Starpool
Starpool
Exploratory Team Project | 8 Person Co-op Team
A student carpooling app for reliable, cost efficient, and connected commutes to campus
A student carpooling app for reliable, cost efficient, and connected commutes to campus
A student carpooling app for reliable, cost efficient, and connected commutes to campus
Timeline
Timeline
August 2024 - December 2024
Aug 2024 - Dec 2024
Role
Role
UI/UX Design
UI/UX Design
UX Research
UX Research
Visual Design
Visual Design
Skills
Skills
Wireframing
Wireframing
Prototyping
Prototyping
Team Members
Team Members
Audreen Fune
Audreen Fune
Marti Manuel
Marti Manuel
Ashley Chen
Ashley Chen
Brian Hek
Brian Hek
Joshua Fendi
Joshua Fendi
Margaret Wang
Margaret Wang
Beneen Fune
Beneen Fune
Edna Ho
Edna Ho
The context
The context
Success in school begins before a student enters the classroom
Success in school begins before a student enters the classroom
Arriving to class on time and participating in lectures is essential for a student's academic and social success. However, getting to school can be a challenge, from unreliable public transit to expensive rideshares, making it harder for students to fully access campus resources.
Arriving to class on time and participating in lectures is essential for a student's academic and social success. However, getting to school can be a challenge, from unreliable public transit to expensive rideshares, making it harder for students to fully access campus resources.
The research
The research
Bus transportation and rideshare services are unreliable, financially unsustainable, and disconnected
Bus transportation and rideshare services are unreliable, financially unsustainable, and disconnected
We created a Google Form survey to further gauge students’ current commute situation and experiences. This form was sent to 45 college students which we later interviewed 8 of.
We created a Google Form survey to further gauge students’ current commute situation and experiences. This form was sent to 45 college students which we later interviewed 8 of.
Noteworthy quotes
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
How might we help students feel more confident that they will arrive at their destination in a cost efficient and timely manner?
How might we help students feel more confident that they will arrive at their destination in a cost efficient and timely manner?
Stepping into the users’ shoes
Stepping into the users’ shoes
The local and faraway student experience different commutes
The local and faraway student experience different commutes
After synthesizing the data from user research, we found two distinct user types: local students and faraway students (living more than 3 miles away from their school campus).
After synthesizing the data from user research, we found two distinct user types: local students and faraway students (living more than 3 miles away from their school campus).
Initial steps at developing a solution
Initial steps at developing a solution
Leveraging carpooling for community-based, reliable, and cost efficient rides
Leveraging carpooling for community-based, reliable, and cost efficient rides
In this step of the process, our engineers had already ideated a mobile app that could help students coordinate carpools and rideshares (this was before we had done any primary or secondary research). After immersing ourselves in research, we actually found that including rideshares could be counterproductive due to higher costs. We decided to go forward with carpooling to focus on cost, reliability, and building community.
In this step of the process, our engineers had already ideated a mobile app that could help students coordinate carpools and rideshares (this was before we had done any primary or secondary research). After immersing ourselves in research, we actually found that including rideshares could be counterproductive due to higher costs. We decided to go forward with carpooling to focus on cost, reliability, and building community.
Design Inspiration:
→ A mobile student carpooling application
→ An cost efficient option for students to travel around campus
→ Reliable interface for creating and joining rides throughout the day
→ Approving passengers for a safer, more connected experience
→ Increased safety and human connection with personal bios and rides with new classmates
Design Inspiration:
→ A mobile student carpooling application
→ An cost efficient option for students to travel around campus
→ Reliable interface for creating and joining rides throughout the day
→ Approving passengers for a safer, more connected experience
→ Increased safety and human connection with personal bios and rides with new classmates
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Design Directions
Design Directions
To the drawing board
To the drawing board
Iterating…and iterating plenty more times 🤓
Iterating…and iterating plenty more times 🤓
When creating this app from scratch, my design team and I had a lot of cool ideas in mind. However, we had to constantly remind each other of our three focuses: reliability, cost, and community in order to create a product that would be truly valuable for commuting students while advocating for those students we had interviewed/surveyed.
When creating this app from scratch, my design team and I had a lot of cool ideas in mind. However, we had to constantly remind each other of our three focuses: reliability, cost, and community in order to create a product that would be truly valuable for commuting students while advocating for those students we had interviewed/surveyed.
User Flows
User Flows
Feedback and Wireframe Iterations
Feedback and Wireframe Iterations
Key Iterations and Challenges
Key Iterations and Challenges
Communicating the importance of data-driven design
Communicating the importance of data-driven design
Our team of four designers joined this project of initially four engineers ten weeks into the application’s development. We were given user flows and moodboards and tasked to start low-fidelity mockups and organizing the visual system. Essentially, we were building without prior knowledge of students’ experiences with commuting to campus.
To ensure we addressed user needs effectively, we circled back to conduct research through user surveys, interviews, and secondary sources. This helped us to empathize deeply with student experiences and solidify the user flow. Our visual system evolved alongside these insights, reflecting the iterations from start to finish.
Our team of four designers joined this project of initially four engineers ten weeks into the application’s development. We were given user flows and moodboards and tasked to start low-fidelity mockups and organizing the visual system. Essentially, we were building without prior knowledge of students’ experiences with commuting to campus.
To ensure we addressed user needs effectively, we circled back to conduct research through user surveys, interviews, and secondary sources. This helped us to empathize deeply with student experiences and solidify the user flow. Our visual system evolved alongside these insights, reflecting the iterations from start to finish.
The Solution
The Solution
Core Features
Core Features
Create and Join Carpools
Post carpools for college students to join and share a cost efficient and interactive ride together
Post carpools for college students to join and share a cost efficient and interactive ride together
Profile and Reviews
Discover students with similar academic and good standing and share a ride together
Discover students with similar academic and good standing and share a ride together
Message Coordination
Start messaging students in your ride to coordinate pickup and dropoff
Start messaging students in your ride to coordinate pickup and dropoff
Ride Center
View your in-progress rides and review ride requests. Easily navigate to saved and past rides.
View your in-progress rides and review ride requests. Easily navigate to saved and past rides.
Wrapping up
Wrapping up
Next Steps & Key Takeaways
Next Steps & Key Takeaways
Next steps! My team of engineers and designers are in the process of developing and deploying Starpool's first MVP. We plan to work side-by-side with the engineers in order to communicate our ideas and the feasibility of features. In later MVP's, we hope to iterate on real-user feedback as well as tie in incentive-based features to help promote urgency in joining rides and offering to drive.
Key takeaways! This project saw countless loops and curves and jams, but I wouldn't replace it for anything. Through our discover and define phase, we took it step by step, making sure to do it with intention. It opened my perspective to the many angles this problem could be looked at and will, most definitely, be carried into my next projects as a reminder to think big and then narrow. Most importantly, this process taught me how to effectively communicate the importance of research and creating a product for people.
Next steps! My team of engineers and designers are in the process of developing and deploying Starpool's first MVP. We plan to work side-by-side with the engineers in order to communicate our ideas and the feasibility of features. In later MVP's, we hope to iterate on real-user feedback as well as tie in incentive-based features to help promote urgency in joining rides and offering to drive.
Key takeaways! This project saw countless loops and curves and jams, but I wouldn't replace it for anything. Through our discover and define phase, we took it step by step, making sure to do it with intention. It opened my perspective to the many angles this problem could be looked at and will, most definitely, be carried into my next projects as a reminder to think big and then narrow. Most importantly, this process taught me how to effectively communicate the importance of research and creating a product for people.
Let's make a more productive and connected tomorrow!
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