WHAT IS THE GT STINGERETTE?
Stingerette is an on-demand transportation service for Georgia Tech students aimed to provide safe and efficient evening transportation on Georgia Tech's campus and the neighborhoods in between.
The Stingerette is available seven days a week from 8:00 p.m. to 3:15 a.m.
TIMELINE
August - November 2022
MY ROLE
UI/UX Designer, Brand Designer
TOOLS
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects, Procreate (for Animation)
THE PROBLEM
The GT Stingerette’s outdated and confusing user interface has been a shared grievance among the students at Georgia Tech. While conducting research, I found that the Stingerette App is currently seen as unreliable and unappealing to targeted users.
ORIGINAL UI DESIGN
01
USER RESEARCH
Defining the problem
Qualtrics Survey
51 Responders
Interviews
2 Georgia Tech Students who are familiar with the current Stingerette App
Let's see what Stingerette users have to say.
Living in Midtown Atlanta can be unsafe at times - The Stingerette should be something GT students are encouraged to use. Why is there so much criticism surrounding the app?
How would you rate your experience with the Stingerette App?
Extremely Poor
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
5
18
7
1
19
How often do you use the Stingerette App?
Never
1-2 Times a Semester
1-2 Times a Month
3+ Times a Month
Once a Week or More
6
7
3
4
31
How would you rate the use/maneuverability of the app?
Extremely Difficult
Somewhat Difficult
Neither Difficult or Easy
Somewhat Easy
Extremely Easy
5
11
12
2
20
How would you rate the ease of selecting a pick-up/drop-off spot?
Extremely Difficult
Somewhat Difficult
Neither Difficult or Easy
Somewhat Easy
Extremely Easy
7
11
13
1
18
Do you know where your ride is at all times?
No
Unsure
Yes
19
18
13
USER JOURNEY MAP
Quotes from user interviews
PERSONAS
Potential Users
Jane 18
Political Sci Major
Jane is a recently moved in freshman at Georgia Tech. College has been fun so far, but living in the middle of Atlanta is very different from the small town she’s used to. Jane is super unfamiliar with the area, and walking back to her dorm at night-time can be very intimidating. Her fellow students recommended using the Stingerette since her dorm is on the farther side of campus, but when she begins using the app she is very confused by the interface and spends a long time requesting a ride.
NEEDS
-
To feel safe at her new home
-
An easier way to get home at night-time
-
To have a good initial experience with GT transportation
Sarah 20
Mech Engineering Major
Sarah is a sophomore at Georgia Tech and knows her way around campus very well. She spends late nights in studio, and while she understands the dangers of walking home alone at night-time, her past experiences with the GT Stingerette as a freshman have been negative. Sarah decides to risk walking back home alone each time because she thinks it will be more efficient than requesting a Stingerette. Her walks back home are often stressful and guarded since she is on-edge.
NEEDS
-
An efficient way to travel
-
To not compromise her safety
-
To trust GT transportation
KEY FINDINGS
Why the Stingerette App isn't "Working"
Too Many Unknowns
Unlike rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, The Stingerette fails to accurately update it's users on important information regarding their ride (e.g. time estimates and ride progress).
Inconvenience
Many GT students would rather risk their safety, by walking to their destination, than interact with the outdated and confusing interface. The Stingerette is NOT easy to use
Students do not feel safe while using the GT Stingerette App.
KEY FEATURES
Improving the User Experience
Streamlined Interface
Take inspiration from Uber's design for one-hand use
Improve user-flow
Reliable visuals for wait estimates
Loading bar
Show all drivers' stops
Update notifications
Engaging waiting page
Safety Features
Share location
Contact campus police
Inform user of places they can wait for their ride in
02
WIREFRAMES
Mid-Fidelity Concepts
CURRENT USER FLOW
Requesting
Waiting
After analyzing the current user flow, I wanted to make sure that confusion within the requesting and waiting periods was decreased. I restructured the user flow to incorporate more steps and confirmation into these two areas.
IMPROVED USER FLOW
03
DESIGN SYSTEM
How can I use visual design to create a safe environment
LAYOUT GRID
SPACING
A consistent and well designed design system can make a user experience feel more reliable and trusted. These building blocks were the most important part when designing the look and feel of the Stingerette app.
COLOR PALETTE
GREYSCALE
I derived the Navy color from Georgia Tech's brand guidelines, and used a light blue and brighter yellow instead of GT's gold to add more delight into my design.
TYPOGRAPHY
COMPONENTS
Inputs
Buttons
Containment
BRANDING
A Familiar Face
Buzz, the anthropomorphic yellowjacket, is currently Georgia Tech's mascot. Buzz has developed a unique personality over the years, and brings laughter and lightheartedness into GT culture. I redesigned Buzz into a softer, more cartoonish character to guide my users through their Stingerette experience.
Buzz
04
DESIGN
Bringing everything together
ONBOARDING
During onboarding, I wanted to establish a friendly tone, so students would feel safe and welcomed into the app. I used Buzz to describe key features and created fluid transitions from screen to screen in Figma.
ONE-HAND USE
After analyzing Uber’s one-hand use design, I implemented this idea into my user interface by keeping the most important features and interactions near the bottom half of the screen (near the thumbs). To request a ride, users would simply need to swipe up to reveal location inputs.
SAFETY FIRST.
Because the Stingerette’s main goal is to give students a safe way to get around campus, I decided to add safety features to the app. While students are waiting for their ride, they can share their location with their contacts, call campus police, and locate buildings to wait in. The interface allows users to swipe between ride updates and safety features easily.
ALL SCREENS
