Uniwaka

Carpool App
(Behind the Scenes)

Designed by Debra Kistemaker

The Project
UNIWAKA Project Plan
The Uniwaka project has been pitched as a question of “How does Unitec
encourage it’s staff members to use alternate transport methods for their
daily commute?”
The idea of the carpooling app was initially thought of by the Stakeholder,
due to the number of available carparks being greatly reduced by early
2020.
To free up parking within the Unitec grounds, the Stakeholder would like
a mobile application designed and developed, that will encourage Unitec
staff member to opt for carpooling into and out of work each day.
The Stakeholder hopes that if the mobile application is a success with
Unitec staff members, they can then expand it to encourage students to
use it also, and not to mention it would also be sustainable and good for
the environment.
The Stakeholder has highlighted some concerns about the project.
- How do we match people up?
- How can we change people’s point of view of carpooling?
- How can we make our carpooling app different from other ride
sharing apps like Uber?
After conducting some quantitative research there have been several
barriers that we have identified regarding the project:
Safety / Security – this was a common issue that many of our surveyed
users had, especially among the women. Many said they would not feel
safe riding in a vehicle with men they didn’t know. Others said they would
not trust or feel safe having someone else driving the vehicle. Checking
that the driver had a current ID card was also important.
Payment – this was an interesting one, a small amount people where okay
about donating a few dollars to the driver if required, with the majority
stating they would prefer to negotiate or having a Koha system was
important.
Flexibility – the majority of people stated they could be a little flexible in
what hours they would be available to use the carpool service, so matching
people with similar working hours is important. Another factor that could
interfere with the flexibility of some users is other curricular activities, such
as sport, picking up the kids or going to the gym.
Location / Travel distance – this was a very important aspect of the whole
carpooling experience for our surveyed users, with the majority stating
they would need to negotiate where they picked or dropped someone
off, as they would not want to deviate from their normal travel route
too much.
Through our research we have identified our users pains:
- Traffic delays
- Unpleasant occupants (“the driver is a creep”, “they smell bad”)
- Incorrect pick up location
- Being late
- Awkward conversations
- Occupants making a mess or damaging the vehicle
- Feeling stressed, pressured, anxious or insecure
We have identified our users gains:
- Save money
- Make new friends
- Reduce traffic on roads
- Good conversations
- Being on time more often
- Feel good factor
The intent for this project is design and develop a more safe, social, cost
effective and enjoyable carpooling experience for our intended users that
they could trust and rely on.
Initial Research
Henderson Survey Stats
AGE GROUP TOTAL REQUIREMENTS COMMENTS

16 - 25 18 Within University Safety Screenshot of driver

25 - 35 2 Know them Student discounts/mates rates
35 - 40 - Know they have licence (Full) Need to know who the driver is
Older - They have to be on time Know what they are studying
Appropriate licence Have somewhere to complain if bad
GENDER Safe Car
Profile
Female 16 Knowing them prior
Male 4 Monitor where your are and who you are with
Know the person
HOW WILLING Drivers licence
Know the person at the campus
Don't care 3 Need to attend same lectures
Come to me 2 Know them
Negotiable 15 Funny person, good music
Must have a licence
LENGTH OF TRAVEL TIME Correct drivers licence
Good reliable car
Minutes 19 Seatbelts
Hours 1 Know them
Good conversationalists
MODE OF TRANSPORT Know how to drive
Ratings
Bus 4 Need to provide Campus ID
Car 16 Have a Carpool buddy that you know to go with you
Train 1 Safe Car (current WOF/rego)
Cycle - Need to see campus ID
Walk -
A little about Carpooling:
Carpooling is the sharing of a journey in a car by multiple persons usually
travelling to the same destination. Reasons why people may choose to do
this could be to reduce fuel costs, toll charges and the stress that driving
can cause.
Flexibility of the driver and passengers is a common barrier, as most
people have different or odd schedules with work times or extracurricular
activities. This can sometimes lead to people making other arrangements
such as catching a bus or train instead.

Not only is carpooling a money saver, but it is also helps the environment Reliability that the driver or passenger will turn up on time is something
too. This commuting option is more likely to be taken up by people who that cannot always be guaranteed, due to unexpected traffic delays,
live, work or study in a similar location to one another. breakdowns, flat tyres, or miscommunication.

People can acquire a ride with others via a smartphone app for example,
which they can search for available drivers. Once they find their perfect
match, contact is made and the journey details are discussed and agreed
upon.
There are also other forms of carpooling that exist such as:
Slugging – this is an informal carpooling system that is used by people
who are complete strangers to one another. There is no cost sharing
involved, but everyone benefits.
Stranger Danger is probably the biggest obstacle that people have
regarding carpooling. Many women do not feel safe in a vehicle with men
they do not know, other people just don’t trust someone else to drive.
Despite the addition of transit lanes to city routes, which were specifically
designed to encourage carpooling like our T2 and T3 lanes, there is still a
lot of work to do in order to develop a carpooling system that is effective
and addresses the obstacles and biases that people have about it.

Flexible Carpooling – this is a little like Slugging, but instead uses

designated carpool pick up and drop off areas, like our Park n Ride or
Australia’s Kiss n Ride.

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) have done a campaign to try

and encourage Aucklander’s to carpool in order to help reduce traffic
congestion on Auckland’s roads. They have established a website www.
smarttravel.org.nz, as well as a mobile application Smart Travel. Along
with the website and mobile app, they have also done a few different
versions of radio advertisements. Unfortunately these attempts have been
fruitless and unsuccessful but why?
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Web vs. Native vs. Hybrid

Web Application Advantages: Native Mobile Application Disadvantages:

- Easy to build - Difficult to program due to needing to learn the language specific for the
- Easy to maintain platform.
- Cheaper - More expensive
- Only need to build one app for all platforms (iOS, Android) as long as it - Not best option for simple apps.
can run with the browser that is being used.

Web Application Disadvantages: Hybrid Application Advantages:

- Needs a browser to work. Users have to take another step to type in URL. - Built on web technology
- Much slower than a Native Mobile App. - Much easier to build
- Less interactive and intuitive than Native Mobile App. - Less expensive than Native Mobile App
- No icon on the mobile desktop. - Only need one application for all platforms by using certain software
- Needs internet connection to work. (Cordova).
- No browser needed
Native Mobile Application Advantages: - Much faster to develop than Native Mobile Apps.

- Very fast and responsive Hybrid Application Disadvantages:

- Better at performing
- Find them in App stores, don’t need to enter URL to search it.
- More interactive, run more smoothly and are more intuitive.
- Allows developers to access full features set for the platform.
- Internet connection is not required, depending on the functionality.
- Slower than Native Mobile Applications
- More expensive than Web Applications due to dependency on third party
platform.
- Less interactive than Native Mobile Applications.
- Customisation will take you away from the Hybrid, so you might as well
build a Native Mobile Application.

Source: https://clearbridgemobile.com/mobile-app-development-native-vs-web-vs-hybrid/
OPTIONS:
A Native mobile app is coded with the specific program language that is
- WEB } Responsive web application required for the desired platform.
Adaptive web application
Progressive web application (PWA) A Hybrid mobile app is designed for multiple devices. These applications
are written using programing language which is then applied to a mobile
- MOBILE } Native application with WebView to allow it to run on any platform.
Hybrid / Cross-platform
A Cross-Platform mobile app are made to be able to run on different
platforms, however, they do not include HTML or CSS, and instead
Web applications are great for establishing initial awareness to your communicate directly to the mobile operating system.
audience, and will work on any device. Because of this you have a much
greater chance at drawing in more users. Mobile applications requires approval by the marketplace for any Native
mobile app upgrade which can take more time, however, Hybrid mobile
Majority of users will use a web application for utility directed tasks, applications do not require approval from any marketplace as it allows the
searching, booking and purchasing products. developer to perform updates and fix bugs as needed, making for easier
management of the app.
A responsive web application will automatically adjust to any screen size
for any device. LANGUAGES:

An Adaptive web application the developer needs to adjust the layout - WEB = HTML5, CSS, Javascript
according to all the possible screen sizes that the user may use to view the
application. -MOBILE = Objective C, Swift (IOS); Java, Kotlin, C/C++ (Android);
PhoneGap, Cordova, Iconic (Hybrid)
Progressive web applications look and behave like a native mobile app, as
it takes advantage of the native mobile features without the user needing COST:
to visit the app store, purchase and download it. These applications can be
found with a search engine and accessed easily through the browser. There - WEB is cheaper to develop and easier to maintain.
is no need for the developer to write different code for different platforms,
however, depending on the browser used some features may be limited to -MOBILE is more expensive and harder to develop due to specific program
the user. language needed.
(Google Play Store = 1x payment of $25 USD) (Apple App Store = Annual
Mobile applications are mostly used for entertainment and payment of $99 USD)
communication purposes. Any features such as weather, photos, music,
and exercise activity tracking are best used in a mobile application.
https://belitsoft.com/apps-development-services/responsive-website-vs-mobile-app
FEATURES ANDROID / CHROME IOS / SAFARI
Geolocation
Geofencing

Device Position
Device Motion
Proximity Sensors

Local Notifications

Push Messages

Home Screen Installation

Foreground Detection

Permissions

Bluetooth

Offline Storage
File Access
Contacts

SMS

Task Scheduling

Real Time Communication

 Aware Search Waiting Pick up Ride Arrive Go
User Find an Reach Arrive safely
To get to Unitec available Make sure I am Get picked up No hassels or destination with enough
Goals hold ups. time to grab

USER JOURNEY MAP - Rider

campus on time. driver in my easy to see. on time. on time.
area/zone. some breakfast.

This is a good What a relief! Can’t forget to This was a great

User Arrrggghhh! I’ll search the
place to wait, Im
Wow, the driver
there was no thank them. experience, Im
I need a ride Uniwaka carpool arrived exactly
Thoughts urgently for a app for someone
clearly visible &
there’s room to
when the app said
awkward moments I really should buy looking forward
& they are such a them a coffee for to my return trip
meeting tomorrow. to drive me in. they would.
park. good driver. their trouble. home.

User

Nice, friendly Easy to identify, No delays, stress Leave with a smile

User Good driver, who is
person who can doesn’t keep me
Driver has a safe
free, enjoyable
Arrive safely,
Expectations available and lives reliable car, and drops me off where on my face, and
fit in with my waiting for too and good having made a
close to me. doesn’t smell. I need to be.
schedule. long. conversation. new friend.

1. Samantha remembers the 1. Samantha had arrived

Uniwaka carpool app and 1. The driver said they would 1. Samantha couldn’t thank the
1. Samantha has just remembered 1. A car fitting the description 1. Samantha and the driver got earlier than she had expected
searches for a driver. pick Samantha up on the corner driver enough for the ride.
pulled up and Samantha was along great, they had so much in

Process
that she has an important meeting of her street. so had a few minutes to kill
tomorrow, but has no way of getting greeted by the lovely driver. common. before her meeting.
2. Samantha is shown several 2. Samantha was so pleased with
there. 2. While waiting, Samantha kept
drivers in her area, but only one 2. The friendly driver assured 2. Samantha felt very relaxed and her driver and her experience with
a look out for a car fitting the 2. Samantha wished the driver
that is available tomorrow. Samantha she would get to her was enjoying a stress free ride. the Uniwaka app, she booked a
2. She could get the bus, or she could description she had been given, good day, and said she was
destination on time and not to return trip home with the same
find someone close by who could and she was able to track where looking forward to finishing
3. Samantha books a ride with worry she was in good hands. driver.
give her a lift. the driver was through the app. their conversation later on.
the driver.

User
Experience
 Aware Confirm On Route Pick up Ride Arrive Go
User Request for
Send
Pick up the Reach Make sure rider
confirmation, Make sure I am No hassels or destination
Goals ride to Unitec correct person
hold ups.
has had a great

USER JOURNEY MAP - Driver

meeting not late. on time.
tomorrow. on time. experience.
instructions.

This was a great

User Oh awesome,
So good they I hope I there is
I hope this person What a relief this experience, Im
gave me plenty plenty of room to
Thoughts someone needs a doesn’t smell person isn’t smelly! I hope my driving looking forward
of notice for a pull over, such a was okay.
ride tomorrow. weird. This is going well. to my return trip
pickup. hassel otherwise.
home.

User

Passenger is easy
Nice, friendly to find, doesn’t
User
Passenger that person who is make me have
Expectations doesn’t get car sick.
not going to be to drive up and
down looking for and smells good.
difficult.
them.
1. Jeff has a think about what his
schedule is tomorrow.
No delays, stress
Passenger is Arrive safely and Leave with a smile
free, enjoyable
friendly, not weird be thanked for my on my face, and
and good having made a
services.
conversation. new friend.
1. Jeff arrives at Samantha’s
1. Jeff is having a wonderful destination, and is relieved that
1. Jeff makes sure to check the 1. Jeff notices a woman standing 1. Jeff has delivered Samantha
conversation with Samantha and

Process
1. Jeff recieves a notification from traffic reports just before leaving at the pick up location fitting everything went according to plan.
2. Jeff has a quick look at is finding they have much in to her destination with time
the Uniwaka carpool app. to pick up Samantha. Samantha’s description.
Samantha’s profile and decides common. to spare.
2. Jeff tells Samantha if she would
to confirm the booking. like a ride back home later in the
2. He looks at the notification, and 2. Jeff texts Samantha that he 2. Jeff pulls over, confirms it
2. Jeff is grateful that the traffic 2. Jeff farewells Samantha, and
sees that Samantha is looking for a is on his way and will be at the is Samantha, and starts the day to let him know by re-booking
3. Jeff sends Samantha a is not too bad, and everything is carrys on with his day.
ride to Unitec tomorrow. him through the Uniwaka app.
confirmation notification, along pickup location within 15mins. carpooling journey.
going smoothly.
with instructions for pickup.

User
Experience
2006 Census

Selected Commuting Flows from Franklin District

2006 Census

Source: Commuter view 2006

Helensville and Waiuku also had substantial

proportions of their employed populations working
in Auckland and have experienced high population
growth in recent years.

Source: Commuter view 2006

2006 Census

Selected Commuting Flows in Rodney District

2006 Census

Source: Commuter view 2006

In 2006, the number of commuters was

highest in Pukekohe, with over 2,000 people
giving a workplace address in the Auckland
metropolis. (Pukekohe is a secondary urban area
approximately 50 kilometres from Auckland
central. It is the southernmost part of the
Auckland suburban rail network.) The numbers
increased steadily over the years. In 1996, 1,100
people or 18 percent of the working population
in Pukekohe gave a workplace address in the
Auckland metropolis; in 2001, this figure rose
to 1,500 (22 percent of the working population),
and rose further to 2,300 in 2006 (27 percent of
the working population). Statistics from previous
censuses also reveal high population growth
in this area. Between 1996 and 2006, its census
usually resident population increased by one-
quarter, from 16,900 to 22,500 people. This was
the largest increase experienced by any secondary
urban area in
New Zealand.

Source: Commuter view 2006

2006 Census

Selected Commuting Flows from Waitakere City

2006 Census

Source: Commuter view 2006

While North Shore city did attract more

commuters, they were largely from Rodney district
in the north. The logistics of travelling from the
south to the north of the Auckland metropolis
reduce the attractiveness of commuting between
these areas. The proportions of the employed
population commuting from Rodney to either
Auckland and North Shore cities are split evenly,
at 16 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

Source: Commuter view 2006

 Rd
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TRANSIT
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T2
1 4PM – 6PM
MON—FRI
T2 and T3 lanes are for vehicles with 2 or more
people (T2) or 3 or more people (T3). The ‘T’
Constellation Dr AM T2 Transit Lane
Dr stands for transit so they are also called transit
PM T2 Transit Lane tion lanes. Transit lanes in Auckland are run by

East
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TRANSIT
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6.30AM– 9AM
MON—FRI and 4pm - 6pm.
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TRANSIT
Upper Ha LANE East Coast Rd
T2
6.30AM – 9AM
AM T2 Transit Lane
MON—FRI
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TRANSIT ener
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MON—FRI

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LANE
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6.30AM– 9AM
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 Albany busway station
Browns Bay
Priority lanes for carpooling Priority
lane at
on-ramp
Albany
Greville Rd Southbound Constellation Drive
Priority
lane at

Priority parks and transit lanes

South Bound on-ramp

Greenhithe
Kumeu
Rangitoto
16 Takapuna Island
18
West
Harbour
Birkenhead ferry terminal
1 Devonport
www.letscarpool.govt.nz Massey Priority Devonport ferry terminal
lane at TRANSIT
on-ramp
Te Atatu Road Eastbound AM T2 Transit Lane LANE
T2/T3 lane
Te Atatu Auckland T2

Carpool parking
Quay Street 7 AM – 9 AM

Tamaki Dr
CBD
MON—FRI

Tamaki Drive
Priority parking is at the Albany Tamaki Drive
Glendowie Remuera Rd
Busway Station, Devonport ferry Priority AM/PM T3 Transit Lane TRANSIT Bucklands
terminal and Birkenhead ferry lane at LANE

terminal. They are available for

on-ramp Lincoln Rd Eastbound T3
7AM – 9AM
4PM - 9PM
Beach Priority lanes
Henderson
MON—FRI

vehicles with two or more Priority Southern Motorway

people in them when parking. Waitakere lane at Great North Rd Mount Eden Remuera
on-ramp Westbound/Eastbound Mt Wellington Northbound
They have particular hours of
Epsom Mount Howick South Eastern Highway
operation. They are run by Mount Wellington Priority
Northbound
Auckland Transport. Glen Eden Roskill Priority
lane at
on-ramp Hilldene Road Northbound
lane at South Eastern Mt Wellington Northbound
Priority
lane at on-ramp Highway Northbound Pakuranga
on-ramp Onehunga Harbour Rd Northbound Northwestern Motorway
Onehunga Lincoln Road Eastbound
Neilson St Priority
Southbound lane at Te Atatu Road Eastbound
on-ramp Great North Road Eastbound
Titirangi Priority
East Tamaki
lane at
on-ramp Rimu Rd Northbound Otahuhu Great North Road Westbound
Priority lanes Priority
Priority lanes are on-ramp lanes lane at Northern Motorway
on-ramp Coronation Rd Northbound 1 Greville Road Southbound
Mangere 20
heading towards the motorway,
where vehicles with 2 or more Constellation Drive Southbound
people can bypass the ramp Papatoetoe
signal. Priority lanes can also be Southwestern Motorway
used by trucks, buses and Coronation Road Northbound
motorcycles. The ramp signals are
Manukau Onehunga Harbour Road
the lights that flash red and green Northbound
on motorway on-ramps to Neilson Street Southbound
manage the level of traffic Rimu Road Northbound
entering the motorway. These
operate when there is a level of Takanini
congestion on the motorway that Priority Parks
triggers them to turn on. The
Albany busway station
priority lanes are able to be used Priority
by carpoolers at any time. These Devonport ferry terminal
lanes are run by NZTA.
lane at
on-ramp Hilldene Rd Northbound Papakura Birkenhead ferry terminal
Carpool parking permit Looking for a cheaper,
stress-free and more
environmentally friendly
WOrKPLaCe
name:
way to get to work?
Permit number
/name:

Carpooling t h e s m a rt e r co m mu t e

Carpooling
t h e s m a rt e r co m mu t e

For further information, visit www.nzta.govt.nz

or contact your company’s carpool coordinator.
New Zealand Australia
 Unitec Carpool Unitec Carpool
Window Display Permit Parking Signage
Design Research
Smart Travel App:
Smart Travel, a brand new platform that connects you with like-minded
people to share your commute, reducing congestion and saving you
time and money.

With Smart Travel you can:

- Join a national network of ridesharers
- Win great prizes for logging your trips/journeys
- Use our planner to find all options for your journey including public
transport, walking, cycling and carpooling.

Why Smart Travel?

- Smart Travel makes it easy to arrange safe, friendly shared rides to
and from your work, and for one-off trips.
- Smart Travel helps you find local people to share your journey, saving
you time, money and helping you do your bit towards unclogging our
busy roads.
- Smart Travel makes it easy for you to share rides from wherever you
are in New Zealand

Who is involved?
Local councils and transport agencies from all over New Zealand have
worked together to bring Smart Travel to you.

My Experience Using this App:

Firstly its easy enough to find on the Google Playstore, and the
description (as above) makes it sound fantastic.

I press install, the app is now installed, open the app. Now this is where
it gets interesting. Turns out I couldn’t even get past the start up screen,
there is just a spinning circle for quite some time in the middle of the
screen, and then the screen just eventually goes completely white,
totally blank. I uninstalled it immediately.
Rides.Co.NZ Rideshare App:
Rides is safe and convenient, it will help you get around smarter and
save money. Think social and help save the environment by sharing
your rides. Start today!

Benefits of using Rides:

- Connect with people on the go and keep up with the sharing
spirit without the commitment of carpooling.
- Save time and money sharing a ride with others.
- Help the environment by reducing traffic congestion and
contributing for less carbon emissions.

Features:
- Security system with PIN confirmations, Emergency Mode and
feedback ratings.
- Easy location set up by just touching the map.
- Simple swipes to accept or decline a ride.
- Verified and feedback rated users building up a trusted
community.

Payments:
- Users pay a small fee to Rides for each ride
- Payments are made by Riders to the Drivers at the end of
each trip.

My Experience Using this App:

Again easy enough to find on Google Playstore, I installed it, opened it.
I managed to get a little further than I did for the Smart Travel App, in
that I could actually get to the signup/login screen. I quickly discovered
this App seemed to be possessed or something. I couldn’t get past the
login screen even after signing up, so I did the logical thing and closed
the App, I guess it decided I was being too harsh, because it kind of just
lost the plot after that as it just kept randomly closing and re-opening. I
of course unistalled it immediately.
The Layout of the content, elements and features of an app which
requires much the same of that if you were designing a visual
document which includes setting up columns, gutters and margins.

Columns - Content is placed in the areas of the screen that contain columns.

Column width is defined using percentages, rather than fixed values, to allow content to
flexibly adapt to any screen size. The number of columns displayed in the grid is determined
by the breakpoint range (a range of predetermined screen sizes) at which a screen is viewed,
whether it’s a breakpoint for mobile, tablet, or another size

Gutters - are the spaces between columns. They help separate content.

Gutter widths are fixed values at each breakpoint range. To better adapt to the screen, gutter
width can change at different breakpoints. Wider gutters are more appropriate for larger
screens, as they create more whitespace between columns.

Margins - are the space between content and the left and right edges of the screen.
Margin widths are defined as fixed values at each breakpoint range. To better adapt to the
screen, the margin width can change at different breakpoints. Wider margins are more
appropriate for larger screens, as they create more whitespace around the perimeter of
content.

material.io
Buttons are another very important aspect of a design system, and
everything from the shape, size, colour, transition and click-ability must
be considered, as well as their function which could be to select an item in
a list, edit, send or purchase something, turn a feature on or off, tick a box
or get more information.

Activated - an activated state communicates a highlighted destination, whether initiated by

the user or by default.

Selected - a selected state communicates a user choice.

Switches - can be used as a single option on or off, on mobile and tablet and also to
immediately activate or deactivate something.

material.io
Animation, transitions and gestures give an app life. The motions
should be smooth and not too slow to ensure an app has good
usability. Animations can also be a good way to let your user know
what is going on (setting up account slide), and helps the user
identify certain aspects of the app like navigation.

Motion provides timely feedback and the status of user actions. Motion makes it
clear when items are selected and what will happen when they’re released.

During a transition, UI elements that transform are categorized as outgoing,

incoming, or persistent. The category an element belongs to influences how it
transforms.
UI elements that don’t transform are categorized as static elements.
They don’t play a role in the transition.

1. Persistent element - A persistent element’s transformation, such as a navigation

icon, starts and ends on screen.

2. Outgoing element - An outgoing element, such as a title, exits the screen by

fading out.

3. Incoming element - An incoming element, such as each of these action items,

enters the screen by fading in.

4. Static element - A static element, such as the overflow menu, doesn’t transform.

material.io
Text fields should help the user by pre-filling in information, and
communicating to the user exactly what information is required
of them and should not involve the user inputting too much
information.
Text fields come in two types:
1. Filled text fields
2. Outlined text fields

Both types of text fields use a container to provide a clear affordance for interaction,
making the fields discoverable in layouts. Both types of text fields provide the same
functionality, so the type of text field you use can depend on style alone.
Choose the type that:
- Works best with your app’s visual style, best accommodates the goals of your UI,
is most distinct from other components (like buttons) and surrounding content.

Assistive elements provide additional detail about text entered into text fields.
1. Helper text - Helper text conveys additional guidance about the input field, such as
how it will be used. It should only take up a single line, being persistently visible or visible
only on focus.

2. Error message - When text input isn’t accepted, an error message can display
instructions on how to fix it. Error messages are displayed below the input line, replacing
helper text until fixed.

3. Icons - Icons can be used to message alerts as well. Pair them with error messages to
provide redundant alerts, which are useful when you need to design for colorblind users.
4. Character counter - Character or word counters should be used if there is a character or
word limit. They display the ratio of characters used and the total character limit.

Error text - For text fields that validate their content (such as passwords), replace helper
text with error text when applicable. Swapping helper text with error text helps prevent
new lines of text from being introduced into a layout, thus bumping content to fit it.
If only one error is possible, error text describes how to avoid the error. If multiple errors
are possible, error text describes how to avoid the most likely error
material.io
Design Concepts
 Back button
Small slightly
Hamburger menu.
transparent logo in top
Unitec ID No.
left corner.
Logo instead of user
name.
Attention grabbing
Login button.
statement.
Sign up button. Password
Clickable button or link
to App home page.
Blurred Hero Forgot password?
Image for clickable link.
background.
Log in button
Blurred Hero Image for
background.
Sign up button

Fillable field text boxes:

First Name
Last Name
Gender Header Image.
Age (optional) Header Image.

Tick boxes for if user is a 1 or 2 sentences.

driver, rider. Can tick both
boxes. Short paragraph
about Uniwaka. Clickable live chat
Suburb / Area button.
Department user works in.
Unitec ID No. Maybe a couple of Phone number.
Password. pictures or icons.
Email / message
Clickable link to terms and Navigation bar at section
conditons. Tick box that bottom of screen
user has read and agreed with quick link
to T’s & C’s. icons.

Submit button.

User can select different
modes depending on if
they are driving or riding .
This could be shown with
a clickable button, a swipe
action or a switch button.
Tripagram option will take
user straight to the
camera function. This is a
social feature which
allows users to record
memorable moments of
their carpool journeys.
Friends profile pics are
displayed along the top.
Latest photos or videos
that the user has
uploaded, along with
what friends have
uploaded will be
displayed.
Very much similar layout
to Instagram.
User can upload a
profile picture.
Drop Down Users Name, Suburb,
Hamburger Menu: Department will
automatically be
This could be a list displayed. App with
with small icons. aquire this info from
When clicked on the sign up form.
user will be taken to
the correct screen to User can define the
view information or hours in which they will
edit any personal require the carpool
details. service. App can then
use this to match with
other users who have
similar hours of use.
User can also define
their like and dislikes.
User enters date of
If User is Riding they
when they want to be
will be taken to the
picked up.
Rider Mode Menu
screen.
Time of day.
User can click on
Their location, pick up
button to search for a
point.
ride or they can click
on booked rides to
User can also select
view upcoming rides.
the tick box if the ride
is one way or a return
trip.
Find/ Search button.
 User can book a ride with
the selected driver.
The Drivers profile could
show an icon of wether or The drivers name, the
User can select from all selected date, time and
not they are free or busy.
available drivers that location will all be auto-
App will automatically do
meet their require- matically added by the
this if driver is already on
ments (hours, location app.
route.
and prefences).
Profile with display all If the User has selected a
They can choose to return journey this info
general info, as well as
view the drivers profile will be displayed again,
vehicle and licence info.
if they do not know with the user being
This will help the riders
them or go straight to required to enter time and
identify the driver on
booking a ride with location. They can also
pickup and feel more safe
them. wirte a short message to
knowing if they have a full
drivers license. the driver.

Similar to booking a flight

with an airline.

User can view all booked

User will be shown all
one way rides they have User can view all booked
booked rides for that day
made, including past return rides they have
that will show whether or
ones. made, including past
not the ride has been
confirmed or is still ones, and see which
Essentially this is a sort of ones are still pending
pending.
log book that shows their confirmation.
carpool history.
User can also view all
booked oneway rides,
and return rides.
 User can view the
If User is driving they
Riders profile which will
will be take to the
display name, gender,
driver mode menu If User selects New Ride date, time and location
screen. Requests button, they of pickup, along with
will be shown a list of all any message the rider
User can select to view the requests, with a has sent.
all new ride requests. quick summary who is
This could be displayed requesting along with User can choose to
with a number icon for their message. ignore or confirm the
how many new
ride request. App will
requests they have. User can then click on send notification to
the request to view. rider after driver has
User can also select to
confirmed.
view all booked rides. Very much like how
email messages are If driver chooses to
displayed in inbox. ignore the request will
be cancelled by the
app.

User can view all booked

Same as with the Rider one way rides they have User can view all booked
mode. made, including past return rides they have
ones. made, including past
Driver can see all rides ones, and see which
for that day and status. Essentially this is a sort of ones are still pending
log book that shows their confirmation.
They can also select to carpool history.
view one way ride
history and return ride
history.
Design Features
Some Behind the Scenes Information:

The Uniwaka project has been pitched as a question of:

“How does Unitec encourage it’s staff members to use alternate
transport methods for their daily commute?”

The idea of the carpooling app was initially thought of by the

Stakeholder,
due to the number of available carparks being greatly reduced by
early 2020.
To free up parking within the Unitec grounds, the Stakeholder would
like a mobile application designed and developed, that will encourage
Unitec staff member to opt for carpooling into and out of work each
day.

The Stakeholder hopes that if the mobile application is a success with

Unitec staff members, they can then expand it to encourage students
to use it also.
The Uniwaka app differs from other ridesharing apps because
it is designed specifically for Unitec Staff members to use.

Staff members can connect to other staff within their

department if they choose. There will already be a sense
of trust and security among the users due to them either
knowing each other or working in the same department.
Uniwaka is more social in that the user can create and
build friendships within the Uniwaka community. When
the user signs up they can submit their preferences so a
good carpooling match is made. This in turn helps create
good conversations, no uncomfortable situations and most
importantly an enjoyable experience for the user.

As Uniwaka is a “Carpooling” app and not a “Ridesharing”

app, it means that there are no compulsory ride fees for the
users, and instead any payment can be negotiated between
the users.
Uniwaka will save the user a lot of energy, by matching
them with others that have similar interests and who
live nearby. It helps to take away the stress and worry of
finding a way to and from work everyday.

The app will help the user save time, as it will send
automatic notifications to remind the user of an upcoming
booked ride, to which the user will need to confirm.
This helps the user manage their time better and become
more organised.

The users will also save money, they won’t have to fill
their cars up every week, and it will help keep vehicle
maintenance costs down, as the vehicle isn’t being driven
every day.
For the app to work effectively, it needed to be designed in a
way that would ensure a good user flow.

Apart from the usual functions, there are a few new things
that have been included, such as the Tripagram feature, which
is basically like Instagram but for just the Uniwaka users only.
This is yet to be determined if users would like to have this
feature, but it could be a fun way to document memorable
carpooling journeys?
There is also an option when booking a ride, where the user
can choose if they are wanting a oneway ride or they are
needing a return trip back home at the end of the day.
Another feature is the user can identify as a Rider or a Driver
or both. When the user views another users profile an icon
will be situated near the profile picture to communicate this.
This is also a way the app will be able to identify drivers from
riders.

The Users also can easily switch between Rider Mode and
Driver Mode which is located on the top left of the screen.
This is an excellent option for Users who are mainly Drivers,
but occassionally would like to be a Rider.
There is also other information such as vehicle type and
working hours and days.

The vehicle type will help users ensure they get to travel in a
vehicle that suits their specific needs, for example if someone
is physically disabled, or the user just needs a little extra room
for their things.
The Users are able to access a Main Menu that will bring up
options for Riders and options for Drivers. The User simply
needs to swipe either to the left or right to switch, and then
click on the icon to view menu options.

Only the Users that are largely Drivers but do wish to switch
to a Rider on occassion will be able to access both sets of
options.
For Safety reasons, only current Unitec Staff and Students are
able to register with the App.

When the User enters their Unitec ID number, the system will
perform an instant check against Unitec’s database to ensure
the ID number is valid. A verification email could also be sent
to the Users Unitec email as a secondary measure of safety.
Another Safety component of the App is during the Sign up
process the User can specify the gender of other Uniwakians
they would feel most comfortable travelling with.

This was a concern that came up among many of the female

survey participants, as they stated they would not feel safe
travelling in a car with a male they didn’t know or didn’t know
very well.
Drivers are able to view any Ride Requests that have been
made to them. They are able to view any message the Rider
has sent to them, such as a question they might have and the
Riders profile.

The Driver also has the option to ignore or confirm the

request. If the Driver chooses to confirm a pop up notifcation
will appear, asking to verify if the Driver wishes to continue to
confirm or if they wish to use the Chat feature to connect with
the Rider.

This saves the Driver time, by allowing them to connect with

the Rider instantly, rather than them having to select the Chat
icon on the bottom nav bar, and then needing to search and
add the Riders name as a new friend.
A User can also use the Chat feature of the App to connect to
other Uniwakian Users and develop a more Social Media type
experience either by clicking on the Chat icon on the bottom
nav bar or via Tripagram.

This feature will also help Users connect further on a different

level, and help build a unique Uniwakian community.

Users are only able to connect and add current Unitec

Students and Staff.
Users can view their bookings of upcoming or past carpool
journeys. They are easily able to view date and time of
the journey, the status (Confirmed, Cancelled or Pending),
whether the booking is for a One-way trip or Return, and of
course who their Rider/Driver is.

The User is able to swipe left or right on the screen to go to a

different day of the month.

By the User being able to view past journeys and upcoming

ones, it could help them to remember the name of their
Rider/Driver which would avoid an awkward “What is their
name moment”.
The Journey Tracker feature allows a User to view the location
of of their Driver or Rider in real time.

A Rider is able to see their Driver making their way to them,

allowing the Rider to remain confident that they will be picked
up from their location, and to get an idea of an ETA.

A Driver is able to view all the pick up locations of their Riders,

which the App will sort according to who is closest.
Once a successful pick up is made the screen will
automatically reset to show the directions for the next pick
up location, which saves the Driver needing to manually input
address information.
Another feature of the App is the Pop-Up screens to act as reminders for Users to remember to
make a booking if they haven’t already done so, and to also ensure that the User is going to keep
a booking that they have made which will help reduce any confusion between Rider and Driver.