Introduction
Duration: 2 Months (May-July 2021)
Tools Used: Figma, Google Forms, Zoom
Overview: During the COVID-19 Pandemic, bikes became all the rage. I created a personal project for a mobile bike app that could help an experienced or novice cyclist get their hands on a bike that was right for them.
Challenge:
Current and potential cyclists want a way to buy locally without wasting their time or money.
Outcome:
Wheelz is a mobile app that helps cyclists find their perfect ride from the comfort of their homes.
Understanding the User
I wanted to understand how cyclists currently shop for their biking necessities. I recruited 5 participants from various online forums (reddit and social media). From those interviews I was able to conclude that there are two distinct user group looking for bikes; the beginners and the experienced.
“Honestly, buying a bike online can be so overwhelming. There’s so many options. Where do you even begin?”
“I know what I am looking for when I go into a shop, but I enjoy buying local when I know it’s available”
Getting the Wheels Turning
For my first iteration, I wanted to focus on 3 main elements:
A landing page that allows users to access inventory, message the shop, and schedule service; all pain points that were indicated in the research
A wizard/quiz for users to find a bike that fits their wants and needs
A checkout flow for users to decide if they want to pick up in store or ship their purchase to their house
Simplifying the Scope
After the initial wireframes, I collaborated with my mentor and shared my current work. We worked together and decided that I should narrow down the scope of the project. Instead of trying to address 3-5 user pain points, I would/should try to address 1-2 main points. From here I decided to stick strong to these 2 pain points:
New bikers were intimidated by the bike buying process. They described a desire for help or support by an expert in the field. There was a frustration and overwhelming feeling when thinking about where to begin. I did not want users feeling overwhelmed with decisions
A desire for a one stop shop where they could find bikes, parts, and maintenance all in one place
Setting New Goals
From Concept to Design
Landing Page
I stuck to a card scrolling pattern for featured products. I wanted to make sure that users could view not only featured bikes available, but also featured products which they could filter out on the landing screen as well.
On the bottom menu I went with 4 options that could either lead a user home, to a messaging section where they can message the shop, see their cart, or access their profile.
Bike Quiz
The goal for the bike quiz was to include the least number of questions possible that could generate a helpful result.
In the case of this project, height, type of riding, and price were the three points I wanted to focus on in the quiz. I wanted the UI of the quiz to be fun and entertaining, as my research indicated that this process is usually stressful for new bikers.
The quiz is meant to be as much educational as it is simple. At the end, users have the option to purchase, try it out, or message the shop to have their questions answered.
Prototype
Future Direction/Takeaways
If I could continue this project forward, I would want to do a few things more…
Create user profiles where current and new users could enter their current information in (bike model, parts, etc.) including when their bike was last serviced to facilitate ease with scheduling future services and what parts/bikes might be recommended for them.
Establish an easy way for users to try a bike and return it if it was not for them. Maybe this could be in the form of a trial period, similar to what Peloton markets.
A way for users to connect with other people who shop at the store and share local routes, times, and challenges from the area. This might encourage community by staying local and creating a shared environment of biking enthusiasm on the shops app.