Who am i designing for?
From the in-depth interviews, i created a primary user persona to represent the majority of my target users . Washington and Eunice are a consolidation of my research and interviewees. The goal of these personas is to help us empathize more deeply with users in understanding the problem and the goals that we set to achieve.
Competitive Analysis
I wanted to find out what exists at the moment and i was able to interact with 3 parking apps in Nairobi to understand how they help users achieve their parking needs
Eunice, 30
Occupation: Lawyer
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
Not enough parking spots in the CBD
Lack of visibility congestion; there's no designated pickup and drop off points
Too much interference from parking brokers
Needs and goals
The convenience of not having to drive around looking for parking is a welcome idea
1km radius parking availability, price (if different from regular rates), real-time responsiveness
Eunice is a creative and organized individual who works in the CBD, meaning she commutes daily and has a challenge getting a place to park. She wants to spend the least amount of time maneuvering the trying to find a parking spot
Washington, 35
Occupation: Customer Experience Manager
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
The current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking
Traffic inside the CBD making it almost impossible to find a parking spot
Needs and goals
Alerts on available free parking areas, traffic update around the parking space.
I want an app that will enhance /stream line issue of parking, alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters, what are the peak and off peak hours of parking
Washington drives to town once in a while however due to congestion and the amount of time he spends looking for a parking spot has him opting to use public transport instead but hopes to find a solution to this problem.
These three apps had so much in common, and they are all focused on private facilities that have adequate parking for their clients. They are also Optimized for finding other services like car wash and garages. This information enabled me to find some unique features as opportunity areas to add to the new design
Booking- Users have the ability to choose and book a vacant parking spot. The app allows users to find specific locations by advanced filters
Ease of payment - Payment can be made with verified payment gateways once the driver has booked a spot and payment is made upfront therefore the user doesn't get any penalties
Ratings and Reviews - Users can review and rate a parking spot for transparency and accountability
Notifications- This is to notify the user that the time set for parking is running out, include an option to extend the time slot
Contact- Ability to contact a city council officer for assistance
Geo location and google map integration- Include google maps to direct a user to the parking spot
Design Solutions
Userflow
This represents the user’s journey across the app from the launch of the app to performing some functions on the app. This user flow is limited to the screen that were designed for this research purpose.
Key features had been identified and ideated after identifying user challenges, and sketching helped to quickly shape the product concept. Using the structure of user flow, I drew out sketches of the app’s main features first on paper.
The Solution
Low-fi Wireframes
A digital solution to improve the parking experience of car owners in Nairobi
ParkSpot
UX Case Study
Nairobi is a large city with many businesses, and a lot of people.
Car owners have difficulties finding parking spaces, especially in the central business district (CBD).
Use of private cars has been increasing as it is more convenient than public transport.
Cab drivers also face difficulties when picking up clients in the city and they often ask customers to cancel or meet them halfway.
The current parking process in Nairobi involves calling a ussd code or accessing a portal on the web to make payment.
This process addresses not only the issue of parking space but also safety, time management, affordability and convenience.
Background
A parking survey by IBM in 2011 found that motorists in Nairobi on average take 31.7 minutes to find a vacant parking slot, compared to a global average of 19.8 minutes.
A proposed solution for making parking in the CBD easier is an app that can be used by both car owners and city council officials to update available parking spots in the CBD on a first come first serve basis.
The app will allow car owners to find vacant and safe parking spaces faster and conveniently, and also reserve and pay for a parking spot with an hourly rate and extend parking time.
The app will facilitate paperless transactions by adapting some of the commonly used payment methods in Kenya.
How will parkspot help users
Design Process
As the Product designer on this project, i was responsible for the user research, and design implementation and this took me two weeks
Discover
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
To validate the problem and get a better understanding of the users that I’m designing for and their needs, I used three methods which contributed to my findings i.e secondary research, online survey and user interviews. For an app to gain momentum it must have specific features that meet users needs and benefits the business as well.
My first step is finding the problem and empathizing with users who aim to have a smooth experience as they find a place to park and go about their business. I dug deeper by reading parking survey articles that hve been published online, conducted a qualitative survey that garnered 70 responses and also Interviewed 20 people.
I drafted 2 personas gaining individual and collective insights from users and how they interact with parking spaces on their day to day lives
User Reesearch
1. How do you pay for parking?
2. Is the current NMS parking set up something that’s convenient for you? If no, why?
3. Which location do you mostly struggle finding parking spots and how do you think can be done to better improve this?
4. If there was an app to guide you on where to find parking would you use it? Give reasons why
5. What important features would you like to see on the said app?
Some of the Interview questions
Survey Responses
I asked the users what the most challenging part about parking in the cbd and what important features would they like to be implemented and these were the most recurring answers
Inconsistency in short codes (ussd)
Unavailability of parking spaces
Insecurity
system downtimes
Pricing
long and tiresome payment process
Ability to contact a city council official
Mpesa and other payment methods integration
Real time data on availability of parking spots and resposiveness
Different price options dependent on estimated duration.
Security ratings of the different parking areas
Include google maps to lead users to the parking spot.
“They are never enough parking spots and there's too much interference from non-govt people- parking brokers”
“Find a way to de-congest. Designated bus(only)pickup and drop-off points”
“the current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking spots .”
“CBD around Sunken Park, along Agakhan Walk, should do more of well organized parking lots like Cathedral.”
“Lets have an app that can be able to alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters,what are the pick and off pick hours of parking.”
“People face most challenge in CBD due to the takeover by matatus and taxis. Multi-storied parking structures would be one way to resolve this.”
“It really takes time for the system to work and send you back your payment text at times it barely works.”
From my user research, i wanted an easy-to-digest visual that captures knowledge about my user’s behaviors and attitudes. Creating an effective solution requires understanding the true problem and the person who is experiencing it. This exercise will help me consider things from the user’s perspective along with their goals and challenges.
Empathy Map
Who am i designing for?
From the in-depth interviews, i created a primary user persona to represent the majority of my target users . Washington and Eunice are a consolidation of my research and interviewees. The goal of these personas is to help us empathize more deeply with users in understanding the problem and the goals that we set to achieve.
Eunice, 30
Occupation: Lawyer
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
Not enough parking spots in the CBD
Lack of visibility congestion; there's no designated pickup and drop off points
Too much interference from parking brokers
Needs and goals
The convenience of not having to drive around looking for parking is a welcome idea
1km radius parking availability, price (if different from regular rates), real-time responsiveness
Eunice is a creative and organized individual who works in the CBD, meaning she commutes daily and has a challenge getting a place to park. She wants to spend the least amount of time maneuvering the trying to find a parking spot
Washington, 35
Occupation: Customer Experience Manager
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
The current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking
Traffic inside the CBD making it almost impossible to find a parking spot
Needs and goals
Alerts on available free parking areas, traffic update around the parking space.
I want an app that will enhance /stream line issue of parking, alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters, what are the peak and off peak hours of parking
Washington drives to town once in a while however due to congestion and the amount of time he spends looking for a parking spot has him opting to use public transport instead but hopes to find a solution to this problem.
Competitive Analysis
I wanted to find out what exists at the moment and i was able to interact with 3 parking apps in Nairobi to understand how they help users achieve their parking needs
These three apps had so much in common, and they are all focused on private facilities that have adequate parking for their clients. They are also Optimized for finding other services like car wash and garages. This information enabled me to find some unique features as opportunity areas to add to the new design
Booking- Users have the ability to choose and book a vacant parking spot. The app allows users to find specific locations by advanced filters
Ease of payment - Payment can be made with verified payment gateways once the driver has booked a spot and payment is made upfront therefore the user doesn't get any penalties
Ratings and Reviews - Users can review and rate a parking spot for transparency and accountability
Notifications- This is to notify the user that the time set for parking is running out, include an option to extend the time slot
Contact- Ability to contact a city council officer for assistance
Geo location and google map integration- Include google maps to direct a user to the parking spot
Design Solutions
Userflow
This represents the user’s journey across the app from the launch of the app to performing some functions on the app. This user flow is limited to the screen that were designed for this research purpose.
Key features had been identified and ideated after identifying user challenges, and sketching helped to quickly shape the product concept. Using the structure of user flow, I drew out sketches of the app’s main features first on paper.
The Solution
Low-fi Wireframes
When I started out in this project, I initially wanted to explore private parking and how to extend time when you are running late, however a friend called Zach on twitter engaged me and was like, what if we involve the Nairobi city council, map out how the two collaborative efforts would look like and it was pretty awesome going through both user Journeys. This is a project i would like to further scope and look at at a high level something that can be implemented by the county government and look at other alternatives to solve the parking issue in Nairobi. Until then, Onto the next!
Conclusion
Final UI Design
ONBOARDING
AUTHENTICATION
Main Sceens
These screens show the step by step actions a user takes when they want Search and book a parking space. I wanted to make the process as short and precise as possible. Search, select a spot, pay and navigate to the area
Users wanted an option to view ratings and reviews for various parking spots, these screens show you detailed reviews before you decide to book
Vendor Screens
A digital solution to improve the parking experience of car owners in Nairobi
ParkSpot
UX Case Study
Nairobi is a large city with many businesses, and a lot of people.
Car owners have difficulties finding parking spaces, especially in the central business district (CBD).
Use of private cars has been increasing as it is more convenient than public transport.
Cab drivers also face difficulties when picking up clients in the city and they often ask customers to cancel or meet them halfway.
The current parking process in Nairobi involves calling a ussd code or accessing a portal on the web to make payment.
This process addresses not only the issue of parking space but also safety, time management, affordability and convenience.
Background
A parking survey by IBM in 2011 found that motorists in Nairobi on average take 31.7 minutes to find a vacant parking slot, compared to a global average of 19.8 minutes.
A proposed solution for making parking in the CBD easier is an app that can be used by both car owners and city council officials to update available parking spots in the CBD on a first come first serve basis.
The app will allow car owners to find vacant and safe parking spaces faster and conveniently, and also reserve and pay for a parking spot with an hourly rate and extend parking time.
The app will facilitate paperless transactions by adapting some of the commonly used payment methods in Kenya.
How will parkspot help users
Design Process
As the Product designer on this project, i was responsible for the user research, and design implementation and this took me two weeks
Discover
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
To validate the problem and get a better understanding of the users that I’m designing for and their needs, I used three methods which contributed to my findings i.e secondary research, online survey and user interviews. For an app to gain momentum it must have specific features that meet users needs and benefits the business as well.
My first step is finding the problem and empathizing with users who aim to have a smooth experience as they find a place to park and go about their business. I dug deeper by reading parking survey articles that hve been published online, conducted a qualitative survey that garnered 70 responses and also Interviewed 20 people.
I drafted 2 personas gaining individual and collective insights from users and how they interact with parking spaces on their day to day lives
User Reesearch
1. How do you pay for parking?
2. Is the current NMS parking set up something that’s convenient for you? If no, why?
3. Which location do you mostly struggle finding parking spots and how do you think can be done to better improve this?
4. If there was an app to guide you on where to find parking would you use it? Give reasons why
5. What important features would you like to see on the said app?
Some of the Interview questions
Survey Responses
I asked the users what the most challenging part about parking in the cbd and what important features would they like to be implemented and these were the most recurring answers
Inconsistency in short codes (ussd)
Unavailability of parking spaces
Insecurity
system downtimes
Pricing
long and tiresome payment process
Ability to contact a city council official
Mpesa and other payment methods integration
Real time data on availability of parking spots and responsiveness
Different price options dependent on estimated duration.
Security ratings of the different parking areas
Include google maps to lead users to the parking spot.
“They are never enough parking spots and there's too much interference from non-govt people- parking brokers”
“Find a way to de-congest. Designated bus(only)pickup and drop-off points”
“the current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking spots .”
“CBD around Sunken Park, along Agakhan Walk, should do more of well organized parking lots like Cathedral.”
“Lets have an app that can be able to alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters,what are the pick and off pick hours of parking.”
“People face most challenge in CBD due to the takeover by matatus and taxis. Multi-storied parking structures would be one way to resolve this.”
“It really takes time for the system to work and send you back your payment text at times it barely works.”
From my user research, i wanted an easy-to-digest visual that captures knowledge about my user’s behaviors and attitudes. Creating an effective solution requires understanding the true problem and the person who is experiencing it. This exercise will help me consider things from the user’s perspective along with their goals and challenges.
Empathy Map
Who am i designing for?
From the in-depth interviews, i created a primary user persona to represent the majority of my target users . Washington and Eunice are a consolidation of my research and interviewees. The goal of these personas is to help us empathize more deeply with users in understanding the problem and the goals that we set to achieve.
Eunice, 30
Occupation: Lawyer
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
Not enough parking spots in the CBD
Lack of visibility congestion; there's no designated pickup and drop off points
Too much interference from parking brokers
Needs and goals
The convenience of not having to drive around looking for parking is a welcome idea
1km radius parking availability, price (if different from regular rates), real-time responsiveness
Eunice is a creative and organized individual who works in the CBD, meaning she commutes daily and has a challenge getting a place to park. She wants to spend the least amount of time maneuvering the trying to find a parking spot
Washington, 35
Occupation: Customer Experience Manager
Location: Nairobi
Frustrations
The current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking
Traffic inside the CBD making it almost impossible to find a parking spot
Needs and goals
Alerts on available free parking areas, traffic update around the parking space.
I want an app that will enhance /stream line issue of parking, alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters, what are the peak and off peak hours of parking
Washington drives to town once in a while however due to congestion and the amount of time he spends looking for a parking spot has him opting to use public transport instead but hopes to find a solution to this problem.
Competitive Analysis
I wanted to find out what exists at the moment and i was able to interact with 3 parking apps in Nairobi to understand how they help users achieve their parking needs
These three apps had so much in common, and they are all focused on private facilities that have adequate parking for their clients. They are also Optimized for finding other services like car wash and garages. This information enabled me to find some unique features as opportunity areas to add to the new design
Booking- Users have the ability to choose and book a vacant parking spot. The app allows users to find specific locations by advanced filters
Ease of payment - Payment can be made with verified payment gateways once the driver has booked a spot and payment is made upfront therefore the user doesn't get any penalties
Ratings and Reviews - Users can review and rate a parking spot for transparency and accountability
Notifications- This is to notify the user that the time set for parking is running out, include an option to extend the time slot
Contact- Ability to contact a city council officer for assistance
Geo location and google map integration- Include google maps to direct a user to the parking spot
Design Solutions
Userflow
This represents the user’s journey across the app from the launch of the app to performing some functions on the app. This user flow is limited to the screen that were designed for this research purpose.
Key features had been identified and ideated after identifying user challenges, and sketching helped to quickly shape the product concept. Using the structure of user flow, I drew out sketches of the app’s main features first on paper.
The Solution
Low-fi Wireframes
When I started out in this project, I initially wanted to explore private parking and how to extend time when you are running late, however a friend called Zach on twitter engaged me and was like, what if we involve the Nairobi city council, map out how the two collaborative efforts would look like and it was pretty awesome going through both user Journeys. This is a project i would like to further scope and look at at a high level something that can be implemented by the county government and look at other alternatives to solve the parking issue in Nairobi. Until then, Onto the next!
Conclusion
When I started out in this project, I initially wanted to explore private parking and how to extend time when you are running late, however a friend called Zach on twitter engaged me and was like, what if we involve the Nairobi city council, map out how the two collaborative efforts would look like and it was pretty awesome going through both user Journeys. This is a project i would like to further scope and look at at a high level something that can be implemented by the county government and look at other alternatives to solve the parking issue in Nairobi. Until then, Onto the next!
Conclusion
A digital solution to improve the parking experience of car owners in Nairobi
ParkSpot
UX Case Study
Nairobi is a large city with many businesses, and a lot of people.
Car owners have difficulties finding parking spaces, especially in the central business district (CBD).
Use of private cars has been increasing as it is more convenient than public transport.
Cab drivers also face difficulties when picking up clients in the city and they often ask customers to cancel or meet them halfway.
The current parking process in Nairobi involves calling a ussd code or accessing a portal on the web to make payment.
This process addresses not only the issue of parking space but also safety, time management, affordability and convenience.
Background
A parking survey by IBM in 2011 found that motorists in Nairobi on average take 31.7 minutes to find a vacant parking slot, compared to a global average of 19.8 minutes.
A proposed solution for making parking in the CBD easier is an app that can be used by both car owners and city council officials to update available parking spots in the CBD on a first come first serve basis.
The app will allow car owners to find vacant and safe parking spaces faster and conveniently, and also reserve and pay for a parking spot with an hourly rate and extend parking time.
The app will facilitate paperless transactions by adapting some of the commonly used payment methods in Kenya.
How will parkspot help users
Design Process
As the Product designer on this project, i was responsible for the user research, and design implementation and this took me two weeks
Discover
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
To validate the problem and get a better understanding of the users that I’m designing for and their needs, I used three methods which contributed to my findings i.e secondary research, online survey and user interviews. For an app to gain momentum it must have specific features that meet users needs and benefits the business as well.
My first step is finding the problem and empathizing with users who aim to have a smooth experience as they find a place to park and go about their business. I dug deeper by reading parking survey articles that hve been published online, conducted a qualitative survey that garnered 70 responses and also Interviewed 20 people.
I drafted 2 personas gaining individual and collective insights from users and how they interact with parking spaces on their day to day lives
User Research
1. How do you pay for parking?
2. Is the current NMS parking set up something that’s convenient for you? If no, why?
3. Which location do you mostly struggle finding parking spots and how do you think can be done to better improve this?
4. If there was an app to guide you on where to find parking would you use it? Give reasons why
5. What important features would you like to see on the said app?
Some of the Interview questions
Survey Responses
I asked the users what the most challenging part about parking in the cbd and what important features would they like to be implemented and these were the most recurring answers
Inconsistency in short codes (ussd)
Unavailability of parking spaces
Insecurity
system downtimes
Pricing
long and tiresome payment process
Ability to contact a city council official
Mpesa and other payment methods integration
Real time data on availability of parking spots and responsiveness
Different price options dependent on estimated duration.
Security ratings of the different parking areas
Include google maps to lead users to the parking spot.
“the current setup of parking within cbd does not address the challenges motorists face when looking for parking spots .”
“They are never enough parking spots and there's too much interference from non-govt people- parking brokers”
“Find a way to de-congest. Designated bus(only)pickup and drop-off points”
“CBD around Sunken Park, along Agakhan Walk, should do more of well organized parking lots like Cathedral.”
“Lets have an app that can be able to alert me of available parking space within a radius of 100-150 meters,what are the pick and off pick hours of parking.”
“People face most challenge in CBD due to the takeover by matatus and taxis. Multi-storied parking structures would be one way to resolve this.”
“It really takes time for the system to work and send you back your payment text at times it barely works.”
From my user research, i wanted an easy-to-digest visual that captures knowledge about my user’s behaviors and attitudes. Creating an effective solution requires understanding the true problem and the person who is experiencing it. This exercise will help me consider things from the user’s perspective along with their goals and challenges.
Empathy Map
Final UI Design
ONBOARDING
AUTHENTICATION
Main Sceens
These screens show the step by step actions a user takes when they want Search and book a parking space. I wanted to make the process as short and precise as possible. Search, select a spot, pay and navigate to the area
Users wanted an option to view ratings and reviews for various parking spots, these screens show you detailed reviews before you decide to book
Vendor Screens
Final UI Design
ONBOARDING
AUTHENTICATION
Main Sceens
These screens show the step by step actions a user takes when they want Search and book a parking space. I wanted to make the process as short and precise as possible. Search, select a spot, pay and navigate to the area
Users wanted an option to view ratings and reviews for various parking spots, these screens show you detailed reviews before you decide to book
Vendor Screens
