Hopin- Transforming daily commutes through social carpooling
B2C
Mobile app
Hopin is an app that connects you with nearby hosts (drivers) and partners (passengers) by filling empty seats in cars to minimize traffic, emissions, and travel costs.
This is a self-initiated project. It was done in order for me to acquire wider knowledge and skillset in the UX field.
My role
As the sole designer for this project, my responsibilities include working closely with stakeholders to synthesis user requirements, prioritizing outcomes, leading the end-to-end design process, and managing expectations across dev teams.
Defining the problem
Have you ever experienced being stuck in traffic for hours on end, barely moving an inch? You're late for work, your stress levels are through the roof, and you can feel your blood pressure rising.
This is the reality for millions of people living in cities like Bangalore, where traffic congestion has become a major problem. This is where the idea of Hopin was born!
📌 The average commuter in Bangalore spends over 240 hours per year stuck in traffic.
Defining the solutions
The idea is simple reducing the number of empty seats on the car. When three or four people are going in the same direction, they can form a group and have one of them drive while the others split the expense.
Designing the solution
In order not to make the case study too long, the following designs are going to show the experience of the user who uses the app as a passenger.
Onboarding
Instead of standard onboarding, I thought of adding some value to consumers by learning about their hobbies. So that you can start an engaging conversation. With selected hobbies, you will have everything they need to spark up a conversation!
Verifying the profile
Now that I've narrowed down the target people, we can verify them using their organization and college email addresses. So that we can provide a more secure, trustworthy, and community-focused environment while lowering the risk of misuse and spam.
Recurring rides
You can effortlessly schedule usual commutes in advance with our recurring rides feature. Simply enter the date, location, and time, and you're ready to go.
Route
The application searches for the shortest route between the locations for the ride. If two (or more) routes are almost the same distance apart, the one with the least traffic is preferred.
Teams
Simplify coordination by forming teams with members heading in the same direction. This can help you find compatible carpooling partners and reduce the time and effort required to coordinate rides.
Mission and leaderboards
Monitor your progress as you rack up rides and contribute to a healthier environment. oin the ride leaderboard and see how your efforts stack up against fellow carpoolers. Together, we're making a real impact.
Refer and user profile
Gamify your commute, celebrate your achievements, and inspire others. I made badges based on the number of rides you have completed. But isn't just a badge, it's a step towards a greener planet. We're turning carpooling into an engaging game, and you're the hero.
Learnings
Throughout the process, I realized how important it is to rethink every assumption I make by putting myself in the shoes of the user. You should always try to understand and predict the mental models of your customers, and you should never allow yourself to believe you are the user.
