Green P Parking, the Toronto Parking Authority
“The Idea Theorem™ team worked efficiently to host focus group sessions and supported conducting a customer survey to gather and synthesize insights and recommendations in a digestible and insightful manner.”
Sasha Rana
Director of Customer Experience & Marketing
Green P Parking
Green P Parking, the Toronto Parking Authority
“The Idea Theorem™ team worked efficiently to host focus group sessions and supported conducting a customer survey to gather and synthesize insights and recommendations in a digestible and insightful manner.”
Sasha Rana
Director of Customer Experience & Marketing
The Challenge
The City of Toronto wanted to redesign their new User Interface (UI) for their popular Toronto Green Parking Application to enhance their User Experience (UX) and improve the overall Customer Experience of the app.
The app audit and improvement overhaul we implemented was aligned with an executive decision to enhance the usability, and a goal to outdo the competitors and add new features to the app.
In addition, we focused on the look and feel of the app which needed to match the brand image better to convey a customer-centric message and ensure a pleasant user experience (UX).
Our Approach
Our team began by executing a usability study to measure the newly overhauled application UI with real users. A focus group of 84 participants was assembled to gather insights.
Our first step was to Survey 58 active users of the updated application, with a parameter that they must have completed at least one transaction in the last month. Using the data collected, we next conducted our focus group using 26 individuals:
- 10 were Current Green P App Users;
- 8 were Potential New Users;
- 8 were Participants who use competitor apps.
Most participants enjoyed using the new design, finding it easy to use and navigate. Participants pointed out small changes and made feature suggestions that could enhance the experience, which we incorporated into the final design.
Registering for an Account
Users preferred the new registration process and found it seamless, easy to use, and quick to complete. With their suggestions, we were able to further improve the app by including the ability to autofill code (Available on iPhones) and including other biometrics such as Face ID or Fingerscan.
Paying for a Parking Session
Users liked the Apple Pay feature, and how quick it was to have the payment set up. They also enjoyed the ability to see all of their active sessions clearly on the session’s main page.
Active Sessions
We made improvements for active sessions, by including intersection names. A manual time dropdown was also added for ease of use and we disabled the “Set Up Wallet” button until customers had added a payment method.
Finding a Parking Location
Most users could find a parking spot nearest to their location quite easily and liked that they did not have to pay for their parking session until they had selected an available parking spot nearby.
Users also wanted to see the exact number of available parking spots and what hours their nearest parking lot tends to be most/least busy, which was added to the design. They can also access these features without location services enabled by searching for an address, city, or postal code.
FAQ Functionality
All focus group participants successfully engaged the FAQ feature with ease. Many users loved the ability to search for a common question and the keywords which were highlighted for visibility purposes.
Further improvements included:
- The use of bullet points and numbered lists to specify the steps
- Images added to illustrate steps
- A CTA button was added, allowing users to return to the main page or to the relevant page based on the question.
The Outcome
Idea Theorem™ was able to add immense value to and validate that the project was heading in the right direction at a fraction of the cost.
1
Collect
Collect both qualitative and quantitative insights on the UI, UX, and CX (Customer Experience) of the app
2
Identify
Identify exactly what features and processes would make the app meet user expectations
3
Optimize
Optimize the new app UI flows in the pre-development phase
Overall our changes made the registration process seamless, quick, and easy to complete. The location feature was well-received and participants found the Quick Park function simple to use, with little or no help necessary for new users. The FAQ search feature was also well-loved by the majority of the participants.
