Park me

PROBLEM SPACE
Parking in congested cities is a major problem.  There are limited options for public parking and garages are expensive.  This app is seeking solutions to this problem so car owners can save time and money.
ROLE
Research, User Stories, Journey Maps, Sketching, Wireframing, Ideation, Visual Design

Interviews

I focused my interviews on car owners in New York City.   Some subjects paid to park their car in a monthly garage, others parked in private parking spaces, and the majority parked their car on the street.
"I wouldn't be able to keep my car if I needed to pay for a monthly parking garage.  It's like another rent."
"I rent a private parking space for the month for $450.  I drive to work every day so the space isn't being used from 8am-6pm on weekdays."
"I sometimes have to drive around for over an hour to find a parking space near my house."

SECONDARY RESEARCH

During research, it became evident that driving around looking for parking had an environmental impact as well:
It is estimated that drivers spend $2,243 per year in wasted time, fuel and emissions per driver while searching for parking.
In NYC, drivers on average spend 107 hours per year looking for parking spots.
"Emissions from transportation, the majority from passenger vehicles, are the single largest source of greenhouses gases, and the New York region is the country’s biggest contributor of driving-related carbon dioxide emissions."   - NY Times

Competitive analysis

BEST PARKING

PROS
• Log-in not required
• Simple visuals
• Street parking and garage options

CONS
• Street parking is easy to miss
• Private parking option not available

SPOT HERO

PROS
• Able to search for parking garages
• Filter by price
• Reserve parking online

CONS
• Home screen popup is distracting
• Street parking not available

PRKED

PROS
• Shows street parking and garages
• Private parking options available

CONS
• Sign-up required prior to use
• Phone number required
• Not available in major cities

ZIPCAR

PROS
• Allows hourly rental of cars
• Easy to use

CONS
• Only offers car rentals, not parking
• Phone number required
• Not available in major cities

AFFINITY MAP

After conducting interviews, doing competitor analysis and reviewing secondary research, I created an affinity map to sort data. This enabled me to see which areas of improvement were most important to car owners. 
• Drivers are frustrated with lack of options
• MONTHLY PARKING CAN COST $500+
• PARKING CAN BE TIME CONSUMING
• MANY PARKING SPACES ARE NOT BEING USED

HOW MIGHT WE.....

How might we enable drivers to share monthly parking garage spaces?

When conducting interviews, it became apparent that many people who pay hundreds of dollars per month to rent a space in a parking garage do not use the space all the time.  For example, a driver may pay for a garage near their home, yet will drive their car to work 5 days per week, leaving the parking space empty.   By enabling a car-sharing option for parking garages, the driver can share the cost with other drivers.

How might we connect drivers with people who have driveways?

In certain neighborhoods, parking is so difficult because there are alot of privately owned parking spaces that take up valuable street parking.  During hours of the day, or days of the week that parking space owners are not using their space, this app can help connect them with drivers looking for parking.  Parking space owners can in turn profit from their spaces.

How might we allow people to park closer to their homes?

Increasing the number of parking spaces as well as sharing existing parking spaces can help drivers park closer to their homes.

How might we lessen the amount of time it takes to park?

This was the issue that concerned most drivers according to my research.  Driving around for hours to find parking was often mentioned.  

How might we reduce the amount of money people pay to park?

By increasing options for parking, this will lessen demand for parking spaces and therefore decrease the cost, enabling drivers to find parking at lower rates. 

USER FLOW

After sketching screen, the next stage was creating a user flow.  The goal is to minimize steps to book parking.  Users can choose between private parking, street parking and garages.   
BOOK PARKING WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCOUNT 
LOG-IN

SKETCHES

USABILITY TESTING

I conducted moderated usability tests and each participant was given 2 tasks to complete: 
• Book A PARKING SPACE
• LIST A PARKING SPACE
There were three critical issues that needed to be addressed:
4 of 6 participants did not see the "Rent my Space" button on the Home screen
 4 of 6 participants did not see the Street Parking legend
3 of 6 questioned the "Vehicle Details" page. 

DESIGN ELEMENTS

COLOR PALETTE
Interface ICONS
TYPOGRAPHY

HIGH FIDELITY SCREENS

PROTOTYPE

CLICKABLE PROTOTYPE

NEXT STEPS

Parking garages rent monthly spaces to individual drivers, who often only park their car for less than 60% of the time.  If drivers can share monthly parking spaces, garages can charge more for spaces and drivers who then share a parking space will in turn save money by sharing parking costs.

CONCLUSION

01

There is a strong need for alternate parking solutions for drivers in cities.  

02

There are many private parking spaces that are not being utilized at all times.
Matching drivers with these spaces can help generate income for parking space owners as well as offer affordable parking options for drivers.

03

Looking forward, I'd like to explore car-share spaces for monthly garages. 
Some drivers need parking spaces only during the week,  others only on weekends. 
Alternatively, some need to park during the day and others overnight.   
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