Lyndsey Faye Clark- lfclark@fullsail.edu
Restoration Service Record is a no-frills app that allows users to log a service record for their project vehicles. The application can be used to show the narrative that goes along with the restoration of project cars not only in the physical transformation, but the monetary investment and change in resale value. These before-and-after comparisons are interesting to look at and add another layer of value to collectors that actually care about the vehicles they invest in.
The best app I found to compare to my idea is a version for more modern, every-day vehicles: the myCARFAX app.
Cars can be given nicknames and custom pictures. Users that download this app obviously care about their cars, and would logically enjoy this personalization. Notification numbers/icons are displayed over each car to let the user know what services need attention. The icons are red and obvious: users that would go as far as to download this app would likely want to keep those notifications clear, which makes it a benefit for a repair shop to be in Carfax’s repair network.
Alerts on the car are impossible to ignore. Tapping the services like “Oil Change” gives users the options to select nearby garages in the Carfax network to perform the service. These services are saved in the cars’ Carfax history report: an extended service record improves a car’s resale value.
The mood of the app makes the due notifications seem urgent and unavoidable, and the app offers the service providers seamlessly. Keeping up on your notifications and getting a Carfax approved service extends your vehicle’s service record and affects the car’s resale value- this number is also displayed in the Carfax app.
The app is available for smart watch, phone, and tablet: the features available on each device are appropriate and follow the mobile-first mindset. I was impressed with the amount of functionality they seemed to squeeze into the watch app. The app is designed well for its users in that it offers frills in places that car lovers would want them- like giving your vehicle a profile photo and nickname. It makes it easy to not only remember when to perform maintenance on your vehicle, but on deciding where to do so. It then rewards its users by adding to the vehicle’s resale value.
This app works well for modern vehicles that are used as every day drivers. It does not work for vehicles that are recreational or ones that require restoration and non-traditional maintenance. Restoration Service Record is an app that fills that gap. The app allows its users to keep track of their maintenance and investment with photos, receipts, and documentation
Thoughts
User Goals
- Keep track of investments and home repair of vehicles
- Upload before and after pictures of repairs with dates
- Store parts receipts and keep track of the corresponding service hours
- Keep track of oil changes, tire wear, ect.
- Dated log of BlueBook value in the timeline of repairs and investment
Sitemap
Wireframes
Smart Watch
The purpose of the watch app is primarily to allow the user to access their service record at a glance and to remind themselves to post detailed logs later. The watch app is primarily a read-only utility.
Phones and Tablets
As the line between phones and tablets blur and we enter the era of- dare I say it- phablets, apps need to be treated more and more as web apps are in terms of screen size scaling. This is applicable for Restoration Service Record as users are equally likely to use their phones to log service as they are their tablets and in that the functions of the app are universally simple between the two.
The app allows users to have multiple car profiles. The profiles can be edited and added to on the profile page by selecting the settings gear icon. Users can upload a profile picture- I'm sure it is a point of pride for the standard app user- and their vehicle's title (as in nickname, not pink slip.) The service record is easily accessible and looks and functions the same as it does on the smart watch app, but expanded to fit its larger screen. The log entries are editable on phones and tablets: editing reopens the log entry in its populated log screen. The print button generates the selected vehicle's service record as one PDF document and allows the user to choose how to use it: printing, email, stand-alone viewing, ect.
Design
The goal in the color and font scheme of the app is to be casual and inviting. Icons are soft and hand drawn. Neutral browns are used as the bulk of of the navigation, with a comfortable blue as the primary color and a tangerine color as the accent. The typeface is easily legible and casually italicized.
The service record utilizes color to coordinate data between components of the log. When the service record is exported or printed it is done so through a simple text log, but the application makes good use of graphs and colors to make the information digestible for the user regardless of screen size.
The goal of the app is to allow the user to feel excited about their progress without being overwhelmed by their options. This is a to-the-point application that gives just enough creature comforts to let the user feel at home. These project cars are like a child to some people and are just a paycheck to others: regardless of one's affection, this app will track your progress.
Credits:
Created with images by angelic - "corvette racing car roadster"