GetParking, a Cisco-seed funded startup, creates smart parking solutions using computer vision and IoT. They offer affordable, flexible, and seamless parking technology compatible with the future of mobility. I designed the entire app ecosystem, including the real-time dashboard, enabling end-to-end parking management deployed in two smart city projects in India.
Parking businesses in India continue to depend on outdated ledger systems for record-keeping. This reliance not only leads to human errors but also exposes businesses to issues like dishonest employee reporting and unpaid users. With India expected to account for 20% of global parking infrastructure growth by 2050, marking a 600% increase from 2017, addressing these challenges is crucial.
This application aims to provide businesses with a more organized, systematic approach.
I contributed to the UX effort of developing a parking management solution, enabling business owners to implement digital record-keeping software for improved parking lot monitoring and revenue management.
The mobile app was designed with a modular approach to accommodate various integrations and configurations, ensuring flexibility for different parking lot structures. Some parking lots only catered to cars, while others had classifications like cars, fleets, and two-wheelers, and some even offered multi-level parking. IoT device connections could be integrated in a flexible, pick-and-choose manner.
The design challenge was to create a modular solution usable across multiple configurations while maintaining a user-friendly experience.
The 'In activity' allowed operators to enter vehicles from any screen, ensuring a faster workflow. To compensate for inaccurate ANPR, we provided a keyboard and the option to select vehicle types, putting operators in control. Operators could also handle conflicts in the unlikely event they arose.
The 'out activity' functions similarly to the 'In activity,' except for choosing vehicle types and handling conflicts. The flow is linked to payment collection, allowing actions such as 'Free of Cost', 'Shop visit discount', and 'Overstay charges.' This screen also connects to the wireless printer, giving operators the option to print a receipt if the customer requests one.
To make all operator actions easily accessible, I implemented a single, expandable drawer for key functions. The "in" and "out" buttons, being primary actions, were always kept visible. Secondary actions, such as clearing pending vehicles, creating passes, and scanning QR codes, were then organized within the drawer.
In the initial design, I created a single list view with filtering options. We then deployed the device at a beta test site and used qualitative methods to collect user feedback..
Since we were designing for operators with low tech proficiency while optimizing their workflow, the single list view with filters proved time-consuming.
My initial solution provided users with a daily vehicle tally overview. To highlight overnight vehicles, I used color-coding to indicate any discrepancies in the vehicle count. However, this approach still required operators to perform calculations, which proved challenging.
In our final design, I designed one list view tabs to replace the filters and vehicle tally.
Our number plate recognition system initially used only the last four digits as a unique identifier, but India has a strict number plate format.
Storing the last four digits could lead to several duplicate entries if other vehicles shared the same digits. Additionally, we needed a way to distinguish passholders from regular users.
Conflict resolution became a problem when we started providing pass service. To be more customer-centric, we ensured operators logged in the correct vehicle. We displayed the owner's name, the entire number plate, and the pass photo to make selecting the right pass easy. Operators would be provided with the following options:
In our initial design, the camera screen was always on, leading to many operators taking photos like these while recording data.
Since ANPR was a key feature, we needed to ensure operators used it. However, this wasn't happening in practice. Operators held their phones horizontally while entering vehicle data, which resulted in a lack of vehicle photos and excessive battery drain.
While the final solution involved a boom-barrier mounted camera for ANPR, my immediate fix was to implement a manual mode for the camera.
Using the gyroscope, we could detect if the phone was held horizontally, at which point the camera would turn off, and a graphic would inform users about the system's status.
The customer app was designed after the operator app reached stability. To ensure broad compatibility, the implementation was designed for a range of smartphones, starting with low-end devices in mind. For the MVP, the customer app aimed to provide a straightforward way to book parking spots in advance.
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I designed the onboarding screens to educate customers about the app's offerings. The design was kept simple to highlight core features while maintaining brand consistency.
I designed two methods for users to find the nearest parking spot, catering to different user preferences.
The booking screen was designed for simplicity and ease of use. Users could input their parking date and time, generating a QR code for their reservation. Operators could then scan this QR code to confirm the booking.
Here's a demo of the solution
As a bootstrapped startup with limited resources, we greatly appreciated the fact that Animesh could wear two cap, one of a UX/UI designer, and the other of a programmer. He did the design for our core parking management (PMS) app, our logo and letter heads and lots of our collateral.
He also built out our reporting dashboard, wrestling down the complexities of the AngularFire framework, as well as mentoring the junior engineer who took over the code base from him when he left us for his graduate studies.
In between, he got time to prototype computer vision based solutions for vehicle counting and space detection. Animesh is multi talented personalities who was also a good team mate with an affable and approachable presence in office and I wish him the best in his future endeavors
As a designer also responsible for the front-end development of applications and websites, I developed a strong understanding of material design components and interaction paradigms. This understanding became a strong foundation for recognizing feasibility limitations during the design process.
As the sole designer, I was responsible for defining the interactions between the Operator app, the dashboard, and the IoT device configurations. It was a valuable learning experience in delivering an omnichannel experience.
I collaborated closely with the CEO, manager, and engineers on designing the flows and screens. While I could quickly design solutions to given problems, I failed to question "why" to understand the root issues. This is a skill I developed further during my master's program in HCI.
This was my first major project as a UX Designer. While I conducted contextual inquiry, observed participant behavior, and asked questions, I still lacked the articulation skills and strategic decision-making abilities needed to translate that into actionable insights.
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