Redesigning Rental Pickups @ Uber
Preparing rental drivers for their first trip
Contributions UI Component, User Flows, & High Fidelity Prototype
Outcome Launched Fall 2019 → 26% Decrease in Vehicle Errors
Team Vehicle Team
Role Product Design Intern
Tools Figma, Sketch, Principle
Duration 12 weeks (SUM2019)
Overview
Business Mission
Uber's rental program connects drivers with rental vehicles to bring more earning opportunities to more drivers.
Problem: Drivers were paying for a rental they did not have yet, leaving them frustrated.
Expectations
Once a driver signs a rental agreement, Uber would simultaneously
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select the rental as the current vehicle being driven and
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begin charging rental fees
under the assumption that they already obtained the vehicle.
Reality
Actually, drivers usually wait days/weeks to pick up their rentals after signing. Therefore, drivers were charged for a vehicle they did not yet possess, resulting in unnecessary fees and vehicle errors (from driving a vehicle different than the rental that was listed on the app).
How might we ensure that drivers have obtained the rental vehicle before selecting it in the app and charging them rental fees?
Solution
Uber updated rental agreements to include a date in which the rental is ready for pick up and when payments begin.
I updated the rental UX flow so that:
1. if a rental is not ready for pickup, the rental cannot be selected in the app. However, drivers can still review their pickup date and fees.
2. once the rental is available, drivers are notified that it is ready for pickup and that payments begin once they select it to drive.
Contributions to the Team
I worked independently in analyzing user research, wireframing, and iterating with stakeholder feedback to create a final prototyped solution.
Design Team
Cross-Functional Team
Design Manager, Product Designer/Mentor, Product Design Intern (Me)
Product Manager, UX Researcher, Content Strategist, Software Engineer
Impact
After launching in Brazil in Fall 2019, vehicle errors decreased by 26% with no degradation of guardrail metrics (supplier support costs & Uber support costs).
Design Process
Uber's Existing Solution
Uber helped managed rental payments between drivers and suppliers in Brazil.
Uber designed a driver app feature that ensures timely payments by collecting fees from drivers once they sign a rental agreement.
Simultaneously, rentals were automatically selected in the driver app under the assumption drivers already possessed the rental.
Expected Process
Expected Rental Timeline & Touch Points
Defining the Problem
However, this solution misunderstood the process of vehicle handoffs, mistakenly charging drivers when they did not have the rental yet.
Uber discovered that drivers rarely sign rental agreements and pick up their vehicles on the same day.
Reality of Existing Solution
Actual Rental Timeline & Touch Points
Design Opportunity
Uber updated rental agreements so that suppliers establish a date in which the rental is ready for pickup.
Ideal Rental Process
Ideal Rental Timeline & Touch Points
Therefore, I decided to improve the user experience before and after this date by informing drivers about vehicle pickup and payment expectations.
Research
Goals
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Discover driver pain points and needs for rentals
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Assist UX researchers with interviews
Methods
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5 Interviews with Drivers from LA & Brazil
Insights
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Drivers choose to rent oppose to drive with personal vehicles for Uber because it is more affordable and time efficient (lesser maintenance).
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Finances are rental drivers' top priorities. Therefore, it is even more crucial that they are not charged unnecessary rental fees.
Updating the User Flow
Because finances are drivers' top priorities, the updated flow prevents the app from selecting the rental before it is available to avoid incorrect charges.
Design & Refine
I iterated through multiple flows and refined the solution by
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redesigning the vehicle card component
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minimizing screens/interactions for users and hence, the dev team
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condensing information so it is easy to find
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informing drivers of the rental process
Before the rental is available:
After the rental has been picked up:
Solution Details
Previous Solution: User Persona & Previous User Journey
Andre is looking to transition from driving his personal vehicle to driving a rental vehicle for Uber due to unaffordable maintenance costs.
Andre
Uber Driver in Brazil
Pain Points
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His personal vehicle gets scratched by passengers
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Maintaining his personal vehicle is costly
Goals
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Minimize the wear and tear of his personal vehicle
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Earn with peace of mind
The existing solution charged Andre incorrect fees, leaving him disappointed.
Final Solution & Improved User Journey
With the updated component and user flow, Andre is protected from incorrect charges and notified about rental pickup.
Before the Rental is Available
Andre sees when his rental is available for pick up and reviews his rental agreement while he waits.
After the Rental is Available
Andre picks up his rental and selects it in the app. He begins paying rental fees and can now earn with the rental.
This leaves Andre with peace of mind, reassuring him that Uber's rental program keeps his finances and earning opportunities secure.
Reflection
Challenges: How do I explain complex products to others?
When I first onboarded to the design team, it took me time to familiarize myself with the product and the problem, as it had multiple layers of complexity. I had a hard time understanding the full picture based on the team's Figma file or design specs. Because this project was complex, the coworkers I presented this project to also had a difficult time comprehending.
Takeaways: Personas and storyboards are great tools.
It wasn't until I reframed the problem with a persona that I started connecting the dots. Thanks to the persona, I was able to create a storyboard and present my product in an engaging story rather than screens alone. This helped my coworkers better understand the context and impacts of my project.
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