Campool: Student Ride-Sharing
Team Project | Spring 2024
Team Project
Spring 2024
Team Project | Spring 2024
Team Project
Spring 2024
Product Design | Figma
Product Design
Figma
Product Design | Figma
Product Design
Figma
My Role:
UX/UI Design,
Research Design & Implement,
Final Presentation
Transportation is a common challenge for university students, with many lacking personal vehicles and finding traditional ride-sharing services too expensive and ill-suited to their needs. Campool addresses these issues by providing a safe, flexible, and affordable ride-sharing platform designed specifically for university communities.
During its development, extensive user research and testing revealed key pain points like role flexibility, safety, and cost concerns. Campool simplifies trip initiation and joining, allowing users to seamlessly switch between driver and rider roles while fostering campus connections. By addressing these challenges, Campool offers a tailored, community-focused transportation solution that enhances the student experience.
Project Overview
Project Overview
Problem
Problem
In the United States, there are 19.4 million college students and 51% of them don’t have a car on campus, highlighting the strong market potential for campus carpooling. However, students express the need for a platform that ensures safety, flexibility, affordability, and opportunities to build social connections with other students.
In the United States, there are 19.4 million college students and 51% of them don’t have a car on campus, highlighting the strong market potential for campus carpooling. However, students express the need for a platform that ensures safety, flexibility, affordability, and opportunities to build social connections with other students.
Design Challenge
Design Challenge
How might we create a campus ride-sharing app that offers safe, flexible, affordable rides and fosters social connections?
How might we create a campus ride-sharing app that offers safe, flexible, affordable rides and fosters social connections?
Solution Overview
Solution Overview
Be Safe
Student verification ensures a secure environment
Be Flexible & Affordable
Students can easily switch roles, join available trips, or initiate their own through simple, intuitive flows
Foster Social Connection
Students can quickly find nearby trips, encouraging campus connections and community building
#1 Discover
#1 Discover
Over two years at the University of Michigan, our team has crafted designs for diverse user groups. For our final capstone, we turned our focus inward—to the university community—seeking ways to enhance campus life for students.
What does our community truly need? To find out, we conducted a thorough "needs discovery" process: interviews with students to uncover key insights, followed by a targeted questionnaire to prioritize and quantify these needs. The result? Clear, actionable data to guide our design impact.
Over two years at the University of Michigan, our team has crafted designs for diverse user groups. For our final capstone, we turned our focus inward—to the university community—seeking ways to enhance campus life for students.
What does our community truly need? To find out, we conducted a thorough "needs discovery" process: interviews with students to uncover key insights, followed by a targeted questionnaire to prioritize and quantify these needs. The result? Clear, actionable data to guide our design impact.
Interviews (with 14 Students)
Interviews (with 14 Students)
Understand habits, pain points, and preferences of students when offering and receiving help
Understand habits, pain points, and preferences of students when offering and receiving help
Key Result:
Transportation (carpool) is a major area of concern (78.6%)
Key Result:
Transportation (carpool) is a major area of concern (78.6%)
Survey (100+ Valid Responses)
Survey (100+ Valid Responses)
Identify the common daily challenges for which students seek assistance
Identify the common daily challenges for which students seek assistance
Key Result:
Carpool merged as the second most significant concern (75%)
Key Result:
Carpool merged as the second most significant concern (75%)
Given its popularity and innovative potential, carpooling was selected for further development.
Given its popularity and innovative potential, carpooling was selected for further development.
#2 Define
#2 Define
1. Define Key Scenarios
1. Define Key Scenarios
1.
Identifying the prioritizing use cases
Identifying the prioritizing use cases
With our focus defined, we set out to uncover the root problems behind this prevalent need.
Carpooling proved inherently complex, involving multiple stages (pre-trip, during, post-trip), roles (riders, drivers), and variables like trip distance, pick-up points, and trip type. These factors created countless scenarios, too vast to tackle all at once.
To manage this complexity, we prioritized the most common use cases, distilling them into key scenarios that formed a solid foundation for deeper exploration.
With our focus defined, we set out to uncover the root problems behind this prevalent need.
Carpooling proved inherently complex, involving multiple stages (pre-trip, during, post-trip), roles (riders, drivers), and variables like trip distance, pick-up points, and trip type. These factors created countless scenarios, too vast to tackle all at once.
To manage this complexity, we prioritized the most common use cases, distilling them into key scenarios that formed a solid foundation for deeper exploration.
S1: Classic One-Way Ride
S1: Classic One-Way Ride
S2: Driver with Multiple Riders to One Destination
S2: Driver with Multiple Riders to One Destination
S3: Driver Offers Carpool for Group Activities
S3: Driver Offers Carpool for Group Activities
S4: Rider Requests Cost-Sharing Trip to Destination
S4: Rider Requests Cost-Sharing Trip to Destination
S5: Driver Seeks Companion for Trip
S5: Driver Seeks Companion for Trip
S6: Group Round-Trip with Dedicated Driver
S6: Group Round-Trip with Dedicated Driver
2. Role-Play Explorations
2. Role-Play Explorations
2.
Simulate user experiences and understand needs
Simulate user experiences and understand needs
After having all the scenarios listed, we decided to do role-play workshops with our target users. We tested 5 students representing diverse educational levels, residential statuses, and commuting habits.
After having all the scenarios listed, we decided to do role-play workshops with our target users. We tested 5 students representing diverse educational levels, residential statuses, and commuting habits.
3. Map User Journeys
3. Map User Journeys
3.
Visualizing findings to identify pain points and opportunities
Visualizing findings to identify pain points and opportunities
Summarizing results from role-play workshops, we also created user journey map to further explore this process.
Summarizing results from role-play workshops, we also created user journey map to further explore this process.
4. Key Insights and Next Steps
4. Key Insights and Next Steps
Here are the key findings that will guide our next steps:
Here are the key findings that will guide our next steps:
(1) Dual Roles
(1) Dual Roles
Our users often switch between being drivers and riders within the app, so our product will integrate both driver and rider flows.
Our users often switch between being drivers and riders within the app, so our product will integrate both driver and rider flows.
(2) Pre-Trip Focus
(2) Pre-Trip Focus
Unlike traditional ride-sharing platforms like Uber, school carpooling has distinct pre-trip elements, including trip initiation, communication, and joining trips. Therefore, we will concentrate on optimizing the pre-trip experience.
Unlike traditional ride-sharing platforms like Uber, school carpooling has distinct pre-trip elements, including trip initiation, communication, and joining trips. Therefore, we will concentrate on optimizing the pre-trip experience.
Unlike traditional ride-sharing platforms like Uber, school carpooling has distinct pre-trip elements, including trip initiation, communication, and joining trips. Therefore, we will concentrate on optimizing the pre-trip experience.
(3) User Concerns
(3) User Concerns
Our users have 3 primary concerns regarding a new carpooling platform tailored to the university community.
Our users have 3 primary concerns regarding a new carpooling platform tailored to the university community.
Not convenient enough
Not convenient enough
Usually find carpools through student groups on social apps or by asking friends.
Communication is often delayed.
Concerning about safety
Concerning about safety
Verifying participants are students is challenging.
Uncomfortable sharing long rides with strangers.
Limited price options
Limited price options
Difficult to compare prices offered by different drivers for the same route.
Often face high prices with low value for money.
Summarizing the user concerns, we have the following design goal:
Summarizing the user concerns, we have the following design goal:
How might we create a campus ride-sharing app that offers safe, flexible, affordable rides and fosters social connections?
How might we create a campus ride-sharing app that offers safe, flexible, affordable rides and fosters social connections?
#3 Design
#3 Design
1. Process Overview
1. Process Overview
1.
From workflow to prototype
From workflow to prototype
After defining our design goals, we mapped user workflows with flowcharts to outline interactions, created sketches to shape the app's structure, and developed wireframes that evolved into low-fidelity prototypes. Usability testing at each stage guided iterative refinements, ensuring clarity, usability, and alignment with our goals.
After defining our design goals, we mapped user workflows with flowcharts to outline interactions, created sketches to shape the app's structure, and developed wireframes that evolved into low-fidelity prototypes. Usability testing at each stage guided iterative refinements, ensuring clarity, usability, and alignment with our goals.
2. Design Challenges
2. Design Challenges
2.
Iterations along the way
Iterations along the way
Through the iterations, we refined numerous flows and details. Here are the three I consider most representative:
Through the iterations, we refined numerous flows and details. Here are the three I consider most representative:
Challenge 1:
How can we design a compelling landing page that is both highly functional and accessible for new users?
Challenge 1:
How can we design a compelling landing page that is both highly functional and accessible for new users?
Initially, we envisioned our app with four main sections: Home, Carpooling, Explore, and Profile. The Home page displayed trip details, while the Carpooling page handled new carpools.
However, flowcharting and user testing revealed issues. Most primary flows began with searching for or starting a trip, making a separate Carpooling page redundant and adding unnecessary steps.
New users also found it difficult to locate the 'start a trip' function, highlighting a lack of intuitiveness in the design.
Initially, we envisioned our app with four main sections: Home, Carpooling, Explore, and Profile. The Home page displayed trip details, while the Carpooling page handled new carpools.
However, flowcharting and user testing revealed issues. Most primary flows began with searching for or starting a trip, making a separate Carpooling page redundant and adding unnecessary steps.
New users also found it difficult to locate the 'start a trip' function, highlighting a lack of intuitiveness in the design.
Initial Design of Main Page Structure and Landing Page
Initial Design of Main Page Structure and Landing Page
Considering all testing feedback, we decided to merge the Home Page and Carpool Page into a unified Home Page. The differences and benefits are outlined below:
Considering all testing feedback, we decided to merge the Home Page and Carpool Page into a unified Home Page. The differences and benefits are outlined below:
After Design of Main Page Structure and Landing Page
After Design of Main Page Structure and Landing Page
Challenge 2:
How can we design a seamless flow for users switching between driver and rider roles while ensuring simplicity and flexibility?
Challenge 2:
How can we design a seamless flow for users switching between driver and rider roles while ensuring simplicity and flexibility?
Challenge 2:
How can we design a seamless flow for users switching between driver and rider roles while ensuring simplicity and flexibility?
Challenge 2:
How can we design a seamless flow for users switching between driver and rider roles while ensuring simplicity and flexibility?
Initially, we considered separating the flow for drivers and riders, similar to Uber’s approach of having different apps for each.
Initially, we considered separating the flow for drivers and riders, similar to Uber’s approach of having different apps for each.
User interviews and testing showed that many users frequently switch between driver and rider roles. Car owners typically confirm their destination and time, check existing trips, and finally choose to drive or ride based on availability. This flexibility required a design that seamlessly supports both roles, adapting to users’ needs.
We simplified the flow by removing role-switching as a separate task, allowing users to select their role in the final step of 'choosing a trip.' This design offers flexibility for those who can be both drivers and riders, enabling seamless trip browsing. Filters ensure users with a single role can easily find relevant trips.
User interviews and testing showed that many users frequently switch between driver and rider roles. Car owners typically confirm their destination and time, check existing trips, and finally choose to drive or ride based on availability. This flexibility required a design that seamlessly supports both roles, adapting to users’ needs.
We simplified the flow by removing role-switching as a separate task, allowing users to select their role in the final step of 'choosing a trip.' This design offers flexibility for those who can be both drivers and riders, enabling seamless trip browsing. Filters ensure users with a single role can easily find relevant trips.
To ensure users can easily navigate this innovative ride-sharing flow, we also incorporated the following features:
Step-by-step input for location and time details
Clear display of previous inputs
Intuitive and concise interactions
To ensure users can easily navigate this innovative ride-sharing flow, we also incorporated the following features:
Step-by-step input for location and time details
Clear display of previous inputs
Intuitive and concise interactions
Challenge 3:
How can we present key information in a concise and visually engaging way, ensuring clarity while avoiding cognitive overload?
Challenge 3:
How can we present key information in a concise and visually engaging way, ensuring clarity while avoiding cognitive overload?
When designing the search page, users expressed a need for comprehensive trip information at a glance, but too much detail risked overwhelming them. This challenge required a thoughtful approach to balance detail and simplicity.
When designing the search page, users expressed a need for comprehensive trip information at a glance, but too much detail risked overwhelming them. This challenge required a thoughtful approach to balance detail and simplicity.
By reimagining the layout and visual hierarchy, I structured the final design to display key trip details clearly, using color-coded statuses, concise text, and interactive elements. This ensures users can quickly understand the information without feeling overloaded.
By reimagining the layout and visual hierarchy, I structured the final design to display key trip details clearly, using color-coded statuses, concise text, and interactive elements. This ensures users can quickly understand the information without feeling overloaded.
3. Hi-Fi Prototype
3. Hi-Fi Prototype
3.
Key User Flows, Scenarios, and Interactive Prototype
Key User Flows, Scenarios, and Interactive Prototype
#4 Impact
#4 Impact
Data Insights
Data Insights
Data Insights
To enhance efficiency and support data-driven decisions with anonymized ride data and analytics
To enhance efficiency and support data-driven decisions with anonymized ride data and analytics
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
To ensure that the platform meets the unique needs and preferences of the university community
To ensure that the platform meets the unique needs and preferences of the university community
Sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability
To promote eco-friendly transportation by reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips.
To promote eco-friendly transportation by reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips.
#5 Retro
#5 Retro
We received positive feedback from judges at UMSI Expo 2024, which reinforced the value of our concept. We also plan to pitch this idea to universities, introduce a subscription model, and generate revenue through advertising for local shops.
If we had more time, we would do the following:
Usability Testing with Diverse Groups: Conducting additional usability testing with a broader range of students to capture diverse perspectives and experiences.
Clarifying the Pricing Model: Defining how pricing is determined—whether through supply and demand, shared costs, or fixed rates—and making this transparent to users.
These steps will strengthen the solution and improve its potential for adoption.
We received positive feedback from judges at UMSI Expo 2024, which reinforced the value of our concept. We also plan to pitch this idea to universities, introduce a subscription model, and generate revenue through advertising for local shops.
If we had more time, we would do the following:
Usability Testing with Diverse Groups: Conducting additional usability testing with a broader range of students to capture diverse perspectives and experiences.
Clarifying the Pricing Model: Defining how pricing is determined—whether through supply and demand, shared costs, or fixed rates—and making this transparent to users.
These steps will strengthen the solution and improve its potential for adoption.