This product was born within the New Products team, which explored and pitched new products and services for the automotive category with high market and usability values.

Safe meeting is a product/service that was built in order to bring more safety to the offline stage of negotiation in the process of vehicle purchasing. It’s a compilation of tools that will ease the online process and mitigate risks in the physical meetup between sellers and potential buyers.

I collaborated with three other designers for four months during the Research and Experience phase and then worked independently for an additional two months to focus on designing the user interface.

After conducting the Q3.20 annual qualitative research, which aimed to identify challenges and opportunities within the OLX autos journey, the research team found that all 21 users interviewed (10 buyers and 11 sellers) expressed concerns about their safety during physical visits to view and show vehicles, and requested assistance in reducing the associated risks.

It became clear that something needed to be done.

How might we mitigate risks in the physical meetup stage while offering tools for users to feel safe within and off the platform in a simple and practical way?

Product designer. Day-to-day with New Products and Value Added Services teams (Design, Data, Product and Engineering) and Design QA.

Role

Reduction of scamming, fraud, and dishonesty. Increase platform credibility—wider perception of safety.

Goals

I collaborated with three other designers during the discovery phase. In Q3.2020,  the research team conducted the annual qualitative research, uncovering user motivations, pain points, and behaviors. 

The first draft was launched using a Hotjar link across multiple vehicle adviews on the platform, which redirected users to an unmoderated usability test at Maze. 

From 875 responses, we created clear, achievable goals:

Goal - Develop an internal product that enhances practicality in the online process and improves safety during offline negotiations (physical encounters). 

 Desired outcomes - Reduce scamming, fraud, and dishonesty while enhancing platform credibility and perception of safety.


Tools I Used

Hotjar

Maze

Miro

Figma

Confluence

Jira

Skills I Used

Data Analysis

Competitive Research

Experience Mapping

UX Writing

Information Architecture

Mobile Applications

Interaction Design

Prototyping

Documentation

Identifying the problems (business perspective)

Concept stage

The designers responsible for the initiative created a 1st draft in order to prove its value in an unmoderated usability test 
yet to come.

Building a first draft

The process started with a desk research, which crossed references from direct and indirect competitors with similar solutions. 

Desk research

Research process

Then, a journey map was set up for the buyer and the seller as a way to understand the steps of users using the product.

Journey map

With the help of Hotjar, we used a feedback button on the autos listing that contained a link leading to testing this new product. We summarized what it was all about, and then users were taken through an initial test run on the Maze platform.

Unmoderated usability test

The V1 went to my team after the first unmoderated usability test with maze. I then analyzed user response and suggestions to the tasks proposed, and the next step would be to refine the UI, improving the experience and build a roadmap that would lead us to prioritize deliveries. 

Report analyzes

Principles

Outcomes

Refinement of UI - Final draft

Set of 5 principles used to structure the project.

Local - It’s about meeting people at safer places close to you
Mobile - It’s location-based and optimized for use on the go
Safe - Public locations with safety features for the meetup (surveillance, etc)
Active - Focus on getting people engaged in a more safe and effective negotiation
Simple - Ease the online process (scheduling place, date, time and chat features)

Based on the insights collected during the autos annual qualitative research, desk research and report analyzes, 3 core opportunities emerged.

01. Assistance in choosing the best place to meet
02. Mitigating risks in the offline stage
03. Online stages and communication

Assistance in choosing the best place to meet

Users have their own habits of searching and choosing locations to meet, but the timing wasn’t always right, as often one part or the other was only available on this day or that location, which ended up making their security criteria irrelevant, as they were not put into practice.

"This worries me (theft, etc) if I need to show or receive someone I have to have security (personal) and local too, it can even be in my condo, in the garage. I am not afraid to receive in my condo, because is very safe."

Corte 01 - Safe meeting.mp4

Using an interactive map with colorful pins, we ensured the user would focus on finding the safest meeting points for encounters according to their filter specifications.

Each location provides essential information, such as address, distance, and verified experience from other users, enhancing the overall perception of safety.

Corte 02 - Safe meeting.mp4

The filter page allows users to choose from four types of places, set a maximum distance range, and see top-rated meetup places according to user feedback.

While users know the risks associated with physical meetups, they often rely on their safety measures, such as bringing along someone they trust or scheduling meetings in familiar and public spaces. However, despite the awareness, many individuals overlook evaluating the entire situation, which can be dangerous.

“Once I had a sale at my front door and you meet every kind of person that you don't feel comfortable. Now I book at the mall (where I work), which has a lot of security.”

“I went with my husband. Since he understood more, he went. He drove the car. The car didn't make any noise, the gears were ok. He opened the hood, looked at the engine and everything. it was fine. We were safe.”

The location page addresses services that mitigate risks, enhancing the feeling of security and establishing a reliable connection between users and the product. 

Corte 03 - Safe Meeting.mp4

The choice of locations was strategic, aiming to enhance our product's value by addressing users' lack of basic technical knowledge, which often led to difficulty in identifying potential issues and making informed purchases.

“When I decide to go and buy the car, I will take a mechanic with me for him to do a check-up. My biggest fear is about the veracity of vehicle information."

The safest and most essential step is facilitating communication between buyers and sellers through the platform. We always encourage users to chat through the platform, which is less dangerous than other conversation spaces. 

Corte 04 - Safe Meeting.mp4

By allowing users to go through the process online, such as scheduling a date and time and establishing a conversation with the other party through chat, we ease the process and, consequently, the product's value.

Transparency in communication throughout all stages was a crucial aspect of our approach. A dedicated review page was designed to provide buyers with details about the vehicle of interest and the precise meeting location.

Corte 05 - Safe Meeting.mp4

A real-time feedback system provides relevant information to both parties involved in the meeting, helping to address sudden changes, such as unavailability of dates or times, allowing adjustments.

Corte 06 - Safe Meeting.mp4

Last but not least, sharing the location in real-time with family and friends brings a greater sense of security to those involved, allowing for a more effective negotiation to take place.

The product is due to be released in 2023.2.
Report analysis from 1st unmoderated usability test (875 responses) showed: 

85% - Report lack of platform support in risk mitigation (mobile + desktop)

90% - Product concept approval (mobile + desktop)

Prototipo - Safe Meeting.mp4

Safe Meeting

Multiple projects in which I collaborated as an illustrator and/or graphic designer.

The TIM group ranks among the largest telecommunications companies in Brazil. 

I contributed to the creation of user-centered illustration concepts for several of their digital products, specifically tailored for a blog format.

Creation of 6 illustrations for the Illustrated project titled "Redesigning Dyslexia" for the Design Management and Cultures undergraduate course from London College of Communication.

Creation of a visual identity for Bike Box, a specialized brand offering convenient and swift repairs for luxury bicycles and motorcycles within a container.

Logo creation for Join Africa, an app that aims to provide guides with a way to share animals they discover with other guides while providing marketing via a leaderboard and web pages, which also allows conservation/park authorities to better monitor parks by preventing people from speeding, going off car paths, and overcrowding animals.


The logo's concept revolves around guiding and connecting human beings and animals within safe and organized spaces governed by a system of grids. 

The design visually integrates the words, evoking a sense of care and responsibility, emphasizing their interdependence. By incorporating geographic elements and vibrant colors, the logo connects African culture with the idea of a harmonious coexistence — a great place for both humans and animals to thrive. 

The created icon is a simplified logo representation, preserving the same sense of coexistence between humans and animals through a system of grids. Its advantage lies in its ability to be applied to smaller graphic and digital materials without compromising the visualization of the original logo concept. It serves as an iconographic support, maintaining the essence of the message and providing flexibility for various applications. 

In this way, the icon complements the logo, allowing the visual identity to be consistently recognized in different contexts and platforms. 

TIM Brasil

Context

London College of Communication

Context

Bike Box

Context

Join Africa

Context

Logo

Iconography

Personal Illustrations