NJIT Parking
- alliehe
- Jan 27, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 1, 2025
Case Study
April - May 2023
Deliverables: App Prototype
Team of 5
Project Overview
As a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), I’ve experienced firsthand how frustrating the inefficient and overly complicated parking process is. It's a persistent problem that affects students and staff daily. To address this, my group developed a solution: a real-time parking app.
The app provides instant information on available parking spots for NJIT's 12,000 staff and students. Our goal was to create a solution that improves accessibility and efficiency, making parking less of a daily struggle.
My Contributions
Role: Designer / Researcher
Drafted and guided the creation of prototypes and flowcharts.
Created a high-fidelity prototype in Figma.
Conducted user testing to assess how the product performs and made iterative improvements.
The Problem
NJIT serves a population of roughly 12,000 individuals, with 70% commuting daily—creating a demand for about 8,000 parking spaces. Unfortunately, the school only provides 3,000 spaces, leaving students and staff in a constant struggle to find parking.
The existing parking app and website exacerbate the issue by providing unclear, often inaccurate information. Students frequently have to physically check parking decks, sometimes searching all eight floors only to find no available spots. This results in wasted time, late arrivals, and an increased reliance on street parking, which is not only risky but adds to the financial burden of parking fees.
The Solution
We designed a system that combines a user-friendly app with real-time sensors. These sensors, connected to lights and a central database, provide accurate parking availability updates to the app.
Key features of the app:
Real-time parking spot availability with one-click access to specific parking decks.
A simplified system to purchase parking passes.
Tools to help users plan their parking and reduce their reliance on street parking.
This system empowers students and staff to make informed parking decisions, saving time and reducing stress.
The Process
Original Design
The existing NJIT parking system is extremely basic, showing only the location, total spots, and available spots—often inaccurately. For example, the system would show negative available spots, highlighting its unreliability.
Problem Scenario
We created a persona, Sarah, a junior with a 40-minute daily commute. Her needs include finding parking efficiently, safely, and close to campus so she can get to class on time. Sarah often has to visit multiple parking decks or resort to street parking, which puts her car at risk and causes her to arrive late.
Activity Scenario
With our solution, Sarah can check for available parking before arriving on campus. Using the app, she sees real-time updates on available spots, and the deck itself uses indicator lights to guide her. This allows her to park quickly and make it to class on time, solving her daily frustration.
Flowchart
We created a detailed flowchart that outlines the app’s core functions—from logging in and finding spots to purchasing a parking pass. While my teammates with management and computer science expertise focused on this section, I contributed by reviewing and refining the flow to ensure it met user needs.
User Testing with Paper Prototypes
Our initial prototypes were paper-based, with screens drawn to represent the app’s basic functionality. We tested these prototypes with five users, including three commuters, one dormer with a car, and one professor. Based on their feedback, we made key adjustments, such as:
Adding arrows and indicators for stairs and elevators in parking deck diagrams.
Reorganizing the navigation for better intuitiveness.
User Testing with Figma Prototypes
After finalizing the paper prototype, I created a high-fidelity prototype in Figma, integrating feedback from the first round of testing. We then tested the updated design with five new users and noted additional feedback, such as:
The interface felt cramped in some areas.
Users wanted a faster way to pull up previously purchased QR codes.
I implemented these changes to refine the final design.
Results
After completing the prototype, we showcased it around campus to gauge interest. Out of 48 students surveyed, 37 said they would use the app—a 77% positive response rate. Many students noted that the app addressed one of their daily pain points effectively.
Through this project, we successfully designed a solution that improves parking efficiency and accessibility, while also receiving strong support from the NJIT community.
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