Fuel Finder
UX Design
Research and UX design for a mobile gas price comparison app that caters to long-distance drivers, with an emphasis on safety for all users.
Gas prices are skyrocketing and people want to find the cheapest price near them especially when they are traveling in a new area. While there are gas price apps, none of them cater for long-distance trips and prioritize the safety of their users.
Problem
Fuel Finder is a gas price comparison app that caters to long-distance drivers, with an emphasis on safety for all users. Fuel Finder assists users in selecting gas stations based on safety ratings, saving routes, and tracking favorite stations for price updates. It is designed for users aged 15 and up, ensuring easy navigation.
Solution
Explore the design thinking process, methodologies, UX/UI design tools, and a human-centered approach to research, design, and testing in a semester-long group project. Effectively communicate design decisions in work, writing, and verbally. Design low and high-fidelity prototypes.
Objective
Hi-Fi Prototype Demo
Empathize
Competitive Analysis
We explored our direct competitors like Gas Buddy and analogous competitors like Google Maps to find strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Direct Competitors Like Gas Buddy
Strengths: Real-time crowdsourced analytics, personalization features, saving systems
Weaknesses: Complicated overwhelming design, no CarPlay, brief reviews, no focus on safety
Opportunities: Automatically connects users to a map app for directions, preferences
Analogous Competitors Like Google Maps
Strengths: Detailed review system, save routes, CarPlay map
Weaknesses: No gas comparison tools, not focused on gas or prices
Opportunities: Review system, save routes
Interviews
Fuel Finder caters to any driver from 15 years old and up. To begin, we interviewed drivers between the ages of twenty to seventy-five years old to develop a diverse range of responses. We developed nineteen questions across four categories: gas price apps, CarPlay, preferences regarding gas stations, and finally, general driving and gas habits. One question asked, “How do you currently navigate rising gas prices?”.
Observations and Assessments
By analyzing responses through an affinity map, thematic analysis, and empathy maps, findings were categorized into groups of UX needs, problems, general insights, and gas stations. From this assessment, we concluded that personalization and safety were top priorities. For example, users prefer well-known gas station brands because they tend to have more safety features such as bright outdoor lighting. We also found out many do not know about or use gas finder apps simply because they have a set gas station that they tend to go to due to their usual cheap prices.
Define
Personas and User Journey Maps
Three personas and their user journey maps for finding gas were created to help understand our target audience’s needs. We took key experiences for the team to prioritize in the design.
Related to my interviewee’s answers, my persona was Evy, a broke college student who recently moved states away from school.
Ideate
How Might We and Creative Matrix
Through the define process, we found opportunities to make the gas experience better especially while traveling long distances or in unfamiliar places. In a creative matrix, How Might We Questions (HMWs) were asked to brainstorm design solutions. For the project, we focused on only two HMWs that best would show our UVPs:
Allow users to plan a trip in the app: How might we help users plan their trip with their gas station preferences?
Allow users to choose safer gas stations: How might we best inform some of the safety features of gas stations for the comfort of our users?
Lo-Fi Prototype & Test
Sketches
First Iteration of Lo-Fi
Cognitive Walkthrough
Buttons need more clarity, redundant frames
Second Iteration of Lo-Fi
Hi-Fi Prototype Demo
Conclusion and Reflection
Our group's main takeaways from this project consist of learning the ins and outs of UX design. We have gained a newfound respect for the complexities behind UX design and the intense research that creating an app entails. We have developed a better eye for identifying design flaws and have increased our awareness of conducting research for UX design. Additionally, we have learned how to create a thematic analysis and conduct a cognitive walkthrough, as well as how to utilize the information derived from those analyses. Furthermore, we have acquired skills in analyzing competitors and identifying their strengths and weaknesses to enhance our own design. Overall, we have acquired a plethora of useful information that now serves as the foundation for our UX design careers.
Moving forward with the creation of this app, there are several beneficial aspects to continue iterating. Although we deviated from the original plan for the prototype, users could greatly benefit from a Carplay version. For trip planning, some users might find it helpful if they were able to connect with friends and share their planned trips. Regarding finding gas, implementing a notification system that informs users when their favorite gas stations lower their prices was the rationale behind favoriting a gas station. This would encourage continued interaction with our app and provide users with the support they need. Lastly, to expand the range of customizable features accessible to users, it would be advantageous to implement a machine-learning algorithm that learns from user preferences and behaviors. This feature would offer personalized recommendations for gas stations, taking into account factors such as preferred brands, fuel types, and amenities.
Team Members
Sarah Hwang
Hannah Basinger
Sage McCarron