Problem
Users often struggle to find nearby amenities like cafés, restrooms, or workspaces, with no reliable way to see real feedback. Charging station reviews are also limited, making it hard to assess reliability, safety, and available facilities. Additionally, key details such as parking fees, time limits, and free charging thresholds are often unclear, leading to frustration and wasted time.
Role
Product Designer
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Solution
A smart EV charging app that enhances the charging experience by providing clear station details, real user reviews, and nearby amenity recommendations. Users can explore cafés, restrooms, and workspaces around charging stations, with real feedback like “Starbucks has laptop-friendly tables” or “Metro supermarket offers free restrooms.” A built-in review system lets EV drivers share insights on station reliability, safety, and convenience. Additionally, transparent station details—parking fees, time limits, and free charging thresholds—ensure users can plan their charging sessions efficiently, saving time and reducing frustration.
Scope
Completing in 1 month
Design Thinking Process
We use design thinking to create user-centered, innovative solutions by deeply understanding users, defining problems, and generating creative ideas to meet their needs effectively. This ensures our designs bring meaningful value to user experiences.
Emphatize
User Research
User Interview
Entrant Analysis
Define
User Persona
User Journey Map
Goal Statement
Empathy Map
Ideate
Brainstorming
Card Sorting
User Flow
Design
Paper Wireframes
Visual Design
Prototype
Test
Check Usability
Survey Insight
Improvements
Competitive Analysis
We use design thinking to create user-centered, innovative solutions by deeply understanding users, defining problems, and generating creative ideas to meet their needs effectively. This ensures our designs bring meaningful value to user experiences.
SWTCH (current version)
Pros:
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not too complicated​
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Favourite stations feature is useful
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Every station has their own screen
Cons:
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Stations are not in one place
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Parking info is missing
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No info for nearby ameneties
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Emphatize Phase
Qualitative Research
To understand user pain points and validate our solution, we conducted qualitative research through user interviews and observational studies with EV drivers.
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Research Methodology
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User Interviews: 10 EV owners were interviewed to explore their experiences with public charging.
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Observational Study: EV drivers at charging stations were observed to understand their behaviors while waiting.
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Key Findings
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Users struggle to find nearby amenities
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“I often end up Googling places near the station, but it’s time-consuming.”
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“I wish I knew in advance if a café has outlets or a restroom.”
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Station reviews are critical but often missing
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“Some stations are unreliable, but there’s no way to check unless I go there.”
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“It would be helpful to see what others say before choosing a charger.”
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Lack of transparency in station details
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“I’ve been surprised by parking fees more than once.”
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“Some stations have free charging limits, but it’s not clear anywhere.”
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Conclusion
EV drivers need a solution that provides nearby amenity recommendations, station reviews, and clear pricing details in one place. These insights shaped our app’s core features, ensuring a seamless and informed charging experience.
Interview Questions
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Can you describe a recent experience of finding a tennis partner? What went well, and what could have been improved?Recently, I used an online platform to find a tennis partner. The process was fairly straightforward, and I quickly found someone available to play. However, it would have been helpful to have more information about their skill level beforehand to ensure a more evenly matched game.
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When searching for a tennis partner, what factors do you prioritize in choosing who to play with?I prioritize finding someone with a similar skill level to ensure a competitive match. Additionally, factors like location, availability, and scheduling flexibility are important to consider.
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How do you usually arrange tennis matches with other players? Can you describe your typical process?Typically, I reach out to friends or acquaintances who also play tennis to see if they're available to play. If not, I might use an online platform to search for potential opponents based on location and skill level.
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What features would you consider essential in a mobile app designed to help you find tennis partners?Essential features would include the ability to filter and search for opponents based on skill level, location, and availability. It would also be helpful to have a messaging or chat feature to communicate with potential opponents.
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Have you used any online platforms or apps to connect with other tennis players before? If so, what was your experience like, and what aspects did you find most helpful or lacking?Yes, I've used a few different apps and platforms to find tennis partners in the past. The most helpful aspect was being able to connect with a wide range of players and easily schedule matches. However, some platforms lacked features for filtering opponents based on skill level, which made it difficult to find suitable matches.
Quantitative Research
Quantitative research has been conducted with 10 current users of the app
Waste time searching for nearby cafés, restrooms, or workspaces
0%
Have arrived at a station that was broken or unreliable due to a lack of user feedback
0%
Encountered hidden parking fees or unclear charging limits.
0%
Based on the data we have gathered, our main goal is to increase the KPI
User Persona
Age: 25
Education: Marketing
Status: Single
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Location: Toronto, ON
Emily Caret
EV can be our future if we can have better chargers and apps
Goals & Needs
Frustrations
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Easily find nearby places to work, eat, or relax while charging.
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Access real user reviews about station reliability and facilities.
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See transparent pricing and parking rules before arriving.
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Struggles to find nearby amenities – Often works while charging but finds it hard to locate cafés with seating and outlets.
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Needs reliable station reviews – Has arrived at broken or occupied stations due to lack of user feedback.
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Wants clear station details – Has been surprised by unexpected parking fees and unclear charging limits.
User Journey Mapping
Site Maps
Designing
Wireframes
High Fidelity Prototype
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UI Scheme - Design System
Atomic Design System
Atomic Design System methodology is used in this project
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Atoms
Molecules
Organisms
Templates
Pages
Did we success?
KPI Achievement Table
​EV drivers need more than just a charging spot
They want an all-in-one solution with real-time info, nearby amenities, and reliable reviews.
Our research and usability tests confirmed the importance of clear station details and revealed unanticipated user needs, underscoring the value of iterative design improvements.
Overall, the feedback and data validate the market demand for our app and guide our next steps.