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ECO ROUTE

Connecting sustainable awareness with practical, everyday choices for a greener future.

TYPE

Team Project

Role

Research, UX Design,
User-Testing

date

January 2024
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Scope of work
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01

DEFINE

Overview
Problem Space

02

RESEARCH

Competitor Analysis
User Research

03

DESIGN

Wireframes
Prototype

04

Evaluate

Evaluation
Next Steps

DEFINE

Project overview

As the world changes rapidly around us, the urgency of climate action becomes increasingly more relevant and important. Commuting has become an essential part of every individual’s daily routine as everybody has to get to school, work, or any other related activities. Yet, one often overlooked aspect of this routine is how to commute sustainably. In 2019, carbon emissions from passenger vehicles peaked at 3.2 billion metric tons, highlighting the pressing need to rethink our transportation habits which created a growing demand for choosing alternative transportation methods.

Project statement

The current problem that we face is that many people lack the necessary information that is needed to make environmentally conscious decisions. Oftentimes, people turn a blind eye when it comes to recognizing the negative effects that may result from choosing non-sustainable transportation options. Without incentives to making better choices many choose to prioritize their time and efficiency. With the existing individuals who actively make environmentally conscious decisions, it is sometimes felt that their endeavours can seem a bit isolating as others around them may not align with their actions. There is a lack of community engagement tools when it comes to like-minded individuals connecting with others over their environmentally supportive achievements.

"How might we design a mobile application that promotes sustainable transportation options?"

Solution

See your impact

• Displays savings for each trip using sustainable transportation, with real-time feedback on carbon emission reduction
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• Shows the user's total emission savings over time
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• Tracks personal emission reduction goals and progress on a progress bar
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• Highlights collective goals and progress for the EcoRoute community

Plan your Eco-Trips

• Provides real-time tracking, traffic updates, and commuting status for informed decision-making
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• Enables choice of carpool ride, driver, and pick-up/drop-off times, promoting ride-sharing and efficient transportation
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• Offers options for secure transactions through card details, ApplePay, and PayPal

Get Rewards

• Rewards eco-friendly behaviour, motivating users towards greener choices
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• Encourages environmentally conscious commuting by rewarding sustainable choices
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• Allows collecting points for sustainable travel,redeemable at local businesses

Connect and motivate

• Encourages friendly competition by comparing efforts with friends
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• Motivates active participation through a collaborative spirit
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• Builds a supportive environment, emphasizing collective sustainable commuting efforts

Research

competitor analysis

During the development of our application, we decided to weigh our infrastructure against our top 3 direct competitors

Google Maps
Comprehensive User Features:
  • Serves multiple needs, including navigation, business listings, restaurant reviews, and user-generated content, making it versatile and user-centric
Technological Leadership:
  • Utilizes advanced mapping systems, real-time traffic updates, data analytics, and AI, setting the standard for mapping technology
Eco-Friendly Routes:
  • Offers an eco-friendly route option, but feature is under-promoted and under-utilized by users
Regulatory Challenges:
  • Operates globally, requiring compliance with diverse data privacy laws, antitrust regulations, and political systems that impact service in some regions
Economic Strength:
  • Supported by one of the world’s largest companies, Google Maps benefits from significant R&D investment and financial stability
Apple Maps
Ecosystem Integration:
  • Integrates within Apple’s ecosystem, offering a consistent and familiar experience for iOS users. However, accuracy and coverage often lag behind competitors
Augmented Reality Potential:
  • Advances in AR technology could provide innovative routing and mapping experiences, but these features are still under development
Environmental Commitment:
  • Promotes environmental sustainability in its products, but lacks visible initiatives like eco-friendly routing options
Regional Limitations:
  • Features and mapping data vary depending on geographic and political constraints, leading to inconsistent accuracy and coverage
Economic Considerations:
  • Success is tied to the Apple ecosystem and consumer spending on Apple devices significantly influences usage rates
Moovit
Urban Public Transit Focus:
  • Specializes in providing accessible information for urban commuters, including public transport schedules, real-time updates, and alternative travel modes like biking.
Community-Driven Insights:
  • Combines crowd-sourced data with AI to deliver personalized, real-time updates and recommendations for transit users.
Sustainability:
  • Actively supports sustainable transportation options, encouraging public transit and biking to reduce emissions.
Market Challenges:
  • Operates in diverse political climates and public transportation systems, requiring navigation of unique regulations and funding models.
Economic and Technological Support:
  • Backed by Intel, Moovit benefits from financial and technological support, ensuring continuous development and improvement.

Research

User Persona

The Student
The Urban Commuter
The Environmental Enthusiast

Research

empathy map

The Student
The Urban Commuter
The Environmental Enthusiast

Limitations & main painpoint takeaways

  • Needing ways to track and compare environmental impact
  • Not having a way to plan multi-model green commutes
  • Lack of a rewarding sustainability community

Research

Empathy maps

The Student
The Urban Commuter
The Environmental Enthusiast

Limitations and main pain point takeaways
1. Needing ways to track and compare environmental impact
2. Not having a way to plan multi-modal green commutes
3. Lack of a rewarding sustainability community

Research

User testing

Qualitative Methods
Study Design: Semi-structured Interview
3 main tasks:
  • Check details on the emission-saver
  • Use carpooling system
  • Check redeemable rewards
3 open ended & 2 laddering questions:
  • How was your overall experience with EcoRoute?
  • Were there any difficulties or challenges using the application?
  • What improvements do you think could be added on to EcoRoute?
Quantitative Methods
Numeric Survey
Scale:
  • Scale of 1-5 (Strongly Agree, Strongly Disagree)
Questions
  • Navigation, inconsistencies in system, satisfaction level, preferences, level of understanding of different functions
    4 main takeways of Testing 1
    • A need for enhanced visual clarity
    • Personalized and user-specific features
    • Real-time dynamic features
    • Comprehensive carbon footprint tracking

        DESIGN

        Ideation

        Design System

        Reduce the need for a user to be proactive when using our app. Deliver the key value of knowing who is who at the moment when you need it most.

        Create a feature that would showcase the value of N&F without a user having to search it out.

        OUtcome

        We developed a new calendar integration that would cross-reference your meeting attendees with Names & Faces profiles.

        You would automatically see the people you are meeting each day and have quick access to their profile info. Profiles of external attendees are created and displayed through Linkedin data.

        Comprehensive Design Process

        Information Architecture

        Carefully structured to provide an intuitive user journey, balancing educational content, interactive features, and community engagement.

        Wireframing and Prototyping

        Early wireframes led to interactive prototypes, which were tested and iterated on. This phase was crucial for refining user flows and interface elements.

        User Interface Design

        Focused on creating a visually appealing and emotionally engaging experience. The design incorporated nature-inspired themes, intuitive icons, and an easy-to-navigate layout.

        Accessibility and Inclusivity

        Special attention was given to making the app accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Features like screen reader compatibility, color blindness modes, and scalable text were included.

        Comparison

        The changes made to the interface

        Before

        After

        Launch Strategy

        The launch of Greentech App was preceded by a strategic marketing campaign. We leveraged social media influencers in the environmental sphere to generate pre-launch buzz. The beta version of the app provided us with critical user feedback, leading to final refinements before the official launch. The launch strategy was robust, combining online marketing efforts with partnerships with environmental organizations to reach a broader audience.

        Post-Launch Strategy

        Post-launch, we closely monitored user engagement and app performance. The app quickly gained popularity, evidenced by its download numbers and active user rates. However, our journey didn't stop at launch. We continually collected user feedback, leading to several updates that improved user experience and expanded app functionalities.

        Conclusion

        The journey of the Greentech App, from its inception to becoming a pivotal tool in the hands of environmentally conscious users, exemplifies the impact of user-centered design and agile development practices. It has evolved from a simple app into a platform that fosters a community deeply invested in sustainability. The Greentech App is more than just a product; it's a testament to how technology can be harnessed to drive positive change and promote a more sustainable way of living.

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        Date
        July 16, 2022
        Client
        Personal Project
        Project
        Team

        Overview

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        Heading 6

        At the Sun Life uXperience Design Jam 2024, our team developed Fund Forward, a financial literacy tool designed to empower young adults to plan for their future. The project features a dynamic, interactive graph that visualizes the impact of key life decisions on financial goals. With personalized milestones, actionable insights, and educational resources, Fund Forward helps users navigate complex financial topics in an intuitive, engaging way. This tool is more than just numbers; it’s about mapping a clear path to one’s aspirations. I collaborated with a team of designers and strategists, focusing on creating a user-friendly, interactive interface that aligns with our goal of making financial literacy accessible and impactful.

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