TruckTracker

User Research

Early in design, I conducted limited user research, asking the following: Should the primary focus be on quickly finding trucks or on mobile ordering? Would the ability to rate trucks and save favorites be welcome features? What additional value-adds would help retain you as a user?

Research concluded, I determined that finding a quick option for lunch or seeking out a favorite food truck or finding a quick bite to eat was the priority.

Foundation and Approach

Finding food trucks or discovering the best new truck in town used to be down to luck, intuition and local knowledge. Discovering new trucks is the primary purpose of TruckTracker. 

The primary focus of TruckTracker is finding trucks. I discovered early in design that by focusing the attention on either a map or a list view of nearby trucks, users would quickly understand the core functionality of the app. 

The spatial presence and planning is deliberate. By proving to first time users that TruckTracker can help them find a truck quickly and easily, they are more likely to return. 

Design and Development

TruckTracker was designed with clarity of vision as the main goal. By limiting the number of elements on screen at any given time, I hoped to provide users with an experience that is engaging, simple and easy to use.

I performed a small re-branding exercise for TruckTracker, shifting away from the initial Bloc assigned color scheme and logo, and developing my own. The logo draws inspiration from a scanning radar from all the classic naval warfare movies and is paired with a stylized food truck icon of my own design. The colors are unobtrusive and calm with a splash of color to clue users into the flow of the app.

TruckTracker provides immediate value to users by allowing them to find nearby trucks based on location. The app then encourages users to sign up and provides a number of features that add significant value, including the ability to save dietary and food preferences, truck navigation and order history, and the ability to share an experience and write a review after ordering from a truck. 

Finally, while users can do a one-time check out for ordering, signing up allows users to securely save payment information for future ordering. 

Details

First time and returning users will appreciate how quickly they can go from launching TruckTracker to finding a truck that fit their cravings and navigating to that truck. No login or signup required. The app will ask for permission to use GPS to find your current location and help you identify food trucks nearby.