Waymo Landing Page
Redesigned Waymo's UI and brand to appeal to younger audience in preparation for their transition to a commercial entity and San Francisco launch.
Team
UMA Design Team, Waymo's Design Team
DELIVERABLES
High-Fidelity Prototype
Year
Spring 2023
Role
UX Design Consultant
I Introductions
Waymo
Waymo is a self-driving technology company that was undergoing a transition from an R&D-focused firm to a commercial entity, which required a comprehensive reevaluation of its overall user experience and brand identity.
Problem
The transition from R&D to a commercial entity necessitates a comprehensive reevaluation of its overall user experience and brand identity to align with its new commercial goals and appeal to a broader market. The original state, likely geared towards research, was not effectively communicating its commercial value or attracting the next generation of users. Specifically, the current homepage UI/UX lacks the commercial appeal needed for this transition.
How might we redesign Waymo's homepage to enhance its commercial appeal and effectively target the next generation?
This is a project overview of my learning experience as project details are under NDA.
II Research
This project had a robust research phase focusing on user surveys and competitor analysis. User surveys (300+) focused on Gen Z's sentiment analysis and interaction with Waymo's landing page user interface. Additionally, the client had requested a heavy emphasis on competitor analysis across brand positioning, personality, visual and verbal identity, and advertising strategy. Our goal was to identify unique differentiation opportunities for Waymo.
Key findings emphasized leveraging Waymo's long history and trusted Google origin for marketing credibility. Additionally, survey results revealed Gen Z's excitement for the expanding self-driving vehicle market, with safety and reliability being their primary considerations when choosing a vehicle.
III Design
Solution
Based on our research, we developed low-fidelity prototypes outlining a recommended content strategy focused on:
Emphasizing Waymo's credibility through its model evolution.
Visualizing the Waymo vehicle interior for enhanced user experience understanding.
Highlighting Waymo's safety statistics.
Incorporating interactive content and user testimonials.
Process
Following client feedback on our low-fidelity recommendations, we developed a comprehensive landing page UX prototype incorporating the aforementioned points. The primary challenge was strategically positioning text and content to address user skepticism towards self-driving technology and bridge the gap between new-generation users and this innovation.
IV Reflection
This project was very exciting because it was in the autonomous automobile industry. Exploring and researching this sector provided me with insights into the future landscape of the automotive industry.
Rebranding for self-driving car service
It was challenging to reshape perceptions around this cutting-edge technology often deemed "not safe." The primary hurdle was to make autonomous driving technology more approachable and acceptable to the emerging generation of users. Successfully rebranding Waymo required more than just a visual transformation; it demanded the establishment of a new norm. The goal was to shape a narrative that would encourage users to perceive self-driving car services positively. This involved not only addressing concerns about safety but also fostering a sense of trust and familiarity.