What is the Problem?
Lack of appropriate knowledge regarding electric cars, it may be rented or owned. The fact that various manufacturers opt to utilise various charging standards increases the complexity and deters many consumers from buying an electric vehicle. Additionally, the owner of an electric vehicle is unaware of the factors that contribute to the same battery's longevity.
Stanford Design Thinking Process.
Design Method
Challenges Faced
Inadequate understanding of the electric vehicle and the technologies involved.
Identifying the best technological solutions to improve user experience.
Generating interest in the app among consumers.
Competitor Analysis
Although there isn't a direct competitor in the industry, there are significant players that indirectly compete, such as Google and Apple.
User Research and Affinity Mapping
POV Statement and Scenarios
I then roughed up a user flow diagram of the most critical components to make sure I didn't overlook any important functionality.
Making the Application Structured
I could use my knowledge to innovate on problems identified during user research by posing simple yet effective questions.
User Research & Analysis.
User Surveys: with the help of Google Forms to gather information, and 72 responses were received. User interviews: A total of 4 interviews, including 1 in-person interview, were done. Based on survey results, users were chosen, and participation came from various countries across the world. the choice of platform was Zoom and teams.
Market Research
Persona and Customer Journey Map
Key Features after Research
Mood Board and Style-Guide
Challenge 2: It is hard for someone to hire an electrician when he has moved places to install or repair charging stations.
Solution: According to participant number 2, who spoke during the interview stage, when he sells electric cars to his local customers, he must hire electricians to set up the charging stations in their homes. As a car dealer, he was having difficulty finding one, and users who have moved to another location with electric cars also encountered significant challenges in locating a reliable electrician who is an expert in their field. The researcher resolved the issue mentioned above by adding the service tab to the Silver Aero app. The application can now offer locals jobs.
Challenge 3: The mobile application and the infotainment system do not have a seamless experience.
Solution: There is a lack of continuity between the user's mobile device and the sat Nav in the car. With the introduction of the Silver Aero IoT device, there is less experience within the phone application and the infotainment system. A voice-based AI aids the driver in using his voice more often because of the prediction and mistake correction in the voice assistant called Silver Aero. Silver Aero infotainment system is developed based on the Apple Car-Play design principle, a user-friendly, human-centric design acceptable for all customers.
Prototype
Design Rationales
Challenge 1: The use of many programmes to carry out related tasks.
Solution: It became apparent throughout the creation of Silver Aero that users of programmes like Google Maps, Zap Maps, and Apple Maps would need to switch between these apps to acquire accurate information. The researchers' answer in this scenario is to combine all necessary elements, such as intelligent notification, real-time battery data, charging availability, and time slot booking, under a single roof. All users who tried the application said it worked well; hence the implementation was successful.
Testing and Formative Feedback
With the Hifidility prototype, the researcher is currently aiming to collect qualitative data. During this stage, the public could only use the application's high-fidelity prototype (Silver Arrow) for testing. The researcher made a list of seven tasks to ascertain how a user reacts to a particular circumstance. Six users were chosen and contacted to conduct a formal testing interview with the previously developed task.
Before the test, the participants were given the concern forms, and an average interview took 20 minutes. Before the discussion began, the participants were informed that it would be filmed and held via the Zoom web meeting platform. When the researcher first asked the participants about the application's look and feel, 80% said they were satisfied, while the other 20% said they would prefer a light-mode interface. Future upgrades will consider user complaints about the application's component sizes, typography, and interaction points. Each of the seven tasks was successfully completed in the allotted time. The programme is functional, practical, and pleasurable for the six users, excluding a few minor UI tweaks.