Problem Space Overview

Through secondary and primary research, I discovered that many drivers face challenges related to parking. In particular, Gen Z drivers were the most affected by parking situations. Research showed that 80% of Gen Z drivers would cancel plans altogether if the parking situation was difficult.

User interviews revealed that drivers often plan for parking before leaving for their destination. Four out of five participants regularly research parking options in advance, while three out of five actively avoid parallel parking; even if it means paying more or parking farther away. Safety also emerged as a key concern, with participants prioritizing parking locations equipped with security features such as surveillance cameras.

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These insights revealed three core user needs:

• Quickly finding available parking in busy areas
  
  
• Feeling confident that their vehicle is parked in a secure location
  
  
• Avoiding stressful parking situations, such as parallel parking
  
  

Park'in was designed to help drivers park with efficiency without feeling stressed by helping them find a secure and convenient parking spot. The app addresses common pain points such as being able to find parking spots quickly in the city, fear of parallel parking and concerns around parking safely.

Impact

Business Value

Park'in addresses a common urban parking challenge while creating value for multiple stakeholders.

By helping drivers quickly find and reserve parking that meets their needs, the app reduces search time, lowers parking related stress, and improves the overall driving experience.

For parking operators, Park'in serves as a marketplace that increases exposure of available inventory and drives bookings.

Revenue would be generated through a commission-based model for each parking spot that was booked via the app, creating a mutually beneficial business model for the parking provider and park'in.

Design Overview

The Design Process

I chose to apply the design thinking methodology due to its human-centered approach. My goal was to develop a solution that truly addresses the users' needs and delivers a meaningful impact.

EmpathizeDEFINEIDEATEPROTOTYPETESTREFINE

DISCOVERY OF THE PROBLEM SPACE

Parking Anxiety

I chose to focus on the problem space of parking anxiety because it's an issue I personally experience. This inspired me to explore the challenges other drivers face when it comes to parking. Through preliminary research, I discovered the term for it is parking anxiety. It is a term used to describe the fear and stress of not being able to park properly or fear of not being able to find a parking space.

Parking anxiety can be as impactful as a physical disorder; affecting drivers' confidence and overall experience.

sECONDARY RESEARcH

What are the Current Issues?

57% of Generation Z uses apps like Uber or public transportation to avoid parking all together

Skipped a social event to avoid troublesome parking.

Have the fear of parallel parking.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

The User's Needs and Wants

I did four 30-minute interviews with drivers that were 18 and older. The requirements included: being licensed, driving at least 4 times a month and located in North America. Once I completed the interviews, I organized the findings into an affinity map, highlighting key themes.  

Themes and insights

Grouping Findings

Safety Concerns
Drivers want to make sure their car is safe from theft and scratches

Parking skill development
Drivers want to learn parking skills to help reduce anxiety.

Time management and efficiency
Drivers get frustrated when spending time searching for parking, understanding signage and attempting to park

Cost
Drivers have concerns about paying for parking and understanding and adhering to signage which can lead to tickets.

Familiarity
Drivers prefers parking in the same spot and they face anxiety when they are forced to park in unfamiliar situations.

Time management and efficiency was chosen as time was found to be the most valuable from all the insight that was gathered. Many interviewees were anxious due to not being able to find parking quickly and also not being able to park quickly in the spot they found.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

How Might We?

How might we help drivers quickly find parking that matches their preferences to create efficiency before arriving at their destination.

PERSONA

Meet Sabrina

I developed a persona based on the secondary research and interviews I conducted. I kept Sabrina at the forefront to build empathy for the user and create a design with the user in mind.

Opportunitiy areas

Concept Exploration

Based on insights from user interviews and competitive analysis, I identified that parking anxiety was driven less by a lack of available parking information and more by uncertainty during decision-making and arrival. From this, I explored multiple potential directions before defining the final solution.

Driver Education Application - Help drivers through tutorials

Why it was considered: Several participants expressed discomfort with parallel parking which suggested a potential skills gap.

Idea: A learning-based experience to help drivers improve parking skills through tutorials and guided practice (e.g., parallel parking walkthroughs, AR practice environments).

Why not pursued: Interviews suggested users wanted support in real parking situations. A learning focused solution would not reduce anxiety at the moment of parking.

Community Parking Forum

Idea: A forum where drivers share real life experiences about parking locations, including difficulty level, tips and photos.

Why it was considered: Participants reported that they often rely on informal advice or past experiences when choosing parking, indicating trust in peer knowledge.

Why not pursued: Forums are not well suited for time sensitive contexts like driving and parking, where users need fast, structured information. Additionally, the concept relies on significant user scale to generate useful content.

LOOKING AT THE MARKET

Competitor Analysis

Design prioritization

Features to Include

I wanted the app to be different from current parking apps already out there to help fill the gap. I decided to add in a filter spots option to allow users the option to filter things they wanted and things they wanted to avoid.

To further reduce planning effort, I envisioned a calendar integration that would sync upcoming events and automatically suggest nearby parking options, helping users plan their journey in advance.
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Based on research findings, I prioritized parking filters, reservation functionality and safety indicators (CCTV cameras). These features addressed most of the common user concerns

Features such as loyalty rewards and reviews were considered, but deprioritized to focus on the core parking experience.  

TASK FLOW

The User's Journey

Task flow showing the user's journey from start to finish

sKETCHING

Pen to Paper

I sketched a few paper wireframe variations until I was satisfied with the result. I derived UI inspiration from other apps such as Green P, Uber, Google Maps, Airbnb and Indigo parking. Once sketching was completed, I made a mid-fidelity wireframe.