigating to the "Owner's Information page" is smooth.
Self Reflection
Tasks Decomposition:
It is essential especially in project management and problem-solving, as it breaks down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable, and easy-to-conquer components. By breaking a large task into smaller, more achievable parts, it becomes easier to plan, assign, and track progress. Ultimately, task decomposition provides enhanced efficiency and improved clarity of the final deliverable for the users.
Time Management:
Effective time management can pose a significant challenge, particularly in sizeable projects. We faced presentation sprints and deliverables every other week, leading us to limit the depth of our work to ensure quality within time constraints. With additional time, we could expand our team of testers and implement moderated usability testing, enhancing our process. Improved time management would undoubtedly elevate the overall quality of our designs.
Content Structure:
A well-organized content structure ensures clarity and self-evidence, aiding users in swiftly finding the information they seek. For instance, the marked and bold headings with ordered diagrams could lead to a clear and easy-scanning experience.
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