Just Park It

Just Park It

Real-Time Parking for a Smarter City

Real-Time Parking for a Smarter City

An end-to-end UX case study for a mobile app that helps non-resident drivers find parking in Madrid Central.

An end-to-end UX case study for a mobile app that helps non-resident drivers find parking in Madrid Central.

Timeframe: 5 Weeks
Role: UX Research, UI/UX Design, Prototyping, Usability Testing

View Final Prototype

The Challenge

The Challenge

Madrid Central has strict mobility restrictions, allowing only residents to drive freely. Non-residents struggle to find available parking in designated lots due to lack of real-time information and intuitive navigation. This results in wasted time, increased pollution, and traffic congestion.

Madrid Central has strict mobility restrictions, allowing only residents to drive freely. Non-residents struggle to find available parking in designated lots due to lack of real-time information and intuitive navigation. This results in wasted time, increased pollution, and traffic congestion.

No real-time updates on parking availability

Frustrating navigation to designated lots

Unreliable or outdated apps on the market

Increased driver stress and urban congestion

No real-time updates on parking availability

Frustrating navigation to designated lots

Unreliable or outdated apps on the market

Increased driver stress and urban congestion

Research

Competitive analysis

✅ Popular app with basic parking info.
❌ No real-time parking availability for Madrid Central.
❌ Confusing navigation and limited non-resident options.

✅ Popular app with basic parking info.
❌ No real-time parking availability for Madrid Central.
❌ Confusing navigation and limited non-resident options.

✅ Real-time access and payment for Interparking garages.
✅ Free download and easy booking process.
❌ Limited coverage — only includes specific private garages.
❌ Not tailored to Madrid Central restrictions.

✅ Excellent for general navigation and place discovery.
✅ Integrates with Google Pay for some parking services.
❌ No dedicated parking availability for Madrid Central.
❌ Cannot reserve or directly pay for parking spots.

✅ Excellent for general navigation and place discovery.
✅ Integrates with Google Pay for some parking services.
❌ No dedicated parking availability for Madrid Central.
❌ Cannot reserve or directly pay for parking spots.

✅ Real-time access and payment for Interparking garages.
✅ Free download and easy booking process.
❌ Limited coverage — only includes specific private garages.
❌ Not tailored to Madrid Central restrictions.

Opportunities and gap in the market

Direct user interview

Who?


Non-resident drivers visiting Madrid Central

What?


Explored parking challenges, app experiences, and user frustrations

Why?


To validate the need for real-time availability and better navigation

90%

Have trouble finding a parking spot

80%

Prefer to avoid using their car to prevent fines in Madrid Central

"Finding parking in Madrid Central feels like a lottery. I'd love something that tells me if a spot is available before I waste time."

"Finding parking in Madrid Central feels like a lottery. I'd love something that tells me if a spot is available before I waste time."

User Persona

Insights

“I don’t want to drive all the way there just to find out the parking lot is full”

Real-time data is needed

Real-time data is needed

Real-time data is needed

“If it takes more than a minute to find or book a spot, I’d rather not use the app”

Efficiency is crucial

Efficiency is crucial

Efficiency is crucial

“Most apps just show static maps — they don’t tell you what’s actually available right now”

Existing apps fall short

Existing apps fall short

Existing apps fall short

“I had to tap around too much to find what I needed. It should be obvious from the start”

Intuitive design matters

Intuitive design matters

Intuitive design matters

Define

Non-residents struggle to find available parking in Madrid Central due to strict regulations, overcrowded lots, and the lack of real-time information, leading to frustration and increased traffic.

Ideate

Goal: Search, book, and pay for parking at authorized Madrid Central locations

Task Flow

User Flow

Low-Fid Sketches

I began my process by creating basic wireframes to explore various layout combinations and navigation designs. Making the user onboarding smooth and improving the user registration with profile setup to deliver a superior user experience was the main priority.

Prototype

From concept to clarity: High-Fidelity Wireframes

After validating the core ideas through low-fidelity wireframes and user testing, I proceeded to create high-fidelity designs that refined the app’s layout, visual hierarchy, and interface consistency. The result: a seamless, user-friendly experience across four key screens: home dashboard, real-time parking availability, navigation, and booking/payment. Every element was designed to guide the user intuitively, reducing friction and making key actions clear and accessible

Testing

Usability testing

Conducted usability testing with 5 participants

Focused on key tasks: parking search and reservation flow

Gathered qualitative feedback to identify usability issues and improvement opportunities

Used the think-aloud method to understand user thought processes

Scenario 1: Searching for available parking


User feedback:


  • The clock button was hard to find; users didn’t intuitively know they had to open it to select a time


  • Closing the clock tab after setting the time felt unintuitive


  • Location pin caused confusion; users initially thought it marked the selected parking lot, not their own location

Solution:


  • Redesigned app flow to improve intuitiveness and reduce confusion


  • Moved the clock tab below the search bar for more natural access


  • Enhanced location pin with subtle shadow for clearer user orientation

Before

After

Scenario 2: No parking availability


User feedback:


  • The parking unavailability message lacked visibility, causing users to pause and interpret the screen before continuing


  • Flow inconsistency: After changing the time and clicking “Check Availability,” users were taken directly to the parking detail view instead of first seeing the map and summary, making them feel disoriented

Solution:


  • Updated the unavailability message to make it more noticeable and easier to understand


  • Redesigned the flow after clicking “Search Parking Available” by adding an intermediate screen that lets users choose between viewing details or proceeding directly to booking

Before

After

Results

The improvements based on usability testing led to:


  • Smoother and more intuitive navigation


  • Greater clarity in system feedback


  • Reduced user frustration and increased confidence while interacting with the app

“Now I know exactly where I am and if there’s a spot — it feels like the app is guiding me.”

“Now I know exactly where I am and if there’s a spot — it feels like the app is guiding me.”

View Final Prototype

Conducted usability testing with 5 participants

Focused on key tasks: parking search and reservation flow

Gathered qualitative feedback to identify usability issues and improvement opportunities

Used the think-aloud method to understand user thought processes

Key Takeaways

This project reinforced how essential user research is to meaningful design.


While I started with an initial idea, direct insights from users revealed deeper frustrations and unexpected pain points that reshaped the solution. Listening closely to real user experiences allowed me to move beyond assumptions and design a product that truly addresses their needs.


Empathy and adaptability became the driving forces behind creating a more relevant and impactful solution

Every conversation with a user is a window into their world. True design happens when we let their needs, not our ideas, lead the way.