Stuff done: product design / ux research
ServicesUser Research (UX), Information Architecture (IA), User Interface Design (UI), Interaction Design (IxD), Rapid Prototyping, User Testing
Timeline2 Weeks
DeliverablesUser Research and Product Positioning, Competitive Analysis, Wireframes (lo-mid-hi fidelity), Interactive Prototype, Design Presentation
ToolsTypeform, Google Suite, Sketch, Principle, InVision
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Web-Based Logistics Portal & Companion App
The ChallengeTech companies such as UberEATS and PostMates have disrupted the on-demand urban delivery services traditionally operated by bike messengers.
Professional courier services and freelance messengers are unable to tap into this new market using their current business methods. Which means that professional courier services and freelance messengers are losing business - especially when trying to compete with giants such as Uber Eats, Postmates, and Doordash - which don’t pay enough to make a living. |
The Vision
Bicycle messengers tend to work for courier services or as independent freelancers. These messengers are less subject to traffic jams, parking limitations, and fees and fines in high density areas — resulting in more reliable deliveries.
Many of these couriers still use paper and pencil manifests and receive job notifications through text message, email, and phone calls — taking payment in various forms. The technology that can be leveraged through web-based and mobile applications can connect them to their customers and enable them to secure a hyper-local market position for their services — especially since bikes are one of the fastest, sustainable, and more efficient urban delivery methods.
Dispatch has been designed as an automated logistics platform to handle all of the front and back-office activities, payment collection, and route optimization functions previously handled by a dispatcher back at the office or directly by freelance messengers on their bikes — resulting in increased efficiency for the messenger and/or courier service.
Many of these couriers still use paper and pencil manifests and receive job notifications through text message, email, and phone calls — taking payment in various forms. The technology that can be leveraged through web-based and mobile applications can connect them to their customers and enable them to secure a hyper-local market position for their services — especially since bikes are one of the fastest, sustainable, and more efficient urban delivery methods.
Dispatch has been designed as an automated logistics platform to handle all of the front and back-office activities, payment collection, and route optimization functions previously handled by a dispatcher back at the office or directly by freelance messengers on their bikes — resulting in increased efficiency for the messenger and/or courier service.
Using Dispatch allows the courier service or freelance messenger to:
- Provide accurate delivery estimates based on distance and real-time road conditions.
- Increase efficiency and organization by enabling real time tracking and determining the most efficient routes available.
- Collect data to optimize business operations (database storage for signatures, proof of delivery photos, courier information, customer data, and more)
- Manage courier fleets and track assets.
- Travel the safest route possible by leveraging Red Zone crime mapping technology (urban streets can be tough).
- And allowing messengers access to features such as quick signature capture, accident reporting, activity tracking (using existing on-board mobile technology), and even hyper-local weather alerts (no one like to be stuck in the rain), emergency notifications and crash sensor (utilizing ICEdot technology), and music streaming (Spotify integration), among others.
The Research
Research for the dispatch companion app was essential for aligning the product vision with solutions that would improve the lives of the end-users.
User Surveys
To conduct preliminary user research I created a brief survey using Typeform.com and sent it to Facebook connections who are messengers and also posting it to Instagram with various tags.
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The average time to complete the survey was about 2 minutes, with the majority of participants accessing it through their mobile devices. To incentivize completion of the survey, a contest for a $25 giftcard to Chrome Industries was advertised on the survey home page and posted at the end of the survey.
User Interviews (or chasing a guy on a bike)
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Bike couriers are notoriously busy (typically working 16+ hour days) and are always on the move making individual interviews difficult.
I began reaching out to messengers through mutual friends and connecting with them on Facebook while attempting to catch them on their breaks.
Persistence was critical and after two days of sending Facebook messages and texting back and forth I was able to connect with four full time bike couriers in Miami and speak with them about their experience on the streets. In the end, I was able to speak with 2 Subject Matter Experts (SME’s who operated courier services in addition to the 4 freelancers).
These guys were passionate about what they do and once they got started the conversation flowed on for an average of 35 minutes, where I learned a lot about the local bike culture, the courier’s motivations, and the challenges that they experience working in this industry.
I began reaching out to messengers through mutual friends and connecting with them on Facebook while attempting to catch them on their breaks.
Persistence was critical and after two days of sending Facebook messages and texting back and forth I was able to connect with four full time bike couriers in Miami and speak with them about their experience on the streets. In the end, I was able to speak with 2 Subject Matter Experts (SME’s who operated courier services in addition to the 4 freelancers).
These guys were passionate about what they do and once they got started the conversation flowed on for an average of 35 minutes, where I learned a lot about the local bike culture, the courier’s motivations, and the challenges that they experience working in this industry.
User Personas & Journey Map
Affinity Diagram & Competitive Analysis
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User Pain-Points
Based on the user and industry research the following pain-points were identified:
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1. Delivery Management
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2. Lack of Unified Customer Stream
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3. Safety
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The user research also highlighted the need for simplicity in the design for the mobile application as the messengers required a product that was extremely simple to operate while riding a bicycle - and this led to limiting the amount of information presented (just the essentials) as well as a large touch interface.
Information Architecture
Creating the information architecture for the companion app followed closely after the user research. This helped to inform the internal structure and organization for the end product which would in turn affect the design stages.
Mobile Application Site Map
Developing a site map for the companion app was helpful in visualizing how the product would function and also for the placement of certain elements within the user flows.
Lo-fidelity Wireframes
Lo-fidelity wire frames were beneficial for rapid ideation and for playing with different design concepts to be used in the companion app.
Mid-fidelity Wireframes
Things started to get real with the mid-fidelity wireframes. The dispatch app started to take shape and the functionality could be seen.
Emergency feature - influenced by user interviews | Optional map navigation powered by Red Zone mapping | Mock up of the sign up flow
Visual Design
Branding
The name dispatch was chosen for this project since it is a logistics platform that performs the traditional functions of a courier service's dispatcher.
Jobs (“dispatches”) are sent to the courier through the mobile application from white-label (branded) courier sites, the Dispatch site (for freelance couriers accessing the Dispatch network), or through checkout APIs on customer websites.
Jobs (“dispatches”) are sent to the courier through the mobile application from white-label (branded) courier sites, the Dispatch site (for freelance couriers accessing the Dispatch network), or through checkout APIs on customer websites.
The color scheme — yellow and black — was chosen since these colors provide a contrast that works well during both day and night as well as easily presenting information while a messenger is riding a bike. A secondary reason for choosing this color scheme is that it invokes an image of a black asphalt street with yellow striping (and bike signs - see mood board).
Inspiration Mood Board
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Generalized Style Guide
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Hi-fidelity wireframes
Real Time Functionality
Optional navigation view to help messengers find the pick up and drop off locations.
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Digitized manifest which syncs to the customer portal for instant job notifications.
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ICEdot crash sensor integration - allows the messenger to link an ICEdot sensor for automatic emergency response in the event of a collision.
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Delivery notification screen - sent the the closest available courier.
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Interactive Prototype & User Testing
User Testing
Miami bicycle messengers were invited to Ironhack to conduct user testing for the dispatch mobile companion application. The user testing validated the dispatch concept where, after working through all of the user flows in the interactive prototype, the participants asked when the app would be available and if they could start using it now.
When can we start using this?
-Kenny Aybar, Owner of Big Kahuna Couriers
Project Summary
Following initial concept validation and successful user tests with professional messengers from Miami's bike courier industry, there has been substantial interest in developing a full product based on the dispatch concept.
Moving forward, the next steps will be more design iterations and conduct further user testing to refine the concept as well as developing partnerships with services such as ICEdot (emergency/safety features), RedZone Mapping (real time routing around crime hotspots and route optimization), and PureFix Cycles (for bike financing options).
Moving forward, the next steps will be more design iterations and conduct further user testing to refine the concept as well as developing partnerships with services such as ICEdot (emergency/safety features), RedZone Mapping (real time routing around crime hotspots and route optimization), and PureFix Cycles (for bike financing options).
