Role
UX Researcher,
UX Designer,
Graphic Designer
Timeline
3 months,
(7/21 - 10/21)
Yeva Ceponkute,
Shawn Liang,
Luci Wang,
Melissa Feinberg,
A.J. Galliguez
Tools/Skills
Figma,
Trello,
Slack,
Miro
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional car-buying experiences, forcing dealerships to rethink how consumers research, evaluate, and purchase vehicles. Our team explored how we could create a more flexible, transparent, and user-centered car-buying experience.
As part of a team project through the UCLA Extension UX Design Certificate program, our challenge was to reimagine the dealership car-buying experience by creating a holistic, user-centered solution.
After collaborative brainstorming sessions, we proposed the concept of a Car Club Membership. This membership aimed to provide consumers with flexible access to vehicles without the long-term commitment of ownership, addressing both health concerns and supply chain limitations.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional car-buying experiences, forcing dealerships to rethink how consumers research, evaluate, and purchase vehicles. Our team explored how we could create a more flexible, transparent, and user-centered car-buying experience. This helped us surface core customer pain points such as:
Through our research, we identified key pain points in the car-buying experience which revelealed:
The traditional car-buying process averages nearly five hours, creating frusteration and fatigue.
Market trends showed a shift toward digital purchasing nearly 30% of U.S. car sales in 2020 were completed online.
Buyers prioritized pricing, financing, incentives, and trade-in information when making decisions.
To validates these insights, we conducted user surveys and user tests to pinpoint any gaps. In our findings, we discovered some critical factors for car buying included:
Collaborative brainstorming session identifying pain points and exploring potential features.
Using our research findings, we explored solutions to simplify the car-buying journey and address user concerns around transparency, decision-making, and efficiency.
Through ideation and prioritization exercises, we evaluated feature opportunities based on user impact, business value, and implementation considerations.
Key design considerations included:
Idea prioritization exercise used to evaluate concepts based on user impact, business value, and feasibility.
Evaluating feature concepts based on feasibility, constraints, and potential impact.
From our research and understanding, we explored many options in possible solutions such as:
Based on our research and prioritization exercises, we identified an opportunity to reduce purchase friction by allowing consumers to experience vehicles before committing to ownership.
A personalized and easy experience with a self-service kiosk to reduce the amount of time spent at a dealership.
An experience that offers everything a dealership would, with easy enrollment for car club membership and various packages at the comfort at one's home.
Final concept highlighting prioritized features and product opportunities.
Conducting user research early helped our team move beyond assumptions and prioritize solutions based on real user needs rather than personal opinions.
Generating ideas was only the first step. Evaluating concepts based on user impact, business value, and feasibility helped us focus on solutions that were both meaningful and realistic.
Working with teammates from different perspectives reinforced the importance of communication, active listening, and building consensus throughout the design process.