The company approached us with a challenge: To redesign their existing auto transportation marketplace application with a better experience which help shippers and carriers connect, communicate, and complete their transactions.

The project had a timeline of 12 weeks and a budget of $90,000. The team consisted of a product marketing manager, a product manager, a UX/UI designer, and developers.

A timeframe of 6 weeks was allocated to me as the sole designer for the project. Within this duration, I conducted four iterative cycles, utilizing user feedback to continuously improve and refine the design. This iterative approach ensured the development of a more robust and user-centered requirement auto transportation marketplace within the given timeframe.

After conducting a kick-off meeting with the client, I defined the problem statement for the project:

1. Shippers need a way to find and book reliable and affordable auto transport carriers,
2. and carriers need a way to find and bid on profitable and convenient shipping jobs, because they want to save time, money, and hassle.

I started by analyzing the existing product, then conducted secondary research including competitive analysis.

I interviewed more than 10 individuals, gathering valuable insights that deeply informed the project's design, ensuring it effectively met their specific needs and considerations. Key information was gathered throughout the interviews to aid users in understanding:

User Demographics:

• 65% of users are auto truckers (carrier)
• 35% of users are people who ship cars (shippers)

I also reviewed existing auto transportation platforms and services to identify best practices and gaps in the market. I used tools like Google Forms, Zoom, and Miro to collect and organize our research data.

Based on our research findings, I generated some initial ideas for the user interface and the user flow of the application. Then used tools like sticky notes and paper to brainstorm and sketch our ideas. I also used some online resources to get some inspiration and guidance, such as:

• How to design a marketplace app best practices for designing booking apps
• How to design a payment systemI evaluated and prioritized our ideas based on the user needs, the project goals, and the technical feasibility.

After completing the initial designs, I conducted user testing remotely to see how new and old OffmyYard users would interact with the new feature. I used tools like Zoom, Google Forms, and Hotjar to conduct and record our testing sessions.Some of the main findings from our testing were:

• Users liked the simplicity and convenience of the user interface and the user flow of the application.Users appreciated the variety and flexibility of the search, offer, and bid features, and the ability to compare and negotiate different options.
• Users valued the security and transparency of the payment system, and the support for different currencies and payment methods.
• Users had some difficulties with the chat and tracking features, such as finding the chat button, sending attachments, and updating the location.

Based on the testing results, I iterated on the prototype and made some changes and enhancements. I also created high-fidelity mockups using a tool like Figma to add more details and polish to the user interface. The final solution was a user-friendly auto transportation marketplace application that can help shippers and carriers connect, communicate, and complete their transactions. The final solution had the following features and benefits:

• A fast and easy search, offer, and bid feature that can help users find and compare the best options for their shipping needs.
• A secure and transparent payment system that can handle different currencies and payment methods.
• A clear and timely communication and tracking feature that can help users monitor and manage their shipping process.
• A simple and convenient user interface and user flow that can guide users through the whole application.

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