Summary

During my tenure at DRIVIN (powered by KAR), I played a pivotal role in the design enhancement of three platforms, notably autoniq®, a mobile vehicle valuation tool utilized by over 12,000 dealers in the used automotive industry.

Despite its release in 2009, autoniq had not seen improvements in usability or visual appeal, rendering it susceptible to intensifying market competition. Acknowledging this challenge, I dedicated approximately 18 months to extensive research and conceptualization, aiming to elevate the application.

After soliciting feedback from autoniq’s user base, analyzing industry competitors, and aligning with business objectives, I compiled a comprehensive 72-page document outlining research findings, brand updates, the introduction of new features, and a redesigned user interface.

Below is an abridged overview of this transformative project.

About

Company
DRIVIN, Chicago, IL

Duration
October 2017 – July 2019

My Role
UX/UI Designer

Tools Used
Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Principle, InVision

1. VIN Scanner: 35%

2. Price Evaluator: 20%

3. Find Vehicles: 1%

4. My Vehicles: 9%

5. Find Auctions: 8%

6. Message Center: 0%*

7. Vehicle Histories: 2%*

8. My Account: 1%

9. Recently Evaluated: 24%

*Analysis of existing analytics revealed that Message Center and Vehicle Histories were seldom used. This data, in conjunction with business objectives, led to their removal in the updated interface.

Brand Updates

autoniq is a powerful product, capable of scanning and valuing vehicles in seconds. With upcoming features in its roadmap, such as an in-app marketplace, auction notifications, and more, the product continues to push the boundaries on how apps can assist users in today’s automotive industry.

Recognizing autoniq's significant presence in the industry, I felt it should be complemented by an equally powerful brand standard. As such, I developed comprehensive brand updates that could accompany future releases to the application or marketing site. This update encompassed the autoniq logo, color scheme, typography, and UI.

Logo

autoniq has historically built brand recognition through two key elements: a distinctive orange accent color and a techy wordmark logo (see below). Both elements—“autoniq orange” and the wordmark logo—would be updated in the new brand system.

The new logo below utilizes Fieldwork Geo Bold, a font that skillfully blends strength and modernity. This logo pays homage to autoniq’s primary purpose by replacing the dot above the “i” with the application’s VIN scanner icon. All four logo variations are displayed below.

Color Scheme

autoniq's original color scheme, including the distinctive “autoniq orange,” has been refreshed to the palettes shown below. This update aims to infuse an energetic tone into a brand identity that has remained static since its inception.

Due to its vibrancy, “autoniq orange” (#F48429) can easily become overwhelming when used in the application or marketing collateral. In these mediums, orange is therefore reserved as an accent color, while the neutral palette below serves as the primary color scheme.

Typography

For the first time, autoniq’s typography would be standardized across the website, application, and print assets. Source® Sans Pro was chosen as the default font, available in four different weights: light, regular, semibold, and bold. This font stands out for its modern, legible appearance, and its designation as a safe font ensures consistency across multiple browsers or devices.

User Interface

User feedback reinforced a key observation about the used automotive industry: change is often met with suspicion. Take Boris, an independent general manager outside Chicago who uses the application daily, who expressed, “I don’t care what you do to the look of it, just don’t change how I use the app. autoniq is how I feed my family.”

This sentiment resonated across much of our feedback, indicating a preference for changes to be made sparingly. In essence, this ruled out the option of releasing a major redesign all at once, unless the user opted in. Instead, the updates outlined below would be introduced incrementally. This approach was already being implemented with the then-current replatform, which incorporated subtle UI improvements that would go largely unnoticed by users.

Feature Updates

Speaking with users, we often heard of new features that could improve the application. However, with limited staff resources, our team was often required to prioritize initiatives outside of feature development, such as platform speed and stability. With a growing team of developers, product managers, and designers, we were eventually afforded a window to address multiple inadequate experiences in autoniq.

The concepts presented below represent just a few of the ideas aimed at 1) improving navigation and access to different sections of the application, 2) creating innovative ways to search for vehicles or auctions, and 3) enhancing ownership of the autoniq experience through customizable lists and enhanced settings.

Login and Sign-Up Flow

Not available in today’s application, an onboarding experience was designed to provide an intuitive and secure introduction to autoniq. Users could learn about application features, verify email credentials, select subscriptions, and enter account information seamlessly. The flow also incorporated modern conveniences like biometrics and Google address autofill, along with the option for users to reset their password through an email or SMS link.

Improved Navigation

In today’s autoniq, users navigate the application's main features through a single home screen. However, returning to this screen can be challenging, given that features often involve multiple screens in depth. This necessitates users to press “Back” several times before reaching the home screen. In the fast-paced environment of an auction, where finances are at stake, one thing is clear: every tap counts.

To address this issue, autoniq’s navigation is being updated to feature a universal bottom toolbar containing the application’s main features. This redesign ensures that each feature, including the VIN Scanner, is accessible from almost anywhere in the application. This translates to fewer taps and quicker access to the features dealers need most.

Global Search

In the new autoniq, a global search feature will be introduced, allowing users to locate vehicles and auctions without the need for a form. Consider a user searching for the value of a 2017 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 4D Sedan. In the existing version, users must proceed through the Price Evaluator form, specifying each component (“Year,” “Make,” “Model,” “Series,” and “Style”), ultimately reaching the Vehicle Evaluator page—a process involving six taps. With the global search, only two taps are needed: opening the global search and selecting a result after entering criteria.

For further assistance, dynamic suggestions will appear when a search is initiated.

Global Search | An In-Depth Look

As mentioned above, finding vehicles in the current experience is a cumbersome task. In the Price Evaluator, users are required to select each detail from a new page. This turns a standard vehicle search into a five-page process, incurring a significant interaction cost and adding to a user's cognitive load (Whitenton, 2013). Two key factors contribute to this:

1. Users must absorb new information on five occasions and make selections without a defined next step.

2. Users only have one entry point in the process and must operate within a rigid framework, potentially leading to frustration as our framework may differ from a user’s mindset when searching for vehicles.

Searching for auctions presents a similar challenge, involving the filtering of seven details before reaching the Vehicle Evaluator.

These processes are illustrated in the adjacent orange flow chart.

The introduction of the global search has the potential to significantly reduce the cognitive effort required by users. When accessing the global search, users would no longer be confined to a limited framework and could enter open-ended criteria from almost anywhere in the application.

This feature aims to enhance the following heuristics, as outlined by user researchers Weinschenk and Barker (2000):

1. Accommodation: The search process is not restricted to a specific framework and can adapt to the user's frame of mind.

2. Human Limitations: The search process will avoid overloading cognitive abilities.

3. Interpretation: autoniq can accept a broader range of inputs, interpret intent, and return results based on individual search criteria.

4. Linguistic Clarity: The interface will provide messaging to guide users in defining criteria.

5. User Control: Users recognize that they are in control of the search process.

The introduction of the global search component could foster a user-driven approach, anticipating intent and reducing cognitive load. Rather than deciphering new interfaces, users can concentrate on vehicle and auction results, leading to better search outcomes with less effort.

Weinschenk, Susan, and Dean T. Barker. Designing Effective Speech Interfaces. Wiley, 2000.

Whitenton, Kathryn. “Minimize Cognitive Load to Maximize Usability.” Nielsen Norman Group, 22 Dec. 2013, www.nngroup.com/articles/minimize-cognitive-load.

Find Vehicles

The Find Vehicles menu provided an ideal opportunity for a map interface in autoniq. In today’s experience, a user must select and filter individual fields, all of which relate to a vehicle’s description and mileage (see below). The current structure can only filter one make at a time and only reflects auction data and not nearby dealerships. Once a user selects their filters, they must then go through the same Find Auctions workflow detailed above. This funnels users into a finite set of results and prohibits them from exploring vehicles in their area.

Utilizing a map interface and a broad set of filters, the Find Vehicles menu can create an opportunity for users to visualize, filter, and preview vehicles in their area. When a user lands on this menu, they will see a map that centers on their current location and shows geo-mapped vehicles in their locale. Users can then select from an expanded set of filters that includes vehicle details, mileage, price, CARFAX® conditions, and location type (at auction or at a dealership).

The materials above contain copyrighted content, trademarks, and other intellectual property owned by autoniq® and are protected by law. Unauthorized copying, publication, or use without permission from KAR Auction Services is strictly prohibited.