Setting and Background Information
Miami University, located in Oxford, faces a persistent parking challenge for its faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Limited parking services and permit restrictions lead to frustration and the need for alternative off-campus parking options.
Role: UX Designer and Researcher
Date: 2019
Tools: Figma, Miro, and Zoom
Problem
The existing parking system at Miami University fails to address the needs of the diverse campus community. The lack of flexibility, limited parking spots, and difficulties associated with carpooling create inconveniences and time constraints for commuters and locals. Commuters drive 45 minutes to an hour to campus and locals drive 5 to 10 minutes to their on-campus offices.
Current State System Map
Research Methods
Interviews
Four, 45-minute interviews were conducted over Zoom with the two audience types. Examples of the questions:
- Can you walk me through a typical workday, starting with your morning routines and taking me through your commute to work, any lunchtime routines, and more?
- When it comes to parking your car on campus, what challenges or difficulties do you encounter on a regular basis?
- What improvements or changes do you think could alleviate the challenges you face in parking on campus and make the experience smoother?
- Are you familiar with the carpooling pass/program available? If so, could you share your knowledge about it?
- Have you ever considered participating in a carpool to commute to work? If yes, what opportunities or benefits do you see in carpooling, and what potential barriers have deterred you from doing so?
Personas
Eric Thompson
Assistant Director of Social Media
Drives one hour to work and drops off his two children at the on-campus daycare each morning. He wants to spend less time looking for parking and wants more convenient ways to get around campus. His job requires him to meet with people across the entire campus. The offices are spread out, so he has to drive to most meetings.
Relational
- Drives one hour to work from Westwood, Cincinnati, OH
- Drops off his two children at the on-campus daycare at 7:45 a.m., and has to pick them up by 5:30 p.m. or is charged a late fee (a dollar per minute)
- Sometimes has to take his children to doctor appointments during the day
- Has many meetings across campus which require him to drive and lose his original morning parking spot
Goals
- Spend more time with his family
- Save money
- Worry less about finding parking
Pain points
- Worries about finding a relatively nearby parking spot when he returns from lunch
- Pays for a pass every year, but isn’t guaranteed a spot
- Very few or no parking spots left when he arrives to work after dropping off his kids to daycare
Toni Sullivan
Director of Grant Writing
Toni has lived in Oxford for over twenty years. She rides her bike to work unless the weather is bad. She likes living close to her job to be more eco-conscious. If she has meetings across campus, she is often late because of the long walk or the campus bus.
Relational
- Rides bike to work most days
- When she drives to work, it takes 5 minutes to get to the office.
- Is unable to run errands at lunchtime, since she doesn’t have a car
- When she has meetings across campus, she tries to take the campus bus, but can be untimely
Goals
- Live a carbon-neutral life
- Make daily life more convenient and less stressful
- Maintain health and meet 10,000 steps a day
Pain points
- Weather-Dependent
- Extra time management
- Can become very sweaty walking everywhere
Solution
College Car
Collaborating with ZipCar to establish the sub brand, College Car, will empower faculty and staff to seamlessly reserve and rent cutting-edge electric vehicles tailored for convenient use across the vibrant campus.
- Join College Car membership through the Miami Parking website.
- Reserve on mobile app or website to find an available car on campus
- Pick a car and unlock the vehicle with the app
- Unplug the vehicle from the charging station and drive.
- Park in a College Car parking spot and plug into the charging station.
Experience Map
Benefits and Outcomes
With the College Car system, faculty, and staff will save time and worry less about finding a parking spot. By utilizing electric cars, commuters and locals can conveniently move around campus for meetings and appointments while achieving a better work-life balance.
The strategic partnership with Zipcar, a well-established brand, provides the university with an existing app, a fleet of cars, and robust infrastructure. Beyond the tangible advantages of heightened employee satisfaction and a diminished campus vehicle presence, this collaboration positions the university as a beacon of innovation and a nurturer of entrepreneurial spirit. The holistic impact of the College Car system extends far beyond mere convenience, ushering in a new era of efficiency, sustainability, and progressive campus culture.