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Up The Road is an experimental mobile app and progressive web app (PWA) that I started creating as a response to the pandemic. The business idea came to me when I was hearing about local mom and pop shops needing to take out PPP loans or being forced to close while the large box stores and chains were thriving. As someone who worked at a mom and pop pet store and supports shopping small, I knew there was something needed to help connect communities with local businesses.
The idea has gone through multiple iterations after each round of research I performed. I spoke with and surveyed owners of small businesses to discover their pain points in relation to their digital presence outside of a website. I also researched how consumers perceive small businesses and what they think of current solutions like Yelp and Google Maps. With my insights, I knew I could build a platform exclusive to local businesses—no large chains allowed.
This business and app are both a work in progress and I hope it sees the light one day.Note:
This is the only non-professional project in my portfolio.
Research
Interviews
Wireframes
Usability Testing
IA
One of the largest complaints I heard about in my research surrounded the topic of reviews. Consumers were weary of their authenticity, but still looked through them, while business owners were on the fence. They can help consumers view the business from a peer’s perspective, but they’re also easy to manipulate by competitors and people who were never even customers. Not to mention they bring a lot of stress to owners (whether they liked them or not).
A differentiator for this platform is its lack of reviews. This is able to put all businesses on a level playing field where they can earn credibility badges. Consumers could be more open to exploring new places instead of disregarding them by a single bad review. The execution still has its kinks, but with some additional testing, it can be a new way to build brand trust.
Hint Text: Click the Figma logo to open the prototype in a new tab. including mockups. Or don't, I'm not your real dad.
Although this side gig is on pause, I intend to return to it and see where it goes. I have a lot of ideas on how to make it even better and would love to launch a MUP (minimum usable product) soon.
This is also being used as a way to learn mobile app design. Due to the nature of the work at the agencies I’ve worked for, I have not had the chance to do this in a professional setting. By building this platform, I intend to learn the capabilities and restrictions of native mobile.
