Ready, Set, Drive!

SkillWheel is an innovative app designed to support new drivers of all ages in gaining confidence behind the wheel. Offering a range of valuable features, including free instructional videos and hour tracking for practice times, SkillWheel aims to enhance the learning experience.

The app also features a unique “game experience” to make learning more engaging and enjoyable. Best of all, SkillWheel’s mobile nature means it’s always on the go, fitting conveniently in your pocket for easy access whenever you need it. 

RATIONALE

Vehophobia refers to the fear or anxiety associated with driving that leads to panic, avoidance, and/or
extreme discomfort.

So you might be wondering, why I chose to research this topic… Well because I went through it, twice!

I failed my first road test and had to take it again. It was a very overwhelming obstacle for me to go through as I’m sure it was for many others as well.

WHAT’S VEHOPHOBIA?

    • Adobe XD

    • Mural

    • Adobe Illustrator

    • 15 weeks

    • 3 User Interviews

    • 3 Google Form Surveys

    • 1 Journal Study

COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO WALKTHROUGH

“I was a confident driver when younger, but somehow developed anxiety/phobia about driving as an adult. I don’t know why this happened, at all. I wonder how common my experience is.”
— Anonymous

PHASE 1: RESEARCH

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    • 3 User Interviews (new driver, experienced driver, and a driving student)

    • 3 Google Form Surveys one for each of the following groups: experienced drivers, new drivers, and driving instructors

    • 1 Diary Study conducted with a driving student

  • 3 out of 3 of my interviewees mentioned or expressed concerns on the following topics:

    • affordability 

    • awareness

    • and anxiety/fear

    High costs make driving education inaccessible to many, while the constant need for awareness of skills like defensive driving contributes significantly to their anxiety.

  • In total I received a number of 66 responses

    • 15 responses from student drivers

    • 43 responses from experienced drivers

    • 8 responses from driving instructors

    A common theme amongst all surveys was people not being updated on road safety practices. Student drivers aren’t completing their required driving hours and struggle to learn defensive driving skills.

  • A diary study is an unmoderated journal where participants, like this student driver, record their experiences over time. This method highlighted the unpredictable and non-linear nature of the driving journey.

  • What I was able to conclude from all this data gathered was that…

    • there needs to be a way to evaluate road tests fairly 

    • defensive driving skills are crucial to learn 

    • students and experienced drivers need to be updated on road safety laws & tips 

    • drivers ed access needs to be improved

    • students need to practice more to increase their confidence 

    • and finally, students need direction when it comes to tracking their hours spent practicing

  • Both new and experienced drivers alike need to learn defensive driving skills and receive up-to-date road safety information because having road practice and being informed can make them more confident and safe drivers who pass their road tests.

PHASE 2: CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

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  • During the ideation phase, I explored countless possibilities—from an indoor driving school to an AI-powered driving examiner. With so many ideas, I needed a way to organize and evaluate them effectively. That’s when I introduced a prioritization grid to streamline the process.

    As I mapped out my ideas, a clear pattern emerged. Many of the features, like a progress tracker, goal-setting, and unlockable achievements, naturally lent themselves to an app format. And that's how SkillWheel came to life!

  • I created a paper prototype and used the POP app to make it interactive. This helped me get a feel of what the screens would look like, even if my sketches were really rough.

  • I then translated the paper prototype into a digital format so that I could more accurately test with my users. This helped me imagine the app better.

  • In the user testing, I had four participants: two experienced drivers, a student driver, and an intermediate driver. Their feedback was as follows:

    • The UI is very clean.

    • They liked the tracking hours feature.

    • One user wanted to see a visual representation of progress, like a circle filling up.

    • A test results page was suggested.

    For more in-depth detail refer to image above

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PHASE 3: DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

  • SkillWheel offers the following features: 

    • Free instructional videos 

    • Hour tracking for practice times

    • The “game experience”

    • And it’s on the go! It’s an app which means it fits in your pocket.

  • The final!