Pathly App
Aim to make sidewalks and safety conditions predictable, empowering people to enjoy their neighborhoods confidently while traveling.
Objectives
My team and I aim to assess the requirements for an app mapping pedestrian routes, considering a user's accessibility preferences, desired level of exertion, and safety concerns, to understand the intersection of accessibility and safety needs and determine the necessity for a combined route mapping software.
The Pathly app is meticulously crafted to address the escalating concerns surrounding carbon emissions and congested traffic, strategically encouraging a shift from cars to sidewalks. Recognizing prevalent disincentives such as fluctuating crime rates and predominantly car-centric infrastructure, Pathly is designed to mitigate unpredictability in sidewalk and safety conditions. We aim to empower individuals, fostering a sense of confidence to savor neighborhood experiences on foot while seamlessly navigating from one location to another.
My role
As a product and visual designer within the team, my responsibilities encompass conducting thorough user research, orchestrating user interviews, and executing comprehensive user testing. I play a pivotal role in crafting surveys, developing affinity and empathy maps, and constructing detailed user personas. Additionally, I lead the charge in conducting competitor analyses, mapping user journeys, and outlining intricate user flows. Furthermore, I am predominantly responsible for the meticulous creation of wireframes and prototypes, aligning them seamlessly with the established branding language, color palette, and overall visual identity of Pathly.
Research Participants
The optimal participant for our study is an individual residing in a walkable locality, possessing firsthand experience in both solo and accompanied walks. This participant demonstrates a nuanced understanding of their neighborhood and the pedestrian routes within it, offering valuable insights into their navigation preferences, considerations, and observations when engaging in walking activities.
Problem Statement
We are in the process of crafting an application that aims to instill a heightened sense of confidence among urban users regarding their pedestrian routes. Our observations indicate that pedestrians often experience feelings of insecurity or encounter challenges in navigating pedestrian infrastructures, impeding their willingness to walk to destinations or explore their neighborhoods.
Our design challenge revolves around creating a solution that seamlessly empowers pedestrians to navigate their walks with ease and efficiency, fostering a sense of safety throughout the journey. How can we devise an intuitive and effective means for pedestrians to navigate their routes while ensuring a heightened sense of safety?
Solution
In response to the identified challenges faced by urban pedestrians, our solution focuses on developing a user-centric application that prioritizes both ease of navigation and user safety. Through an intuitive interface, the application will leverage real-time data and user feedback to dynamically adjust routes, steering pedestrians away from areas with reported safety concerns.
Additionally, we plan to implement features such as well-lit pathways, emergency assistance buttons, and community-sourced safety ratings to enhance user confidence during walks, especially during unconventional hours. Personalized route recommendations, considering factors like Maude's knee injury and preferences, will be integrated to accommodate individual needs. By combining technology, user insights, and a commitment to safety, our design aims to transform urban walking experiences, providing users with a reliable and secure means of navigating their pedestrian routes.
Feature 1: Apply filters
Upon destination selection in Pathly, users can optimize their route using various filters, drawing on insights from the Pathly user community. Filters encompass safety, distance reduction, and elevation constraints, among others. Advanced features like Safe Mode and Accessibility provide tailored route customization. Once filters are applied, Pathly generates a refined route to enhance user experience.
Feature 2: Report hazards
Empowering users with safety-conscious functionality, this feature enables the reporting of hazards along a route, alerting fellow users to potential challenges. The reported hazard data is collaboratively sourced from the Pathly user community and remains active until verified by other users as resolved. Following a hazard report, users are encouraged to share their Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) with friends and family for enhanced safety during their journey.
Feature 3: Confirm Hazard
In instances where a user's selected route is flagged for a previously reported hazard, the user has the option to dismiss the notification and proceed with their walk. Upon reaching the reported area, Pathly prompts the user to confirm the hazard's current status. If validated, the information remains in the user community database for awareness. Conversely, if the hazard is deemed resolved, it is promptly removed to ensure route selections for others remain unaffected.
Feature 4: Reroute
When a hazard is identified during route planning, Pathly responds by generating a safer alternative route to circumvent the obstacle. However, users should be aware that this optimized route may slightly extend the commuting time, prioritizing safety considerations.
