The familiarity we gain from performing daily tasks can become a barrier to accepting change. While we may physically acknowledge the facts based on our expertise, mentally we often reject the harsh realities of the situation. Over time, this routine becomes comforting and resistant to change or adaptation. Yet, paradoxically, we continue to complain about things, particularly technology, that fail to satisfy us.
Our reliance on digital devices has reached excessive levels, turning them into essential accessories for everyday life. As someone who spends three hours commuting between home and work, I have come to realize the significance of my experiences with various navigation applications on my mobile device. These experiences have provided valuable insights into how I can improve as a designer.
Think about it for a moment: when was the last time you didn't interact with a digital device to search for information before or after driving? The demand for accessible information is high, and we expect instant delivery, especially when it comes to traffic conditions, directions to our destination, or unexpected phone calls while on the road. These activities lead to a significant amount of interaction between drivers and their digital devices, often becoming a contributing factor to a large percentage of fatal accidents within cities.
“In 2016, there are 389 cases of collision and fatal accidents that cause death and critical condition of the people in Toronto. 18 percent of those reported interacting with the phone while driving.”
Forward is a revolutionary mobile application that enhances the driving experience and minimizes unnecessary interaction between drivers and their mobile devices while on the road.
Project | Forward Mobile Application
Duration | 2 Months
Tool | Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Competitors Analyst
The market is flooded with numerous mobile navigation applications, each offering a wide range of functions and comprehensive solutions to cater to the diverse needs and expectations of users.
In this scenario, I narrowed down degrading main competitors:
Google Maps is the most widely used navigation application, serving millions of users.
Pros: It offers comprehensive functionalities for drivers and allows for easy input through voice commands.
Cons: It lacks support for Carplay and is not particularly friendly when it comes to incoming calls.
Waze stands as the second most popular navigation app among users.
Pros: It boasts a user-friendly interface, includes a built-in store locator, and offers a fun user experience.
Cons: However, it presents certain opportunities for increased interaction with mobile devices, such as manual input/reporting of traffic officer locations and unexpected pop-ups and updates during rush hours, which can distract drivers on the road.
The survey
Personas
With the data I have collected, I am empowered to develop personas for my project.
App Main Features
Forward is a mobile navigation app designed to enhance the driving experience and minimize unnecessary interaction between drivers and their mobile devices while on the road. It offers a wide range of features, including voice command integration, real-time traffic condition updates, speed limit notifications, and automatic transition between multiple routes with a time display. Additionally, it provides convenient tap functions for finding parking spots and requesting roadside assistance in your vicinity.
Task Flow
App Icon
Color Library
UI Kit
Typeface
Initial mobile app sketches
Early Wireframes
Early Wireframe Task Flow
User Flow
High Fidelity Wireframe
High Fidelity Wireframe Task Flow
