Angel Wong - Portfolio

WakeNow - Location-based alarm

Mobile App Design • UX UI Design • User Research • Prototyping • Usability Testing

Project Overview

Problem

Passengers on public transport often miss their stops due to falling asleep or being distracted, making it difficult to reach their intended destinations on time.

Challenge

Designing a reliable, location-based alarm system that provides timely notifications and alerts, ensuring passengers wake up and prepare before arriving at their desired stations.

Solution

WakeNow, a mobile app that utilizes location tracking to alert sleepy passengers just before their destination, helping travellers stay informed and arrive on time.

Research Process

Objectives

To understand the needs and behaviours of public transport passengers regarding missed stops and distractions, identify their frustrations, and explore the temporary solutions they currently use to address this issue.

Methodology

01. Competitive Analysis

Analyzing existing location-based alarm and notification apps to identify their strengths and weaknesses, understand market trends, and uncover opportunities for innovation and improvement in the WakeNow app.

02. User Research

Conducting surveys and interviews with public transport passengers to gather insights into their experiences, frustrations, and current solutions for avoiding missed stops. This research will inform the design and functionality of the WakeNow app to better meet user needs.

Competitive Analysis

	OmniBuzz	WakeMeHere	I've Arrived
Strengths	Customisable alarms and location name Current location Button Instruction tutorial provided Switchable map type	Pop-up suggested locations Minimum and maximum radius setting	Option to switch off alarm with customisable battery level
Weaknesses	Non-customisable vibration	Background colour in Settings makes it difficult to read	Given fixed values of the distance for the alarm Not user-friendly, difficult to understand the user interface

User Research

Survey

Respondents

An online poll was created via Instagram where 32 respondents voted on the following questions:

“Have you ever overslept on any public transport and missed your intended stop?”

| 24 out of 32 respondents (75%) voted yes

“Have you ever feared missing your stop in unfamiliar areas, causing you to constantly check maps or avoid sleeping?

| 30 out of 32 respondents (93.75%) voted yes

User Interview

Participants

Age range: 22 - 29
3 Female, 2 Male
Interview participants were chosen from a range of geographical locations and levels of public transport usage to ensure diverse perspectives.

Analysis and Planning

Affinity Mapping

After conducting the user interviews, I organized the data through affinity mapping. This process involved grouping similar responses and insights to identify common themes and patterns. The insights gathered from this exercise will guide the design and development of the WakeNow app, ensuring it addresses the key issues and needs identified by the users.

Key Findings

01.

Four out of five participants usually oversleep after work. All participants avoid sleeping and constantly check Google Maps when traveling to unfamiliar places.

02.

Four out of five participants do not have solutions to avoid oversleeping after work and try to stay awake by using their phones.

03.

Three out of five participants expressed frustration with existing alarm apps that do not account for delays or route changes

How Might We (HMWs)

After gathering insights from competitive analysis and user research, I have identified key challenges and opportunities that shape the exploration of innovative solutions for the WakeNow app. The following How Might We questions aim to address these insights:

Effectively alert passengers upon reaching their intended location?
Make the solution adaptable to different modes of transport, including buses, trams, or trains?
Accommodate the diverse travel habits and needs of both daily commuters and occasional travellers?

Personas