● Description: Product Development
● Platform: Native iOS
● Timeline: MAR 2023 - JUN 2023
Objective: The purpose of this project is to identify demographics affected by difficult to read parking signs in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area and assist residents & tourists who may have difficulty find safe and legal street parking.
Problem: Parking signs in Washington D.C. lack UX/UI design and display arbitrary lexicon that make it difficult for drivers to determine whether or not they are able to park in certain areas. The consequences can cost the user time, energy and potential financial repercussions as there is heavy enforcement and users will receive parking tickets if caught parking in prohibited areas.
Sample 1 highlights the results from interviews that were conducted among a participant pool of 30 participants. Results suggest that a majority of those polled were not satisfied with the current design of parking and street signs, rating the signs an average score of 3.73 out of 5 when surveyed about satisfaction. Demographic data was collected and synthesized, and the top issues were recorded and rated.
Responses from participants were organized in a card sorting exercise to identify key issues reported during interviews. Issues raised included visual accessibility, readable typography, difficult directions and inclusion of language accessibility features.
Sample 3 showcases a persona drafted from the feedback acquired during interviews and surveys. The results of the data imply that many tourists, travelers and "out-of-towners" pass through the District of Columbia. This persona exemplifies the needs of a user who is not familiar with their environment.
Sample 4 is a journey map illustrating the breakdown of the five key stages of a general user’s interactions with street signs according to data. The process is as follows: Access, Scan, Read, Process (or Decide), then Action. Each stage highlights critical user interactions.
Sample 5 is an early design artifact, it displays a mid-fidelity wireframe and the flow diagram that led to it. The flow diagram highlights key actions users must follow, both on and off the app, in order to successfully use the app.
Once prototypes are ready for testing, they are processed through a series of accessibility evaluations according to WCAG standards. Using online based visual accessibility testing tools like ANDI and A11y are utilized along with direct user testing.
This interactive prototype was designed to meet general user needs based off of the feedback from testing. It prioritizes visual accessibility and efficiency of use by effectively highlighting CTAs, adding navigational elements like icons and text prompts to further assist users and the incorporation of various accessibly-inclusive notification features that include auditory, visual and haptic alerts.
