Pelayo Couceiro
Nov 16, 2023
During the past months of September and October, I had the opportunity to visit some of the cities where Cabify operates globally. Thanks to the development of a strategic project within the company, I've been able to see with my own eyes the problems and the real context of the audience for whom I design—the drivers.
I've spent several weeks traveling between Madrid, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, and Bogotá, listening to the concerns of more than 70 drivers and working together with them to shape the future of the Driver's app.
In the following lines, I want to share with you some of the learnings I've learned in the project as a Digital Product Designer:
Beyond words: Living the experience firsthand.
The first significant lesson from this journey was that there is no comparison between hearing a story and living it firsthand. I've always been aware that Cabify's operations vary greatly in each city, but it's challenging to internalize those words until you can see it with your own eyes. Cities are living organisms, full of cultural, social, and environmental nuances that can only be grasped by immersing oneself in their day-to-day life. From the chaotic streets of Buenos Aires to the serenity of Santiago de Chile and the vitality of Bogotá.
Being able to experience the daily lives of the drivers, understanding their problems, challenges, and joys, allowed my approach as a designer to be enriched with a broader and more authentic perspective of reality.
Behind the data: What numbers don't tell.
In the world of digital product design, we often rely on data to understand the reality of users and to guide our decisions. However, this journey reminded me that data is only one part of the equation. Personal stories, experiences, and individual circumstances provide a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the situation.
Speaking face-to-face with drivers has helped me perceive nuances, which if I had not been able to be there, I would never be able to fully understand. This is something that has completely blown my mind and unlocked a design sensibility in me.
Unlocking perspectives: Design with your audience.
This is one of the most enriching and beautiful points I've experienced as a designer. I've always believed in the importance of designing close to the problem, alongside the person experiencing it. As designers, our purpose goes beyond aesthetics and functionality. We must cultivate empathy and immerse ourselves in the user's experience to create innovative solutions.
Close collaboration with drivers not only enriches the user experience, but also gives a sense of co-ownership and co-creation in every aspect of the app, each from a different angle but with a common mission. The result of these sessions with drivers could be summarized in this comment from a driver in Bogota:
”Thank you for hosting this kind of talks, it makes us drivers feel heard and we can contribute to improving the application.”
Driver from Bogotá
Elevating design: The synergy of User Research and Product Design teams
The last learning I want to share is the importance of collaboration between teams closely involved in understanding the problem. Having a User Research team in sync with the Digital Product Design team enhances the effectiveness of any project. Data collection, on-site observations, and iterative design seamlessly come together when both teams work side by side.
This combination not only optimizes the design process but also ensures that the proposed solutions are robust and supported by a deep understanding of the real needs of users.
In summary, this trip was much more than a series of conversations. It was a total immersion into the reality of those who use the Cabify Drivers' app. Furthermore, this experience has strengthened my passion to continue contributing to the world through design.
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