Gutsy

Finding parking means weighing a dozen little variables at once. SlotSpot brings them together to help drivers find the right spot faster.

Overview

Drivers often waste significant amounts of time, pay unnecessary fees, and add stress to their lives searching for parking. What began as a self-starting exploration into emerging technologies developed into a mobile app to help solve this issue.

my role

UX Research
UX Design
Visual Design

team

Sean Sullivan
➛ Product & UX Design
Beny Hafkamp
➛ Technical Guide

timeline

12 months

platform

iOS concept

tools

Figma
Adobe Creative Cloud
Pen & paper
Physical tools
Zoom

deliverables

Research
Design system
Interactive prototype
Case study

the product

Experience SlotSpot.

You can click through the final design by clicking the button, or continue through the story below.

Jump to Prototype
Essential Flows

AT A GLANCE

What it's like
using SlotSpot

The experience centers on three moments: finding parking, getting there with confidence, and understanding savings.

Navigate with Confidence

Turn-by-turn directions guide drivers directly to the most likely area tofind a space, rather than to the exact destination. This minimizes circling around.

see costs upfront

Compare time, price, and walking distance before deciding where to park.

COMMUNITY HELP

SlotSpot users anonymously share real-time parking data intel to help SlotSpot narrow down likely available parking spots.

our challenge

Finding parking is harder than reaching
the destination.

Parking isn't just finding a place to leave your car. It can be a stressful series of decisions about proximity, cost, safety, and convenience, all while navigating traffic and uncertainty.

How might we make finding parking feelfaster, clearer, and less stressful, even inhigh-demand areas?

DISCOVERY

We investigated
how drivers make
parking decisions.

To better understand the problem, I spoke with commuters and audited current parking apps. Clear patterns emerged across nearly every conversation.

USER interviews

Five conversations revealed remarkably consistent
parking frustrations.

While each driver's experience was unique, the same concerns surfaced again and again: wasted time, unnecessary cost, and stress.

01

KATHLEEN

Busy mother of five

"I usually choose the area that feels the safest, even if it means walking farther."

KEY INSIGHT

Safety often outweighs convenience.

02

JAMES

Rideshare driver

"I often end up paying more than I want to for parking, because free spots are hard to find at peak hours."

KEY INSIGHT

Drivers constantly balancing cost against time.

03

JACK

Bartender in busy town

"At work I always have to circle around for like 25 minutes or so before finding a free spot, and it's so stressful."

KEY INSIGHT

Uncertainty creates stress long before drivers arrive.

pain point identification

Three recurring themes emerged across every stage of the parking journey.

Stress, cost, and time consistently shaped parking decisions, regardless of where people were driving.

insights into direction

Research becomes actual design principles.

Research findings were synthesized into a focused set of design priorities to guide every feature decision, ensuring the experience consistently reduced time-consuming uncertainty, increased cost transparency, and helped drivers make confident parking decisions that reduced stress.

01

TIME

Reduce time spent ssearching for parking.

02

COST

Prioritize free parking and make costs clear.

03

STRESS

Reduce uncertainty and guesswork through predictability.

user persona

A single persona captured the patterns shared across participants.

The main themes from the interviews were distilled into a primary persona that represents the shared goals, frustrations, and decision-making patterns observed across participants. It served as a reference point throughout ideation and design.

competitor audit

Current parking solutions leave gaps in finding the best spots.

We evaluated six parking platforms to understand....

Experience Synthesis

Mapping out the parking journey uncovered opportunities.

By combining insights from competitive analysis...

Drivers weren't simply looking for parking, but for predictability, transparency, and confidence.

Design evolution

The first solution is rarely the right one.

Research clarified the problem, but the solution came after a deep exploration.

Design Goals

coherence

Consistent patterns across every interaction.

clarity

Straightforward UI, no hidden steps.

simplicity

Only the essentials, easy decisions.

Coherence

Consistent design language across flows.
‍

Clarity

Straightforward UI,
no hidden steps.

Simplicity

Only the essentials,
easy decisions.
‍

concept exploration

We diverged into bold ideas that took users right to available spots.

Our research indicated that finding available spots in real time before arriving was what drivers needed most. We initially explored technologically advanced concepts to solve this problem, looking into ideas such as park-sharing marketplaces and augmented reality head-up displays. We even began prototyping the latter using sticky notes, AR apps like Adobe Aero, and AI image generation.

how users interact

User flows required inricate wireframes detailing many steps.

Our augmented reality concepts led to wireframes that displayed a complex system of interactions. During this phase, we also debated the product name, ultimately choosing SlotSpot over Carcloud.

impact vs. effort

We realized that high-impact design could have low-impact results.

Having explored divergent models, we stepped back and evaluated our developing solution, asking, "Will these ideas actually benefit most drivers?" While exciting, our advanced concepts depended on specialized in-vehicle hardware with limited adoption, resulting in high-effort, low-impact outcomes.

reality check

Earlier ideation presented challenges; later revisions provided solutions.

Initial ideas led to problems involving feasibility, safety, and adoption. Instead of forcing ambitious ideas forward, we leaned into those limitations to refine a more practical direction.

01

TECHNICAL
FEASIBILITY

  • Specialized hardware
  • Limited compatibility
  • Difficult to scale

NEW DIRECTION

Prioritize technology people can use today.

02

DRIVER 
SAFETY

  • AR HUD possibly distracting
  • Drivers inexperienced
  • Limited testing on HUDs

NEW DIRECTION

Keep attention on the road through a simpler interface.

03

ADOPTION 
FRICTION

  • Uncommon technology
  • Limited accessibility
  • Unfeasible?
  • Untrustworthy?

NEW DIRECTION

Design for every driver with a mobile-first experience.

Our divergent design might not be the best solution for the user base.

pivot point

We transitioned into the most scalable design.

We explored futuristic concepts like augmented reality and park-sharing, but the more we tested and evaluated them, the more one insight became clear: drivers didn't need more visual complexity, they needed clearer, more trustworthy guidance in a product they already carried every day.

mobile-first triumphs

As familiar an experience as vgetting directions.

Having decided that our previous concepts weren't compatible with our implementation goals of making a widely used parking solution, we pivoted into a new mobile-first design, salvaging all our previous research, wireframes and design goals.

why mobile came first

  • Broadest accessibility
  • Fastest path to validation
  • Foundation for future vehicle integration
  • Lowest impact risk
  • Familiar to users

new wireframe & ideation

We recycled our initial wireframes but scaled them to iOS mobile.

With the platform established, we set out to translate the design we began for the AR concept into a mobile app interface, using inspiration from common wayfinding apps to provide a seamless parking space finding experience.

Core user flow

User needs parking, so what are the steps to take?

01
Choose destination
Enter where you're going to begin planning before you leave.
02
Locate available parking
View nearby parking options before arriving at your destination.
03
Compare time, cost, & value
Evaluate price, walking distance, and estimated time savings side by side.
04
Navigate to selected spot
Receive turn-by-turn directions to the parking area most likely to have availability.
05
Park & see estimated savings
Review the time, cost, and stress you've saved compared to a conventional search.

designing the interactions

Mid-fidelity wireframes helped work out the main interactions.

The core flow prioritized speed, confidence, and clarity. We explored how SlotSpot could work within iOS Maps for more universal compatibility, as well as how it could surface better parking options in real time, adapt during the drive, and make the outcome clear.

01

START 
SEARCH

1. Search a destination or choose a recent trip. Community reporting lets drivers flag spaces as they open up.

02

COMPARE
OPTIONS

2. Parking markers and ranked options layer into Maps, helping drivers quickly judge distance, cost, and availability.

03

ADAPT 
EN ROUTE

3. Live updates can redirect drivers toward a better parking area when a stronger option appears.

04

SEE
SAVINGS

4. After parking, SlotSpot shows the estimated time, money, and unnecessary driving saved.

the slotspot system

We established a new way to think about finding parking.

Moving away from augmented reality forced us to simplify the experience without sacrificing its usefulness. Rather than projecting open parking spaces on high-tech windshields, we translated SlotSpot to surface individual opportunities as they become relevant onto the map's UI, guiding drivers toward better decisions one small moment at a time.

system thinking

How could the concept work in the real world?

As the app evolved, I explored increasingly expressive directions for Gutsy, testing color, interface density, navigation, typography, and personality along the way. Gradually, those pieces came together into an energetic visual system that made complex health information feel clearer, friendlier, and more approachable.

accessibility considerations

The information displayed needed to be designed for every driver.

It was important for us to come up with a visual system that communicated parking availability through multiple visual and aural cues, rather than just by color alone. Confidence levels combine color, shape, labels, and hierarchy for drivers with varying vision abilities and accessibility needs. Voice features were also prioritized for visual challenges, as well as safety.

parking markers

Understanding the parking landscape before arriving.

Rather than simply showing where parking exists, we developed SlotSpot to visualize the entire parking environment in real time. Color and text communicate parking type, confidence levels predict likely availability, and larger markers highlight the strongest recommendations, helping drivers to make informed decisions before reaching their destination.

We redesigned with intent, prioritizing intuitive affordances and accessibility for an optimal user experience.

feedback & validation

We tested what worked (and what didn't).

Sharing the prototype with prospective users revealed what felt intuitive, where uncertainty remained, and which ideas deserved another iteration.

early feedback

How did people respond to the concept?

We looked for recurring themes throughout our potential users' evaluation.

what we learned

Feedback uncovered
three recurring patterns.

Participants responded positively to the concept in general, but their
feedback consistently centered on confidence, transparency, and clarity. These themes guided the next iteration.

01

CONFIDENCE

How do I know the prediction that the app makes is accurate?

NEW DIRECTION

Prioritize technology people can use today.

02

TRANSPARENCY

I like seeing the parking costs before I arrive, especially for the free spots.

NEW DIRECTION

Keep attention on the road through a simpler interface.

03

CLARITY

What if someone takes the spot you're being led to as you're on your way?

NEW DIRECTION

Design for every driver with a mobile-first experience.

Users provided valuable insight from our first prototype that are directing our next round of iterations.

the finished experience

What it's like using SlotSpot.

The experience centers on three moments: finding parking, arriving with confidence, and understanding cost before committing.

navigate with confidence

The interface overlays over iOS Maps, for a familiar experience with minimal learning curve.

See estimated savings

Once you park, the app generates estimated savings in time, cost, and unnecessary driving, which it remembers and adds up over a long period.

real-time updates

SlotSpot calculates the best parking based on multiple variables, predictions, and real-time camera updates. If your spot is taken as you're on your way, the app updates to route you to the next best option.

prototype

Try the interactive experience.

Explore the complete parking journey, from destination search through parking recommendations, navigation, and arrival.

next steps

Building toward a real-world MVP.

Gutsy’s next challenge involves proving that the patterns it surfaces are reliable, understandable, and useful enough to inform everyday health decisions.

Research
Prototype
Expanded Validation
MVP
Pilot Program
Pilot Launch

Final reflection

The best solution was not the most ambitious one.

Our ambitious vision of parking's future evolved into a practical concept to be used by everyone.

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Have a project, opportunity, or conversation in mind? I'd love to hear from you.

swdsull@gmail.com