Pathly App
Product Design | UIUX | Mobile app
Aim to make sidewalks and safety conditions predictable, empowering people to enjoy their neighborhoods confidently while traveling.
My Role | Product Designer
Prototyping
Wire-framing
User Interview
User Testing
Surveys
Team
2 Product Designers
1 Product Manager
CTO / CEO
1 UX Researcher
2 Engineers
1 Product Manager
CTO / CEO
1 UX Researcher
2 Engineers
Context
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.
In other words: it's an app designed to make you walk safely...
In other words: it's an app designed to make you walk safely...
My team's objective is 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.
Research Participants
The ideal participant for our study is someone living in a walkable area with experience in both solo and accompanied walks. They should have a good understanding of their neighborhood and pedestrian routes, providing valuable insights into their navigation preferences and observations while walking.
Problem Statement
We are developing an app to boost urban users' confidence in their pedestrian routes. Pedestrians often feel insecure or face navigation challenges, deterring them from walking.
Our goal is to create a solution that makes walking easy and efficient, fostering a sense of safety. How can we design an intuitive and effective way for pedestrians to navigate their routes confidently?
Solution
In response to urban pedestrian challenges, we are developing a user-centric app that prioritizes navigation ease and safety. The app will use real-time data and user feedback to adjust routes, avoiding areas with safety concerns. Features include well-lit pathways, emergency assistance buttons, and community-sourced safety ratings to boost confidence, especially during unconventional hours. Personalized route recommendations will accommodate individual needs.
By integrating technology, user insights, and a commitment to safety, our design aims to transform urban walking experiences, providing reliable and secure navigation.
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.
