FINAL NOTES

This project ran solo over three months as part of the Google UX Design Certificate, from initial research through a validated high-fidelity prototype. The most valuable part wasn't the design itself, it was closing the loop with real testing. A concept that looks reasonable on paper (real-time tracking, parent notifications, a community feed) still needed 30 people actually trying to complete tasks with it before I could say with any confidence what worked and what didn't. That distinction, knowing exactly what's proven versus what still needs work, is the part of this process I'd carry into any future project.

PROJECT TAKEAWAYS

Testing on a finished prototype ( rather than early sketches) meant the data measured real usability, not just conceptual reaction. The jump from self-reported confidence to observed task success (97% locating a bus) was the clearest signal that the core interaction model works.

Next Project →

Next Project →

Next Project →

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

03 / DESIGN

03 / DESIGN

How the flow was structured

How the flow was structured

Sign In → Parent Homepage → Parent Bus Tracker → Community Feed → Parent Profile

Built around reassurance and passive monitoring, live location, notifications, and a feed for shared updates, so a parent isn't stuck refreshing a single screen.

Sign In → Parent Homepage → Parent Bus Tracker → Community Feed → Parent Profile

Built around reassurance and passive monitoring, live location, notifications, and a feed for shared updates, so a parent isn’t stuck refreshing a single screen.

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

Parent-facing flow

Parent-facing flow

Sign In → Homepage → Student Home → Bus Tracker → Student Profile

Focused on quick, glanceable status checks, a student needs to confirm their bus in seconds, not navigate a dashboard.

Sign In → Homepage → Student Home → Bus Tracker → Student Profile

Focused on quick, glanceable status checks, a student needs to confirm their bus in seconds, not navigate a dashboard.

Two separate experiences were designed for two different user needs: parents monitoring from afar, and students checking their own route.

Student-facing flow

Student-facing flow

Student facing

Student facing

Parent facing

Parent facing

Student Home
Student Home
Bus Tracker
Bus Tracker
Student Profile
Student Profile
Parent Homepage
Parent Homepage
Parent Homepage
Parent Bus Tracker
Parent Bus Tracker
Parent Profile
Parent Profile

Live map view with ETA; validated at a 93% task success rate for finding arrival time.

Live map view with ETA; validated at a 93% task success rate for finding arrival time.

Live map view with ETA; validated at a 93% task success rate for finding arrival time.

Surfaces live bus status immediately on open, addressing the top research priority: real-time visibility.

Surfaces live bus status immediately on open, addressing the top research priority: real-time visibility.

Account and route settings, kept secondary to the tracking-first homepage.

Account and route settings, kept secondary to the tracking-first homepage.

Shows both children's current status without requiring a tap into another screen, directly answers the top-rated concern, child safety.

Shows both children’s current status without requiring a tap into another screen, directly answers the top-rated concern, child safety.

Live GPS location and ETA; this is the screen validated at 97% task success for locating a bus.

Live GPS location and ETA; this is the screen validated at 97% task success for locating a bus.

Manages multiple children's profiles and notification preferences.

Manages multiple children’s profiles and notification preferences.

04 / VALIDATE

Testing the design with real users

01/ Core tasks succeeded

Insight: Participants could locate a bus (97%), check ETA (93%), and confirm on-time status (100%) with almost no friction.
Design Response: The homepage's live-tracking-first layout is validated, no changes needed to the core flow.

02/ Secondary features need iteration

Insight: Viewing the community feed (80%) and reporting a delay (73%) had lower completion .8 participants didn't understand the feed icon, and delay reporting took too many taps.
Design Response: Relabel the feed icon, simplify the reporting flow, and add a visible legend for map symbols.

03/ Confidence measurably improved

Insight: Confidence in knowing a bus's location rose from 2.47 to 4.10 out of 5 after using the prototype.
Design Response: Live tracking and ETA visibility directly address the anxiety identified in Maria's persona and journey map.

04/ Limitation: trust depends on data source, not design.

Insight: Participants most wanted real-time GPS tracking (12 mentions) and official transit agency verification (8 mentions) to trust the app.
Design Response: Future iterations should prioritize sourcing verified transit data over user submitted reports alone.

— 97% task success — locating a bus
— 2.47 → 4.10 / 5 — confidence before vs. after using the prototype
Participant quotes:
"The map immediately shows where my bus is."
"I wasn't sure what the feed icon meant."

04 / VALIDATE

Testing the design with real users

01/ Core tasks succeeded

Insight: Participants could locate a bus (97%), check ETA (93%), and confirm on-time status (100%) with almost no friction.
Design Response: The homepage's live-tracking-first layout is validated, no changes needed to the core flow.

02/ Secondary features need iteration

Insight: Viewing the community feed (80%) and reporting a delay (73%) had lower completion .8 participants didn't understand the feed icon, and delay reporting took too many taps.
Design Response: Relabel the feed icon, simplify the reporting flow, and add a visible legend for map symbols.

03/ Confidence measurably improved

Insight: Confidence in knowing a bus's location rose from 2.47 to 4.10 out of 5 after using the prototype.
Design Response: Live tracking and ETA visibility directly address the anxiety identified in Maria's persona and journey map.

04/ Limitation: trust depends on data source, not design.

Insight: Participants most wanted real-time GPS tracking (12 mentions) and official transit agency verification (8 mentions) to trust the app.
Design Response: Future iterations should prioritize sourcing verified transit data over user submitted reports alone.

— 97% task success — locating a bus
— 2.47 → 4.10 / 5 — confidence before vs. after using the prototype
Participant quotes:
"The map immediately shows where my bus is."
"I wasn't sure what the feed icon meant."

Goal Statement 

Give users access to real-time bus tracking, notifications, and a route finder, measured by task success rate and pre/post confidence scores.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Who is the Target Audience?

After analyzing Molton Brown’s existing user segments, our team gained a clear understanding of the brand’s objective to expand its appeal to a younger, next-generation audience.

Proto-persona placeholder

Add the persona name, behaviors, motivations, and fragrance-discovery pain points once the secondary-research synthesis is finalized.

Label: Motivation

Label: Barrier

Label: Opportunity

Current Audience

  • 50% Household income over 48k
  • 45% male, 55% female demographic
  • Average age of 60
Competitive Analysis
Target Audience

  • Seeking younger demographics
  • Diving into cultures
  • Expanding on racial demographics

Project Overview 

Built as part of the Google UX Design Certificate over three months: research, wireframes, and a validated high-fidelity prototype, solo end to end.

Built as part of the Google UX Design Certificate over three months: research, wireframes, and a validated high-fidelity prototype, solo end to end.

02 / Define

How Research Shaped the Design:

01/ Real-time visibility became the priority

Insight: Parents wanted to know where the bus was at any moment.

Design Response: The home screen centers on live bus tracking, allowing users to immediately view the bus's current location and progress.

02/ Notifications reduce uncertainty

Insight: Anxiety peaked during key transition moments.

Design Response: Parents receive notifications when their child boards the bus and arrives safely at school, providing reassurance without requiring them to repeatedly check the app.

03/ Information must be glanceable

Insight: Users valued speed over feature richness.

Design Response: ETA, bus status, and route information were prioritized in a clean, mobile-friendly layout with minimal navigation.

04/ Parents and students have different needs

Insight: Each user group interacts with the transit system differently.

Design Response: Separate parent and student experiences were created. Parents focus on tracking and notifications, while students have quick access to routes and commute information.

Design Requirements

The final solution was designed to:

  • Prioritize live bus tracking on the home screen.

  • Deliver timely status notifications.

  • Surface ETA and route information with minimal navigation.

  • Support both parent and student workflows.

  • Present information in a clear, accessible mobile interface.

Previous Project

Previous Project

→

97%

task success rate locating a bus.

task success rate locating a bus.

2.47 → 4.10 / 5

Confidence increasing after using the prototype.

Confidence increasing after using the prototype.

Methodology

01 / Understand
01 / Understand
01 / Understand


  • Conducted surveys and user research to understand parent and rider concerns around school transit, safety, and punctuality.

  • Synthesized findings into the Maria persona and a journey map highlighting key moments of uncertainty.


  • Conducted surveys and user research to understand parent and rider concerns around school transit, safety, and punctuality.

  • Synthesized findings into the Maria persona and a journey map highlighting key moments of uncertainty.

02 / Define
02 / Define


  • Established the core problem: families lacked visibility into bus location and arrival status.

  • Prioritized real-time tracking, ETA updates, notifications, and route finding as primary user needs.


  • Established the core problem: families lacked visibility into bus location and arrival status.

  • Prioritized real-time tracking, ETA updates, notifications, and route finding as primary user needs.

03 / Design
03 / Design
03 / Design


  • Created user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes in Figma.

  • Designed separate experiences for students and parents, focusing on quick access to bus status information.


  • Created user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes in Figma.

  • Designed separate experiences for students and parents, focusing on quick access to bus status information.

04 /Validate
04 /Validate


  • Conducted moderated usability testing with 30 participants (15 parents/guardians, 15 transit riders).

  • Measured task completion, confidence levels, and qualitative feedback.

  • Evaluated usability through scenario-based tasks such as locating a bus and checking arrival status.


  • Conducted moderated usability testing with 30 participants (15 parents/guardians, 15 transit riders).

  • Measured task completion, confidence levels, and qualitative feedback.

  • Evaluated usability through scenario-based tasks such as locating a bus and checking arrival status.


  • Real-time location tracking

  • Route planning and ETA visibility

  • Push notifications for delays and arrival updates


  • Real-time location tracking

  • Route planning and ETA visibility

  • Push notifications for delays and arrival updates

01 / Understand

Research Methods


  • Surveys
  • Persona development
  • Journey mapping
  • Competitive analysis

  • Surveys
  • Persona development
  • Journey mapping
  • Competitive analysis

Research Objective

Research Objective

Competitive Analysis



  • Limited communication tailored to parents and guardians

  • Unclear visibility into key school transit milestones

  • Information overload that makes critical updates difficult to find



  • Limited communication tailored to parents and guardians

  • Unclear visibility into key school transit milestones

  • Information overload that makes critical updates difficult to find

Persona

Persona

Strengths

Mapping Maria's experience revealed emotional highs and lows across five stages of the school commute. Her feelings shifted from tired and stressed to hopeful and informed when provided with timely tracking information.

Mapping Maria’s experience revealed emotional highs and lows across five stages of the school commute. Her feelings shifted from tired and stressed to hopeful and informed when provided with timely tracking information.

Key Opportunity Areas
Key Opportunity Areas

Key Opportunity Areas

Key Opportunity Areas

Child arrives at school
Parents want reassurance that their child arrived safely without needing to contact the school or wait for confirmation.

Child arrives at school
Parents want reassurance that their child arrived safely without needing to contact the school or wait for confirmation.

Child boards the bus
Parents need confirmation that their child safely boarded the correct bus, reducing uncertainty at the start of the trip.

Child boards the bus
Parents need confirmation that their child safely boarded the correct bus, reducing uncertainty at the start of the trip.

Gaps



  • Parents experience the most anxiety when they cannot confirm whether their child has boarded the bus or arrived at school.

  • Riders and families want quick access to bus location, ETA updates, and route information.

  • Existing solutions provide limited real-time visibility and reassurance during critical transit moments.



  • Parents experience the most anxiety when they cannot confirm whether their child has boarded the bus or arrived at school.

  • Riders and families want quick access to bus location, ETA updates, and route information.

  • Existing solutions provide limited real-time visibility and reassurance during critical transit moments.

I analyzed existing transit and school transportation apps to understand common patterns, strengths, and gaps.

I analyzed existing transit and school transportation apps to understand common patterns, strengths, and gaps.

Key Findings

Key Opportunity Areas
Key Opportunity Areas

Journey Map Insights

Journey Map Insights

Design a mobile-first bus tracking experience that provides real-time bus locations, proactive notifications, and intuitive route finding tools. By increasing transparency throughout the commute, the solution aims to reduce uncertainty, improve communication, and give families greater confidence in their children's safety and punctuality.

Design a mobile-first bus tracking experience that provides real-time bus locations, proactive notifications, and intuitive route finding tools. By increasing transparency throughout the commute, the solution aims to reduce uncertainty, improve communication, and give families greater confidence in their children’s safety and punctuality.

Key Opportunity Areas
Key Opportunity Areas

Understand how parents and student riders manage uncertainty during school transit and identify opportunities to improve visibility, confidence, and safety through real-time bus tracking.

Understand how parents and student riders manage uncertainty during school transit and identify opportunities to improve visibility, confidence, and safety through real-time bus tracking.

Design Goal

Design Goal

The Problem

The Problem

Maria is a busy mother who needs a reliable, mobile-friendly app with real-time updates because she is concerned about her kids' punctuality and safety.

Maria is a busy mother who needs a reliable, mobile-friendly app with real-time updates because she is concerned about her kids’ punctuality and safety.

CASE STUDY

ITrac

Bus Tracking App

Bus Tracking App

A real-time bus tracking app, designed around parent and rider uncertainty and validated with 30 participants (15 transit riders, 15 parents/guardians).
Role

UX Researcher & Designer (solo, certificate capstone)

Duration

3 months

Tools

Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Google Forms

Skills

User research, persona development, journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, moderated usability testing

User research, persona development, journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, moderated usability testing