PARKHUB PRO APP
A centralized platform solving urban parking challenges. Driving commuters can easily find, compare, book, and pay for parking, with increased access to parking from various sources – including parking owners renting spots!
Product Experience
Problem Statement
Regular commuting drivers require a centralized, easy-to-use solution for secure, affordable, and accessible parking near their workplace.
Problem Background
Drawing from personal experience as an employee at a hybrid company with a headquarters possessing only a 10% parking capacity, I've encountered numerous challenges finding parking near my workplace. I often begin my work day anxious about whether I’ll be able to locate a spot near my workplace, how to avoid parking in an unsafe parking area, find creative ways to avoid city parking fines or tows and all the while keeping my fingers crossed I won’t be charged an exorbitant amount.
As urban areas are experiencing a surge in population and economic activities, the demand for urban mobility has significantly increased, driven by factors such as population growth, economic development, and job opportunities. However, this surge has led to a parallel rise in challenges for commuters, particularly regarding parking. In Canada, where 4 in 5 workers commute outside their homes for work, the number of commuters has increased by 3.3 million since 2021 (1). With 83.6% of commuters relying on cars, the scarcity of parking spaces near workplaces has become a critical issue (2). Urban development trends show a reduction in parking spaces, intensifying competition and frustration among commuters. This added stress has negative health associations, exacerbating the adverse effects of long commute times. Affordability is also a concern, with parking fees soaring as demand outpaces supply, burdening commuters financially. Despite car commuting often being financially motivated, parking costs can undercut potential savings significantly. Additionally, inadequate accessibility to parking facilities near workplaces results in increased commute times, stress, and compromised work-life balance.
Overall, the scarcity, affordability, and accessibility of parking spaces near workplaces present significant challenges for commuters, necessitating solutions to enhance urban mobility and improve the well-being of individuals reliant on personal vehicles for their daily commute.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
After the execution of four interviews and 18 surveys, I was able to gain critical insights into the pain points of this customer. With the focus being the current state of parking availability, influences/behaviors of commuters, and the psychological impact for daily commuters experiencing this issue firsthand.
- The overall convenience of parking options is rated as very inconvenient by all participants
- 60% of participants attribute parking availability issues in dense urban areas to residential density, while 40% cite city zoning regulations as a primary factor
- 70% of regular commuters spend $200 or more monthly on parking costs.
- The top factors influencing parking choices are cost, security, and proximity to the destination
- Half of all participants spend 30-60 minutes searching for parking, with over 70% arriving more than an hour early to secure parking
- Parking apps and shared parking arrangements are seen as effective solutions to parking problems by all participants
- 70% of commuters expect to receive 2-3 parking tickets per month due to unsecured parking
- Three participants report being towed multiple times annually due to changing urban zoning/parking restrictions near their workplaces
- Parking challenges contribute to moderate to significant stress in the work-life experience of 60% of participants
- There is widespread dissatisfaction with the limited parking options available, and all participants express willingness to adopt an alternative method
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points, we knew we wanted to provide a solution that included features critical to resolving their problems. Focusing on the following:
- Streamlined Booking Process: Enable users to effortlessly search, reserve, and pay for parking within one application, offering flexible payment plans for budgeting and cost planning.
- Increased Parking Availability: Be able to aggregate available parking options from various sources into one view, empowering users to make informed choices based on preferences such as cost, proximity, and safety rankings. Provide users with a unique offering to undiscovered parking by connecting parking seekers with individuals renting their parking spots.
- Secure and Safe Parking Spaces: Ensure the security and safety of parking spaces offered via the platform through stringent verification processes for both listing owners and users. Additionally, provides a feature for community reviews and rankings for added consideration.
- Affordable Pricing: Offer competitive pricing compared to traditional options, with users having the option to compare multiple streams of parking. Provide users access to a variety of tailored parking offerings ranging from hourly to yearly options to meet their needs.
Explanation of Solution
The proposed solution to the problem of parking challenges in dense urban areas is a ParkHub Pro, a centralized platform that connects parking seekers with all the tools they need to see and secure available parking spaces. ParkHub Pro is a digital application that aggregates a number of features in an easy to use fashion.
Through ParkHub Pro, users can easily search, compare, book and pay for parking options near their desired locations. Including spaces offered by people with available parking for rent, the city/municipality, private parking companies, residential building owners, and businesses with private parking.
The platform ensures the security and reliability of parking spaces through a stringent verification process and allows for flexible payment plans to accommodate various budgeting needs. Overall, ParkHub Pro aims to streamline the parking process, increase parking availability, and provide affordable and secure parking solutions for commuters.
Future Steps
In the future, when I have the opportunity and resources, I'm eager to leverage my experience and insights from this project to collaborate with a team of designers and engineers on developing a new product. This project has been a valuable learning experience, and I look forward to fully realizing and bringing to life the ideas and lessons learned through this endeavo
References
- Government of Canada, S.C. (2023) Commuting to work by car and public transit grows in 2023, The Daily - . Available at: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230822/dq230822b-eng.htm (Accessed: 12 January 2024).
- “Dependence on Cars in Urban Neighbourhoods.” Canadian Social Trends: Dependence on cars in urban neighbourhoods, December 11, 2007. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-008-x/2008001/article/10503-eng.htm.
- “Analysis | A Revolution in Urban Planning Means Parking Is Being Squeezed out of City Centres: Don Pittis | CBC News.” CBCnews, July 28, 2017. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/parking-real-estate-uban-planning-1.4221365.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Char Raiva
The experience of completing the Co.lab program has shown me the importance of letting substantive and insightful user research become the base on solution for a problem space. Ensuring your focus on defining a clear problem space creates the perfect jumping off point for formatting the survey inquiries needed to explore the pain points being experienced by your customers.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.