I conducted 5 user interviews to help me get a better understanding of the steps users take to protect themselves from bike theft and identify specific challenges cyclists face when it comes to finding bike parking.

Cyclists currently often resort to tedious ways of finding safe bike parking options, such as manually scanning for bike racks or asking local businesses if they allow bikes to be parked on their property. They also spend time researching online for information about bike parking facilities or rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from other cyclists. These methods are time-consuming and unreliable, making it difficult for cyclists to feel confident and secure in leaving their bikes unattended.

Taking what I’ve learned from my research, I started brainstorming ideas and looking for opportunities around the insights I’ve gathered. After ideating a long list of possible features and in the interest of time constraints, I decided to narrow my focus on the following 4 features that have the potential to make the biggest impact on users.

• Bike parking location database: Interactive map that displays all bike parking locations, including both free public spots and privately paid options

• Overlay feature indicating the areas of high-risk areas for bike theft

• User Ratings and Reviews to help cyclists make more informed decisions about where to park their bikes

I created user flows illustrating how users would navigate the different features of the app. The user flow below demonstrates how a user would find a safe and secure parking option near their desired destination.

After establishing the app's core features and user flows, I started designing by exploring how each of these features could be integrated with one another through sketching on paper and then moved on to low and mid-fidelity wireframes. The design of the app went through multiple iterations and had some usability testing along the way to validate some of the ideas and identify potential usability issues or areas for improvement. I then continued iterating upon ideas, increasing the fidelity, and looking for ways to further streamline the process for users.

1. The Search bar was moved to the bottom of the screen for improved accessibility

2. Color-coding to indicate the level of risk was changed to the usage of a single color (red) and varying in intensity

3. Hotspot button went through various stages in color, eventually ending with red as it was found to be most intuitive with users

4. The bike theft reporting button was eliminated from the default map due to user confusion and a perceived lack of priority for it

The interactive map is a valuable resource for cyclists looking to find bike parking options, plan their bike routes, and get further information on bike parking facilities.

I prioritized simplicity and intuitiveness when designing the maps, ensuring that the information presented was easy to read and accessible. I did this by:

• Strategically using color coordination and icon patterns to represent the different types of parking options

• Usage of high contrast colors to make the map easier to read for users with visual impairment

• Including filters to make it easy for users to narrow their searches and quickly find something that fits their specific needs

• Avoiding clutter; not featuring too many buttons on the default map and tucking away extra features into the hamburger menu

When designing the Hotspot feature, my main focus was to present data on high bike theft areas in a user-friendly manner. Initially, I opted for color coding to indicate the level of risk (e.g., green for low risk, red for high risk, etc). However, I eventually switched to using a single color (red) and varying its intensity to enhance accessibility for color-blind users and make the feature more intuitive.

When building the brand and design system for the Velos app, I knew I wanted something that felt vibrant and modern to appeal to the younger and physically active audience that would be using the app. Embracing the colorful language of the brand, I chose neon colors to color-coordinate the different forms of parking options available and used those pop of colors throughout the design.

View Full UI Kit →

Finding safe and secure bike parking has never been so easy or straightforward. The Velos app provides a digital solution for cyclists to find nearby bike parking options, explore safer alternatives to regular street parking, and a powerful feature for assessing the risk of bike theft in specific areas or neighborhoods. Additionally, it’ll equip users with handy resources for minimizing the chances of bike theft, requesting new bike racks from the city, and discovering bike-friendly businesses around the area.

View Full Prototype →