Green Trek Traveler

⭐Best Senior Capstone Software Project at University of Arizona College of Information⭐

What is Green Trek Traveler?

Trek Traveler Slide Deck.mp4

Green TrekTraveler was our senior capstone project for the College of Information at the University of Arizona. Over the course of 15 weeks, our team worked collaboratively to ideate, develop, test, and present a software product designed to enhance sustainable travel. The culmination of our efforts was showcased at the Fall 2024 iShowcase, where we had the opportunity to present our work directly to users. For this project, I was the UX Designer and Front End Developer. Additionally, I created the back end development for the Calendar, Location Search, Accommodations, and Featured Neighborhoods. Check out our project on GitHub!

For this project, our team utilized Figma for the design work before developing the app in Android Studio. The front end development was in XML and the backend was written in Kotlin.

Our team's hard work and dedication were recognized with the ⭐ Best Software Senior Capstone Project ⭐ award, a testament to the innovation, teamwork, and commitment that drove the success of Green TrekTraveler.

Market and Research

As college students who had an interest in sustainability and travel, we knew that Green TrekTraveler could help bridge the gap between the want for sustainable travel and the difficulty of finding eco-friendly options.

We initially conducted some market research, each of us conducting interviews to determine that:

Our app was for single travelers who regularly rely on public transportation and seek accommodations near eco-friendly transit options. These users value convenience, safety, and sustainability in their travel choices. They prefer accommodations near bus stops, streetcars, and bike shares and prioritize minimizing their carbon footprint while traveling.

The audience is interested in easy access to weather data and public transit information, enabling them to make eco-friendly travel decisions. They also need information about accommodations that offer proximity to transit routes so they can avoid renting cars or using ride-share services, which they perceive as less sustainable. According to a 2023 travel research report, 70% of travelers indicated that they are interested in traveling more sustainably.

TrekTravelerPrototype1.mp4

First Prototype

As the UX designer for the Green TrekTraveler project, I was responsible for creating the first prototype to share with users. This prototype served as our minimum viable product (MVP), allowing us to identify which features users valued most and focus on areas for improvement.

Through this initial round of testing, we gained valuable insights:

Safety, Transit, and Walkability Scores: Users wanted more context about these scores. To address this, we included short text snippets explaining what each score represents.
Accommodations vs. Locations: Users showed more interest in eco-friendly accommodations than in exploring additional locations. In response, we added an Accommodations Tab that highlights key details like EV charging availability, check-in times, nearby transit stops, and bike rentals.
Neighborhood Information: Users expressed curiosity about Tucson's neighborhoods. We introduced a Featured Neighborhoods Section, spotlighting iconic areas in Tucson and emphasizing sustainable activities in each.

These changes not only improved the app's functionality but also ensured it was more aligned with user needs and preferences, enhancing the overall experience.

trektravelerfuture.mp4

Second Prototype

Our second prototype was developed alongside our work in Android Studio. While the prototype was created in Figma, development occurred in Android Studio, making clear communication within our four-person team essential. We diligently coordinated changes and ideas to ensure alignment across design and development.

Key insights from this prototype led to several improvements:

Accommodations Sorting: Users expressed a strong preference for sorting accommodations by neighborhood and price. To address this, we introduced dropdown filters, enabling users to filter options based on these criteria.
Information Page Layout: Feedback revealed that the way information was displayed on our information page was confusing. We rearranged the content to present it in a more logical and user-friendly order.
Calendar Navigation: Users found it frustrating to navigate back to the current date on the calendar using the arrows. To resolve this, we added a calendar icon at the top that displays today’s date. Clicking the icon takes users directly back to the current day for smoother navigation.

These refinements helped us deliver a more intuitive and user-friendly experience while ensuring the app met the needs of its users.

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