Executive Summary ‍

‍Goal : To create a Ride Share App that caters to the community, allows users to meet and interact with others, all while providing the standard ride share service.

‍Approach : The team utilized the Goal Directed Design Method which is a user-centered design method in user interface (UI) design that emphasizes the identification and prioritization of users' goals and tasks as the foundation for the design of effective user interfaces.

‍Challenges : Incorporation of community-oriented functionalities such as group chat and security verification measures for users posed a challenge in establishing a novel set of criteria, as these features were not commonly offered by existing ride-sharing applications.

Introduction

The current state of ride share apps does not cater to a diverse range of users and is primarily focused on making money. Some ride share apps do have safety features and implement disability access.The social aspect of ride share which includes socializing with other ride share users and teaching users how to interact with disabled users. users should be able to have accessible and safe ride share while also making meaningful connections with other passengers/users. By giving users a platform to input their destination and find other users going to the same destination as them.

What is Goal Directed Design Method?

‍Goal-directed design is a user-centered design method in user interface (UI) design that emphasizes the identification and prioritization of users' goals and tasks as the foundation for the design of effective user interfaces. The approach involves defining user goals and tasks early in the design process and using them to guide the design and development of UI features, functions, and interactions that align with user needs and expectations. The goal-directed design method aims to create UIs that are intuitive, efficient, and satisfying for users, by understanding their motivations and objectives and designing interfaces that support their goals and tasks.
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GDD consists of 5 phases :

1. Research.
2. Modeling.
3. Requirements.
4. Framework.
5. Refinements.

Research

At the outset of our project, we conducted a kickoff meeting to establish SMART goals and create group channels in Figma and Discord. Subsequently, we initiated a Competitive Audit to gain insight into the offerings of other ride-sharing applications and identify opportunities to learn from our competitors i.e Uber, Lyft and Bumble.

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After conducting a Competitive Audit, through general research we came to the conclusion that the main issue with ride share apps was concern of safety and payment issues. This gave us an idea of what issues we were to keep in mind, while developing our app. Since other ride shares do not include community features we decided to brainstorm and figure out a way to integrate community with ride share.

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Interviews

In an effort to gain deeper insights into the prospective users of our application, we opted to conduct user interviews. To this end, we employed the use of Survey Monkey to solicit participants who fell within our target market, which ranged from individuals aged 18 to 70 years. Given the broad scope of our target demographic, we made concerted efforts to identify participants that aligned with our intended market. Subsequently, we utilized a virtual think tank hosted on Figma to collaboratively brainstorm and select the most salient questions to be incorporated into our survey and interview.

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After finding eligible participants we conducted a series of 5 user interviews using Zoom. Each member took turns moderating while the rest took down notes to the specific questions. We created an interview map that was later transformed into an Affinity Map. An affinity map is a visual tool used in design thinking and user-centered design to organize and synthesize qualitative data gathered from user research, such as user interviews or surveys. The affinity map was created by writing individual insights or observations on sticky notes in Figma and grouping them into related categories based on similarities and patterns. By organizing these insights into a hierarchical or clustered structure, an affinity map provides a means of identifying common themes, insights, and pain points from user research, which can then inform the design of user-centered solutions.

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Modeling

The modeling phase of the project commenced with the creation of an Affinity Map, which was informed by a comprehensive analysis of the data gathered from user interviews and personal research. Through this process, we were able to identify patterns and glean insights that informed our understanding of the requirements for the application. By leveraging this information, we were able to systematically prioritize the features and functionalities needed for the application, while also eliminating any elements deemed unnecessary.

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Personas

In order cater to our demographic we came up with two personas. A persona is a fictional character that represents a group of users who share common goals, needs, and behaviors. Personas are developed through user research and data analysis and are used to create a human-centered approach to design. Personas are often presented as a profile or description of a typical user, which includes demographic information, personality traits, goals, motivations, and pain points.

We came up with two personas : William Sorrento, an elderly widower seeking community and convenient transportation within his hometown, and Maya Rodriguez a young teacher new to the area, in search of an effortless means of generating additional income, discovering the city, and socializing with new acquaintances.

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Upon developing our Personas, we proceeded to construct a Journey Map for each user, detailing their anticipated interactions with the application, as well as the requisite features necessary for a seamless user experience. Employing Figma sticky notes, we delineated the various stages of the user journey, ultimately deriving a comprehensive understanding of the specific requirements for each Persona. This process enabled us to design an application that was tailored to the unique needs and preferences of our intended user group.

Requirements

In UI design, requirements refer to the specific functionalities, features, and design elements that are necessary for an application to meet the needs and expectations of its target users. Requirements can include elements such as the layout of the user interface, navigation, features, and functionalities, as well as the overall user experience and user satisfaction. By defining clear and comprehensive requirements, UI designers can ensure that the application is designed to be user-friendly, efficient, and effective in meeting the needs and goals of its intended audience.

After gathering information from our affinity map, interviews and creating our personas, we decided to create a requirements map. In this process we came together as a team and outlined the what, who and why of our app off our personas' needs. We used our initial problem statement to answer the question to our approach and purpose of the app. We then listed short term and long term goals our personas may have when using the app. Finally, we created a list of product requirements necessary to fulfill these goals and voted on the features that would be integrated in the application.

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Framework

After generating the requirements list, our team collaborated virtually to design the wireframe. Following the wireframe, we proceeded to develop branding components for the app that will be incorporated in the ultimate prototype.

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Subsequently, the wireframe underwent a revision to replace the taskbar with a hamburger menu. This decision was based on the observation that majority of ride-sharing applications use a hamburger menu and require a full screen for navigation maps.

Branding

In a team meeting, we developed a style guide for the brand, where we established the brand's name, logo, voice, color palette, typography, and images.

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Focusing on the needs of users with disabilities

Ensuring inclusivity for all users was a key objective for our app, particularly for riders with physical and mental disabilities. To achieve this, we integrated an optional form in our onboarding process that enabled users to disclose their disability and select an associated icon. They could choose whether or not to display this information when riding with others. The icon would alert fellow riders that the individual had a disability and provide some information about the condition, as well as guidelines for interacting with the rider in a respectful manner.

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Community Feature

RideX distinguished itself from other ride-sharing apps by providing a sense of community. When offering or requesting a ride, users are prompted to join a carpool group for a specific event or destination by setting the date and time. They could then request to join the group and await an invitation. Once accepted, they would be added to a group chat where they could communicate with other members and coordinate the ride. In addition, drivers could view their previous groups and connect with their fellow riders if they chose to do so.

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Security and Preferences

To prioritize the security of our users, we incorporated a verification feature that required drivers to upload an image of their driver's license and a candid photo for facial verification. We also provided users with the option to specify their preferred rider characteristics to enhance their comfort and safety.

Upon completion of the ride, both the driver and riders could rate each other and share their experience. Users who consistently received poor ratings or strikes would receive a warning, and if issues persisted, they would be removed from the app.

To facilitate users in discovering like-minded individuals and events, we provided the option for users to select their preferred events during the profile setup process.

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Rewards System

Incentivizing users to utilize our app, RideX implemented a loyalty program. Users could earn points for their loyalty, which could be redeemed at our partner companies' stores.

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Refinement

After completing the branding project we begun the prototyping process. This spanned over the course of two weeks . This process included the revision of fonts and user paths within the app. After designing the app we went ahead to prototype the rough draft version of the app for user testing.

Upon finishing the preliminary version of the final prototype, we invited two of our former participants to review the wireframe and provide feedback. Their input was valuable and helped us refine the final product. One observation they made was that the back button was not very useful and could be substituted with the hamburger menu in several instances. We also revamped our home menu and established new user pathways for payment confirmation.

Based on the feedback from the participants, we made the necessary changes to the wireframe and proceeded to develop the final version of the prototype. During these testing sessions, we received further feedback from users, which we incorporated into the final version of the prototype. We also fine-tuned the design elements such as color scheme, typography, and images to ensure that they were consistent with the brand's style guide. Ultimately, after rigorous refinement, we arrived at the final version of our prototype.
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The research process was quite rigorous and provided us with much insight. Adding a social touch to the ride share app was an innovative decision, which would change the ride share market and allow users to connect through a growing service market.

I enjoyed the experience of being team lead and working with other great designers.