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Revolutionizing the AVIS App Experience

Design Methods:

Brand Discovery

Personas

User Stories

User Journey Mapping

Wireframes

User Testing Scenarios

Prototypes

 

Tools: Figma, Figjam

 

Course: Usable Design for Mobile Design

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Instructor: Professor Christine Fair

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Project Overview

For my 12-week mobile design project, I had the opportunity to redesign the Avis car rental app with a primary focus on enhancing customer service aspects. Despite the popularity, many face difficulty with navigation and customer support, demanding seamless experience. As the sole UX designer on this project, my goal was to create a more intuitive and user-friendly app that would streamline the car rental process and improve customer satisfaction.

The app offers a range of interactive features, including car booking, accessing rental details, making payments, and interacting with customer support. It heavily relies on user input for the rental process, involving various forms and interactive elements.

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Why redesign? 🤔

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1. Enhance user experience

2. Incorporate new features and technologies based on need

3. Align with evolving customer expectations

4. Differentiate and stay competitive

5. Consolidate functionalities and streamline experiences

Goal of business travelers- Efficiently rent a car for business trips, locate reserved vehicles easily, save time during the rental process.

Goal of international students/ newcomers- Rent a car to explore the new city, run essential errands like grocery shopping, understand local driving rules.

Research and Analysis

To gain a deep understanding of the target users and their needs, I conducted user interviews, surveys, and usability testing. Key insights from this research revealed that customers wanted a more seamless booking process, better visibility into rental costs, and improved post-rental support.

 

Competitor analysis of other major car rental apps uncovered several areas for improvement in the Avis app, such as unclear pricing, confusing navigation, and limited self-service options. I developed user personas and scenarios to guide the design process and ensure that the app would meet the needs of Avis' diverse customer base.

Challenges

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Poor car rental process

Critical features like "Return Car" frequently malfunction, leaving customers stranded, especially after-hours. Poorly designed processes disrupt rental experiences, causing inconvenience and frustration.

Inadequate customer support

Lack of accessible in-app support options or attendants, making it difficult to resolve issues or get assistance when needed.

Difficulty accessing & viewing rental information

Confusing navigation and information architecture hinder users from easily finding and viewing their rental details and schedules.

User Story

“As a business traveler, I want a seamless and efficient car rental process, so I can quickly get the car I need and stay on schedule during my trips.”

Customer Journey

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Opportunities

  • Display fully inclusive rental price upfront, wtih all taxes, and fees.

  • Clear reservation details.

  • Display key specifications for easy vehicle comparison.

Analyzing the current app screens and sketching new wireframes...

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The text changes in the search bar card and CTA card were driven by the principles of clear communication and setting the right context for users.

The reworded text prioritizes highlighting the key value proposition upfront, making it more prominent and compelling for users. By streamlining the messaging, the intention was to reduce cognitive load and ensure that the primary benefit is communicated clearly and concisely.

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In this wireframe, I used horizontal scrolling for vehicle brands, but user research findings, vertical layouts are more intuitive on mobile, especially for accessibility. Hence, the final design uses a vertical card layout with a clear top-down hierarchy for improved scannability.

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To improve accessibility and maintain a clear hierarchy of calls-to-action (CTAs), I replaced the 'Start Here' button with a clickable link text 'Already have an Avis Wizard number?'. This approach aligns with accessibility best practices by providing a more descriptive and actionable link, while also ensuring that the primary CTA for new users remains the focal point of the form.

KJ Analysis

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To ensure that the redesign of the Avis car rental app effectively addresses the needs of business travelers, I facilitated a KJ analysis with a team of two other designers. The goal was to identify which features need to be prioritized and implemented for a better user experience and to determine the areas requiring immediate attention.

Final Comps

Home Screen

ORIGINAL

RE-DESIGN

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Placed search, call-to-action in thumb-zones to improve usability and accessibility for one-handed mobile use cases.

Add Rental Details Screen

ORIGINAL

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RE-DESIGN

Select a Vehicle Screen

ORIGINAL

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RE-DESIGN

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Displaying personalized recommendations based on user preferences and rental history to enhance the car selection process.

Adding filters and sorting options to allow users to easily browse and select from a wider range of available cars at all major rental locations.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

One of the main challenges I faced was balancing the needs of different user segments, such as frequent renters and first-time customers. Through persona development and scenario-based design, I was able to create a solution that catered to the diverse needs of Avis' customer base. Another key lesson I learned was the importance of continuous user testing and iteration. By gathering feedback at various stages of the design process, I was able to identify and address pain points early on, resulting in a more polished and user-friendly final product.

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