Designing real-time solutions to simplify parking in LA
Kurb is a Los Angeles-based startup tackling the frustration of parking tickets with real-time location tracking and live updates on parking restrictions. As the lead designer during its seed stage, I worked to translate an ambitious idea into a user-friendly app. From crafting intuitive navigation to ensuring key features like parking timers and alerts were seamless, my focus was on creating a simple yet impactful experience that balanced real-time data with ease of use. Designing at this early stage required close collaboration with stakeholders to align on priorities, rapid prototyping to test concepts, and thoughtful iteration to refine the app into something both functional and delightful.
Client
Kurb (Seed Stage Startup)
Scope
UXD | Research/discovery | Conceptualization
Year
2024
Uncovering the real parking struggles of LA drivers
Parking in Los Angeles is a daily challenge that many residents know all too well. With confusing signage, inconsistent regulations, and high demand for limited spots, it’s no surprise that parking tickets are a common—and costly—occurrence. To design a solution, I first sought to understand the depth of the problem by talking to users and researching the nuances of urban parking. Conversations revealed frustration with unclear parking rules and a lack of real-time information on availability or restrictions. Many shared stories of rushing to their cars only to find a ticket or struggling to decode signs with overlapping time limits. These insights highlighted a clear opportunity: to create a tool that not only simplified the parking experience but also proactively helped users avoid tickets. By focusing on real-time updates and intuitive features, I aimed to design a solution that addressed these pain points head-on while making parking in LA a little less stressful.
Parking in Los Angeles is a daily challenge that many residents know all too well. With confusing signage, inconsistent regulations, and high demand for limited spots, it’s no surprise that parking tickets are a common—and costly—occurrence. To design a solution, I first sought to understand the depth of the problem by talking to users and researching the nuances of urban parking. Conversations revealed frustration with unclear parking rules and a lack of real-time information on availability or restrictions. Many shared stories of rushing to their cars only to find a ticket or struggling to decode signs with overlapping time limits. These insights highlighted a clear opportunity: to create a tool that not only simplified the parking experience but also proactively helped users avoid tickets. By focusing on real-time updates and intuitive features, I aimed to design a solution that addressed these pain points head-on while making parking in LA a little less stressful.
What do they
Think?
My friend will text me their shazams after a night out.
The features of this app are limited.
What else has this artist made?
Is this the right song?
What do they
Say?
I usually share links in group chats.
People always share music with me.
I want to see what my friends Shazam.
Send me the songs we discover together.
How do they
Feel?
Disappointed by inaccurate results.
Frustrated sharing results mid-event.
Excited when friends share songs.
Thrilled discovering a new artist.
What do they
Do?
Screenshots Shazam results.
Checks Shazam history after night out.
Shares Shazam screenshots with friends.
Uses Shazam often during DJ sets.
What do they
Think?
What if I get a ticket for something I missed?
I need a clearer way to see parking rules.
Tracking my parking time would help.
I wish all parking info was in one place.
What do they
Say?
I’m always rushing to my car.
Parking signs are so confusing.
I waste so much time finding a spot.
I never know how much time I have left.
How do they
Feel?
Frustrated when parking is hard to find.
Anxious about missing important details.
Stressed over the possibility of a ticket.
Relieved when they find a good spot.
What do they
Do?
Circles the block looking for a spot.
Takes photos of parking signs for reference.
Sets phone alarms to track time.
Uses Google Maps to check availability.
1.0
Home
1.1
My music
1.1.1
Shazams
1.1.2
Likes
1.1.3
Artists
1.1.4
Recents
1.1.5
Playlists
1.2
My Friends
1.2.1
Following
1.2.2
Followers
1.2.3
Recents
1.2.4
Likes
1.2.5
Who to follow
1.3
🔍
1.4
⚙️
Application map and architecture
New feature
Existing
Primary task/screen flows
User wants to find a track their friend Shazamed.
Taps “My friends”
“My friends”
Taps “Following”
List of followers
Locates user
User's profile
Browses history
Track ID
User wants to see who else Shazamed the same song.
Shazams a song
Track ID
Taps number of shazams
List of users who Shazamed
Taps a username
User profile
Browses users history
User wants to search for and then follow a friend.
Taps “My friends”
“My friends”
Taps “Search”
Enters name in field
Selects user from results
User's profile
Taps “Follow”
Action
Screen
High-view user flow for new features
High-view user flow for new features
Track ID
is this the right song?
Plays preview
Like or Save?
View track's Shazam history?
Stream/
download?
Taps ♥︎ icon
Taps number of Shazams
List of users
Taps on a username
User's Profile
Follow User?
"My friends" feed
Taps on a track in feed
Track ID
"My friends" feed
Browses "Who to follow"
Screen
Action
Question
What do they
Do?
Screenshots Shazam results.
Checks Shazam history after night out.
Shares Shazam screenshots with friends.
Uses Shazam often during DJ sets.
What do they
Think?
My friend will text me their shazams after a night out.
The features of this app are limited.
What else has this artist made?
Is this the right song?
How do they
Feel?
Disappointed by inaccurate results.
Frustrated sharing results mid-event.
Excited when friends share songs.
Thrilled discovering a new artist.
What do they
Say?
I usually share links in group chats.
People always share music with me.
I want to see what my friends Shazam.
Send me the songs we discover together.
Primary task flows
User wants to find a track their friend Shazamed.
Taps “My Friends”
“My Friends”
Taps “Following”
List of Followers
Locates User
User Profile
Browses History
Track ID
User wants to search for, then follow a friend.
Taps “My Friends”
“My Friends”
Taps “Search”
Enters name in field
Selects user from results
User's profile
Taps “Follow”
User wants to see a song's shazam history.
Shazams a Song
Track ID
Taps number of Shazams
Taps a username
User profile
Browses user's history
List of users who shazamed
Action
Screen
Key features & solutions
Real-time geolocation and search functionality
Kurb leverages geolocation to instantly determine your location anywhere in Los Angeles, providing up-to-the-minute parking restriction details. This immediate feedback ensures users know right away if they’re parked in a permissible spot, saving time and preventing potential fines. Additionally, Kurb includes a search field that allows users to explore parking options ahead of time, making it easy to plan for parking at future destinations. Whether you're heading to a meeting or an event, you can search parking spots around your destination and assess their availability. To make this process even faster, Kurb remembers your search history, allowing quick access to locations you frequent often. This combination of real-time and proactive planning features ensures users are always prepared, whether parking in a familiar area or exploring a new part of the city.
Kurb leverages geolocation to instantly determine your location anywhere in Los Angeles, providing up-to-the-minute parking restriction details. This immediate feedback ensures users know right away if they’re parked in a permissible spot, saving time and preventing potential fines. Additionally, Kurb includes a search field that allows users to explore parking options ahead of time, making it easy to plan for parking at future destinations. Whether you're heading to a meeting or an event, you can search parking spots around your destination and assess their availability. To make this process even faster, Kurb remembers your search history, allowing quick access to locations you frequent often. This combination of real-time and proactive planning features ensures users are always prepared, whether parking in a familiar area or exploring a new part of the city.
Comprehensive parking information modal
Once users geolocate their position, Kurb offers a detailed modal that provides all the essential parking information at a glance. By default, the modal shows the most critical details: the duration you can park and whether the location is permissible. However, users can slide up the modal to access additional in-depth parking information, such as street cleaning schedules, exemption zones, and the option to set a reminder to move your car. This extra layer of information empowers users to make informed decisions, ensuring they avoid costly fines while also helping them manage their time efficiently.
Once users geolocate their position, Kurb offers a detailed modal that provides all the essential parking information at a glance. By default, the modal shows the most critical details: the duration you can park and whether the location is permissible. However, users can slide up the modal to access additional in-depth parking information, such as street cleaning schedules, exemption zones, and the option to set a reminder to move your car. This extra layer of information empowers users to make informed decisions, ensuring they avoid costly fines while also helping them manage their time efficiently.
User-contributed images and satellite view
Understanding that you can park somewhere can be a stressful and uncertain experience in LA, Kurb adds a unique comfort layer by incorporating visual confirmation of parking spots. Users can view photos of parking spots contributed google street view, offering a more realistic look at the space they might be parking in. This visual reference reduces the unknowns of parking, ensuring users can clearly identify available spots before they arrive and know exactly what to expect when they get there.
Understanding that you can park somewhere can be a stressful and uncertain experience in LA, Kurb adds a unique comfort layer by incorporating visual confirmation of parking spots. Users can view photos of parking spots contributed google street view, offering a more realistic look at the space they might be parking in. This visual reference reduces the unknowns of parking, ensuring users can clearly identify available spots before they arrive and know exactly what to expect when they get there.
Clear and immediate negative messaging
Kurb excels in providing clarity, especially when it comes to the instances where parking isn’t allowed. If users are in a location where parking is prohibited or restricted due to varying rules, Kurb immediately notifies them with clear and direct messaging. The error alerts ensure that users don't waste time or risk a ticket by parking in areas with no parking or complex restrictions. This proactive feedback is essential in navigating the sometimes confusing parking rules of Los Angeles.
Kurb excels in providing clarity, especially when it comes to the instances where parking isn’t allowed. If users are in a location where parking is prohibited or restricted due to varying rules, Kurb immediately notifies them with clear and direct messaging. The error alerts ensure that users don't waste time or risk a ticket by parking in areas with no parking or complex restrictions. This proactive feedback is essential in navigating the sometimes confusing parking rules of Los Angeles.
Car location memory and push notifications
One of the most convenient features Kurb offers is its ability to remember the location of your parked car. It can be easy to forget where you parked in a busy city, but Kurb helps by providing navigation directions back to your vehicle. In addition, users can set up push notifications to receive reminders when it's time to move their car. The app sends notifications 30 and 15 minutes before the parking window expires, giving users ample time to relocate. This customizable reminder frequency ensures that you stay ahead of any parking expiration, minimizing the risk of fines and making parking much more manageable.
One of the most convenient features Kurb offers is its ability to remember the location of your parked car. It can be easy to forget where you parked in a busy city, but Kurb helps by providing navigation directions back to your vehicle. In addition, users can set up push notifications to receive reminders when it's time to move their car. The app sends notifications 30 and 15 minutes before the parking window expires, giving users ample time to relocate. This customizable reminder frequency ensures that you stay ahead of any parking expiration, minimizing the risk of fines and making parking much more manageable.
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