Client:
University group project
The goal
Journee is an application designed to assist users with itinerary planning based on a variety of factors, such as fuel prices, rest stops, and the battery level of their vehicle.
The research
The project began with UX research, where we created a benchmark to compare existing competitors in the market, such as Chargemap, Waze, and the Tesla App. We discovered that while all competitors offer the option to plan an itinerary before a trip, there's no way to use the map or get assistance while driving.
We then interviewed 10 people about their personal experience driving long distances. Those driving internal combustion engine cars were self-conscious about checking gas prices in advance to determine where to stop, but didn't take it too seriously due to the large number of gas stations. In contrast, those driving electric cars planned their itineraries meticulously to find charging stations and something interesting to do while waiting for their car to charge.
As last step of our research, we published a survey to investigate people's driving and fueling habits. We reached 258 people, but only 7 of them owned an electric car. 58.2% of those driving internal combustion engine cars compare prices of different gas stations. Meanwhile, 71.4% of those driving electric cars use an app to find charging stations, and 57% of them prefer to take fewer but longer breaks while driving.
The design
The UX design process began by defining 4 user personas. Our focus was on electric vehicles, as people driving internal combustion engine cars typically do not plan their itineraries in depth. We also conceptualized the user flow to better understand the interaction between users and our app.
Each team member designed their version of the Lo-Fi wireframes to explore as many alternatives as possible. We then condensed our work into the Hi-Fi wireframe, which contains the app's main functionalities: trip planning, finding charging stations, and maps.
The solution
The itinerary planning section allows users to customize all details for the most accurate plan according to their vehicle model, places to see, and other preferences. The dedicated charging station section provides information on connector type, brand, availability, and charging speed. The maps section assists users while driving to their destination by giving updates about traffic and notifying when it's time for a break or to charge their vehicle (based on the itinerary plan).
