V-MAT App
Case Study
UX/UI Design
Methods: User Interviews/Surveys, User-Centered Design, Wireframing, Prototyping
Tools: Figma, Google Docs, Google Slides
Overview
First things first!
As auto burglary rates rise in cities, young adults often feel uneasy leaving their cars unattended in high-risk areas. This app is tailored to their needs, providing real-time alerts, safe parking suggestions, and incident reporting for added confidence when they’re not in their car.
Challenge
With safety as a priority.
Developing a digital safety application that helps young adults protect their vehicles in high-risk areas by offering real-time alerts, safe parking recommendations, and incident reporting. This solution empowers users with proactive security insights, ensuring peace of mind when their cars are unattended.
Problem Statements
Breaking Down the Problem.
"With safety as a priority, young adults need a reliable way to protect their vehicles in high-risk areas. However, existing parking solutions do not provide real-time security insights, leaving drivers unaware of potential threats and vulnerable to auto burglary."
Who is affected? → Young adults in urban areas
What is the issue? → Rising auto burglary rates and lack of security information
Why does it matter? → Drivers feel uneasy and lack the tools to make informed parking decisions
What’s missing? → Real-time alerts, safe parking recommendations, and incident reporting
Solutions
Lock in safety, unlock comfort.
Discover the ultimate car safety app designed to keep you and your vehicle secure. Get real-time alerts, track your car’s location, find the safest parking spots, and access essential security features—all in one place. Stay protected and drive with confidence, knowing your safety is always a priority.
Solutions 01
NOTIFICATION, MAP, & PARKING FEATURE
The app also uses location tracking to adjust based on the driver’s current location, offering relevant updates from nearby users. Color variations show the amount of activity in a specific area, with pinpoints and numbers indicating the number of posts. A filter is available to help users easily find parking lots, making it simple to assess safety before parking.
Solutions 02
CAR SECURITY SYSTEM
The car security system lets users monitor their vehicle remotely. The rearview mirror sensor detects motion and alerts users if the car is touched, such as an open door or unlocked vehicle. Through the app, users can check the car's status and view past footage of detected motion, providing peace of mind while away.
Solutions 03
COMMUNITY FEED
The community feature in our app allows users to alert others about recent incidents or crimes in the area. Posts are labeled with the type of crime, helping everyone stay informed. Users can also make their own posts and view reviews on parking lots to assess their safety.
Solutions 04
Emergency Response Tools
Easily report a crime, call 911, and get helpful tips all within the app. This feature lets you respond quickly and stay safe when you need it most.
Solutions 05
V-MAT's Rear View Mirror Camera
V-MAT's Rear View Mirror Camera is a wide-view mirror with a hidden camera designed to enhance security by providing a broader view of the surroundings while maintaining a discreet appearance. The hidden camera stores video recordings through the V-MAT app, allowing users to access footage remotely. The system is motion-censored, the camera activates when it detects movement, ensuring it captures any suspicious activity without the need for constant monitoring. This setup combines convenience, security, and privacy to help users stay informed and protect their property.
Connect
Who Our Users Are
To gain deeper insights into our target audience's needs, goals, and challenges, we developed a user persona (Jake) based on the design brief.
Research
Exploring User Perceptions and Data-Driven Insights
Qualitative Questions
What’s the driver’s initial reaction and response to auto burglary?
What do they think when parking their car? Do they worry about robbers?
How do auto burglary offenders rationalize their actions, and what factors contribute to their decision-making process?
How do auto burglary incidents affect the sense of safety and security in a community?
What do they think when parking their car? Do they worry about robbers?
How do auto burglary offenders rationalize their actions, and what factors contribute to their decision-making process?
How do auto burglary incidents affect the sense of safety and security in a community?
Quantitative Questions
What are the most common types of cars being broken into?
What are the most common times and places where car break-ins happen?
What is the most common method of breaking into cars?
What is the effectiveness of different security measures in preventing auto burglaries, such as car alarms, steering wheel locks, and GPS tracking devices?
What are the most common types of cars being broken into?
What are the most common times and places where car break-ins happen?
What is the most common method of breaking into cars?
What is the effectiveness of different security measures in preventing auto burglaries, such as car alarms, steering wheel locks, and GPS tracking devices?
User Insights
Insights from User Interviews
Multiple Break-Ins at Once
“We looked around to see if other cars were broken into, and other cars got broken into. We saw many windows broken and glass everywhere.” – Connie, 4th-year Neurobiology student
“We looked around to see if other cars were broken into, and other cars got broken into. We saw many windows broken and glass everywhere.” – Connie, 4th-year Neurobiology student
Being Aware of Unsafe Areas
“If I know that a place is sketchy, I would rather not go. Not because I'm scared my car would be broken into. But if it's unsafe, and I don't want to get robbed or something.” – Ben, 22-year-old Computer Science student
“If I know that a place is sketchy, I would rather not go. Not because I'm scared my car would be broken into. But if it's unsafe, and I don't want to get robbed or something.” – Ben, 22-year-old Computer Science student
Past Experiences
“I had my entire school backpack stolen with my laptop, notes, wallet, etc. Ever since then, I make sure I lock my car at least 3 times.” – Mark, 4th-year Marketing student
“I had my entire school backpack stolen with my laptop, notes, wallet, etc. Ever since then, I make sure I lock my car at least 3 times.” – Mark, 4th-year Marketing student
Trauma from Break-Ins
“Even though it wasn’t my car, the experience was scary enough that parking becomes something I get worried about, especially in sketchy places.” – Anderson, 4th-year Psychology student
“Even though it wasn’t my car, the experience was scary enough that parking becomes something I get worried about, especially in sketchy places.” – Anderson, 4th-year Psychology student
The quotes show how car break-ins cause fear and worry, not just about losing items but about safety in general. People take extra precautions, like locking their cars multiple times or avoiding certain areas. Solutions should focus on reducing anxiety and enhancing personal safety, addressing both the emotional consequences and the physical protection of vehicles.
Ideate
illustrating the user journey
Based on the following user stories, my team and I created a concept storyboard and product map to visualize how users will interact with the app. The concept storyboard highlights the key moments in the user’s journey, while the product map outlines the app’s structure, features, and user flow, providing a clear view of how each element works together to help users achieve their goals.
Visual Style Guide
Before finalizing the design, we focused on creating a clean, user-friendly interface with simple maps and icons for easy navigation and a calming feel. We analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of competitor apps like Tesla, Twitter, ParkMobile, and Citizen. This helped inform our design decisions and allowed us to enhance the user experience by addressing common pain points and incorporating successful features from these platforms.
Product Map
Concept StoryBoards
THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
We create thumbnail sketches as quick, rough drawings to explore different design concepts. These small, flexible sketches help us test various layouts and approaches before committing to wireframes.
Wireframes
Following the thumbnail sketches, we moved on to creating high-fidelity wireframes. This offers a refined visual representation of our app concepts, focusing on structure rather than color. Outlining key elements and functionality, providing a clearer understanding of the app’s flow and user experience.
Design
Exploring STYLE VARIATIONS
Created multiple style variations to explore different design approaches and ensure we selected the one that best meets the needs of the users while aligning with the overall vision for the application.
Final Design
FINAL Design Presentaion
Interactive Prototype
