REPAIR VALET
- Description: Auto Repair Service App
- Client: AutoMD / US Auto Parts
- Role: UI + UX designer
- Dates: 2016
Repair Valet was a service app that saved time for anyone who
needed work done on their vehicle. It alleviated the hassle of auto
repair by valeting, servicing and returning a person's vehicle to
them while they tracked every step of the process on their mobile
device or computer.
My role was to help design for the the user experience and create the
interface for the application. I collaborated with executives, a
project manager, developers, and users to launch this project.
We discovered a major pain point for car owners, the hassle of auto
repair. Defining a workable solution was more complicated.
The executives provided the business goals and we had an idea of the
types of people most likely use the app. We did a survey and conducted
interviews to gain more insight into their needs. Most of the users
felt very apprehensive about the auto repair industry to begin with,
getting them to hand over their vehicles for service via an app would
be a challenge. Gaining their trust would need to be our priority. We focused on three personas.
According to AAA, two out of three U.S Drivers distrust auto repair
shops in general.
My team and I hashed outs ideas and I drew the wireframes on computer,
improving them with each pass. Educating users about the Repair Valet
process was key to building user trust. We broke down the information
into scannable chunks. We also added social proof, trust cards, and an
"About Us" section. I then created the user interface, explainer
visuals, iconography, CSS code snippets, comps and prototypes.
Prototypes helped us test designs
The development team needed time to build the backend and do the
heavy lifting of getting the app to function properly. Being a few
sprints ahead, the product manager, lead architect and I were able
to cycle through designs at the same time. I created prototypes from
the comps. The prototypes freed us from trying to imagine how the
interactions would work so we could focus more closely on the user
experience.
Client privacy is important. Content, features and client names has
been altered and/or excluded to protect confidentiality.
Meeting user needs is a requirement for creating products people will actually use.
Repair Valet was a bold project with many moving parts. It was ambitious, nothing like it existed at the time. We did our jobs well and I got to work with smart and inspiring people on an interesting application. It was a fantastic learning experience.
