Car Wash Mobile App

Car Wash Mobile App

A car wash locator mobile app.

🧑🏽‍💻 Role

Brand development, Lead UX Researcher and UX Design, UI Design

⏱️ Duration

6 Months in 2020

👬 Team

1 Designer, 3 developers, 1 product owner, and 1 scrum master.

🛠️ Tools

Miro, Adobe XD, Illustrator, Photoshop.

Overview

Car King is a car wash company originating in Limpopo. It has branches across Limpopo and Gauteng regions.

The client requested my service for the inspection of the product. He had a master’s in business management and an accounting degree, with only a mild knowledge of IT and UX.

Solution

Create a user-friendly Car Wash Locator App with real-time location-based services, user reviews, and filtering options, simplifying the process of finding and accessing nearby car wash facilities for car owners.

Problem Statement

In today’s fast-paced world, car owners often face challenges in finding conveniently located and reliable car wash facilities. There is a clear need for a mobile app that simplifies the process of locating nearby car wash services, provides real-time availability information, and offers user reviews and ratings. Our goal is to develop a user-friendly Car Wash Locator Mobile App that addresses these issues and enhances the car washing experience for vehicle owners.

Pain Points
frustrated emoji

One of the issues is that users can already do this in google, they just do not show the prices and you have to call to schedule so we really have to make it look and feel convenient for the user to want to download it.

The client is new in the app and tech business so there was some push back and strict deadlines. That is why we suggested a SCRUM master. 

Design Thinking Approach

My Process

I follow the design thinking approach on all my recent UI/UX work. 

It adds value and saved time in conceptualizing a bespoke product but also being user-centric. The process that simplifies design thinking in my honest opinion is the Double Diamond Design Process, it has four phases, discover, define, develop and deliver. These phases tough on the elements required for design thinking but in a much more concise fashion.

Click below for more information about the process and view a detailed diagram. 

1. Discover Phase

Understanding and getting insight into the problem

GETTING STARTED

Analysing the brief and defining research areas

The brief came in with already recommended requirements and other options we may consider adding on. 

We conducted our own research to check with areas could use which some improvements from users and stakeholders so we try to find a balance then document this in Google Docs.

We decided on prios with the stakeholder, began drafting concepts, and deciding on research areas. 

 

PRIMARY RESEARCH, EMPATHY

Personas and user research

Personas

Our personas ranged from 18-50 year olds across all genders since it is about car washes so there has to be a legal age factor, affordability and logistics (since users can also book a car wash in a different provice).

This product required 3 primary users, a customer, car wash owners and the system administrator. 

User Interviews

From the user interviews, we realized that there is a demand for the App despite google having a similar option. The idea of paying and scheduling on the app was a big hit.

This product required 3 primary users, a customer, car wash owners and the system administrator. 

Competitive Analysis

Google, or rather Google Maps was our biggest threat since users were already using it to search for nearby car washes (or anything for that matter) and happy using it. We had to come up with an edge that made us different. 

There’s is also an already existing app called MobbeeWash and that is the only actual competitor.

2. Define Phase

Areas to focus upon

BUILDING CLUSTERS AND THEMES

Card sorting and brainstorming

Card sorting is cool process needed to improve on the menu and information architecture. 

This part was not that tricky since I put out a suggestion in Miro and actually used the team and stakeholder to decide on this.

The card sorting also helped to build theme clusters. The themes were pretty straight forward in this case, it was the “sub-themes” that were interesting, car wash owners tracking payments and customers choosing between popular and car wash or the one from their history as an example. 

OPPORTUNITY AREAS

Geeting the Edge and standing out

Online booking

Securing an online spot instead of waiting too long in line. This can be any given moment, from the following hour to 2 weeks.

Online Payments

Making the whole journey seamless with online payment instead of queuing again at the PayPoint, especially since we have power outages, paypoints can be offline. 

More refined search 

The search is only specific to car washes, starting from the ones near you and we highlight the ones that allow bookings through our app. 

The results include ratings, proximity, closing and opening time, pricing, and availability.

Subscription 

This would be based on the user liking certain car washes and would therefore get notifications and specials from those car washes. We will also keep track on the car washes the visit the most to update them.

3. Develop Phase

Evaluating posible ideas and solutions

IDEATION

Sketching and planning

I had to confirm that the both customer and car wash owners (main users) are covered. As for the admin, we decided with the devs that they can cover that and show him how it works and if he has issue then I can be called in for input.

The layout has to make sure both customers and car wash owners are covered clearly.  The navigation is clearly understood. Features are easy to find and all elements are intuitive. 

Reached out to devs for input and iterations.

Conclusion on the information architecture was revisited after the card sorting once more.  

4. Deliver Phase

Solutions that work

PROTOTYPING

User Journey and Wireframes

We were able to test concepts and put together layouts while focusing purely on functionality. This allows the team to prioritize usability, information architecture, and user flow without getting distracted by colors, fonts, or graphics. 

We reiterated this with the team before I started working on the UI.

I created the frames in Miro and shared the link with the team.

LEARNINGS AND ITERATIONS

User Testing

We had to test out the wireframes ourselves until we got to a point we felt we could ask outside the team. I requested the product owner to put together a couple of users to test, ranging from youth-adults, different genders, provinces and different proffesions to have a look and ask to if perform different tasks. 

Determine how difficult was it? If there’s anything else they would like to see implemented on the platform? Do they find product useful? Amongst other questions.

FINAL PRODUCT AND RELEASING

Implemetation + Testing

Here I had to document why I thought my changes made sense. Developers where not involved since I was only moving elements around and did not do any drastic changes.

I developed the final UI in Adobe XD and shared the work through a link XD creates. 

Viewers can comment and I can make notes on the changes I made and why. 

Several iterations that challenged the other steps were made during this process and the design brief had to be changed..

AFTER THOUGHTS

Knowledge and Experience I've Attained...

Some stakeholders can easily claim they understand what is UX and why it is needed purely based on the name or the definition.

It is important to assess the UX maturity of a stakeholder in the beginning and make sure they understand the process and it’s impact. This covers that some aspects can take longer than planned because some important insights cannot be ignored and should be implemented to guarantee success of the product, for the both the users and business goals.

Putting together research for a new product with IP rights can be very tricky and limiting. Best option is make the stakeholder aware of this beforehand and ask for support on this since it would be a serious issue for the platform regarding research and iterations. We are at at a risk of “designing blind” if it is not planned for accordingly. 

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