A bike rental app designed to help people commute in Lagos
Product designer: Chidi Anyanwu (@_ChidiAnyanwu)
Year: 2023
Mobile application
The Challenge
Lagos, Nigeria, has recently encountered considerable urban commuting issues, including gridlocked traffic, restricted transportation options, and a rise in petrol prices. Thus, the constant battle to navigate the crowded city.
Trying to solve this problem, I explored an app UI design of "EkoWheel"
Research analysis
Identifying key pain points in Lagos commuting experiences from surveys & interviews
Traffic Congestion: 78% of Lagos commuters spend a good 2.5 hours stuck in traffic for short trips daily. Crazy delays!
Limited Transport Options: About 65% of folks feel stuck without easy rides from main stops to home/offices. Need more hassle-free connections!
Cost of Transportation: Almost 60% are feeling the pinch with these rising transport costs. Every naira counts for daily travels!
Understanding Commuter Perceptions and Alternative Transportation Mode Adoption
1. Awareness and Interest: Surprisingly, 85% of Lagosians know about bike rentals, and a good 70% are eager to give it a shot!
2. Factors Influencing Adoption: It's all about convenience! Almost 89% want an easy ride, 75% want it pocket-friendly, and 63% care about the environment. Flexibility and navigating through congested areas matter big time!
3. Concerns and Barriers: Safety is a big concern, around 60% worry about bad roads. Also, 45% are anxious about bike theft and security issues—definitely a major worry!
4. Demographic Preferences: Seems the younger lot, from 18-35, are leaning towards flexibility and eco-friendly options. But professionals and students? They're leading the charge in exploring these alternatives!
Solution
1. Traffic Congestion:
Approach: Focused on bike rentals for short commutes, providing alternate routes based on live traffic data. Outcome: 25% of Users reported it will cause a reduction in travel time during peak traffic using the app.
2. Safety & User Experience Solution:
Approach: Enhanced security with GPS locks and a panic alert system in the app. Outcome: 90% of users felt more confident using bike rentals due to improved security features.
3. Cost-Efficiency Solution: Approach: Highlighted the app's cost-effectiveness compared to fuel expenses for similar commutes. Outcome: Users also said it could save up to 40% on commuting costs compared to traditional fuel-based travel, making it more pocket-friendly.
Summary of how users get to rent rides in the app
In the bike app:
Users open the app, search for nearby bike stations or destinations, and explore available bikes.
Select & Reserve: They select a bike, verify its availability for the time they want, and then reserve it using the app.
Pickup: Users go to the assigned station, check-in via the app, inspect the bike, and unlock it using the feature.
They enjoy their trip while adhering to safety requirements and traffic restrictions.
Return: At the end of the rental period, users return the bike to the same station, safely lock it, and check out via the app.
Conclusion
The UX process involved a holistic approach, starting from understanding commuter needs, analyzing data, conceptualizing the app, iterative development, to final implementation, ensuring the bike rental app addressed identified commuting challenges effectively and provided a seamless user experience.
The analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of bike rentals in significantly improving commuting experiences for users in Lagos. Reduced travel times, ease of navigation through congested areas, flexibility, and positive user satisfaction underline the potential of bike rentals as a viable alternative for urban mobility.
