Born to Fulfill: GasXPress Emerged During the Pandemic to Meet Essential Gas Needs.
Overview
GasXPress is a groundbreaking mobile app that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the high demand for gas cylinders, a top essential item in Sri Lanka used in every household daily.
Remarkably, prior to the development of GasXPress, there was no app available across the entire island for ordering gas cylinders to your doorstep. In an impressive feat, this app was conceptualized, developed, and launched within just 14 days, demonstrating its agility and responsiveness to the urgent needs of the community. Developed during the lockdown period, GasXPress not only digitalizes the gas ordering process but also plays a vital role in maintaining a safe situation during these challenging times.
Timeline
March 2020 (3 Weeks)
Tools
Sketch / Illustrator / Ionic
My Contribution
It wasn’t just another design project. With the onset of the pandemic, everyone was under pressure to keep their households running smoothly. I am glad to have been a part of this mission, contributing to the community.”
Research
- I have analyzed current delivery systems such as Uber Eats, Pick Me, Pizza Hut, and some other local supermarket online systems.
- I have identified customer needs through customer interviews.
Ideation & Design
- Creation of Designs – As we were working within a limited timeframe, we did not have the time to complete a full design cycle.
Front-end Implementation
- Front-end implementation using Ionic framework.
- UI testing to assure device friendliness.
Data and analytics
- Snap testing with the interviewed users to validate
User Interviews
Due to the urgency of releasing the application, we were short on time and didn’t have enough for in-depth research. However, I didn’t want to overlook the users’ needs. Therefore, I reached out to friends and family to understand their situation, as it was a common issue in households.
Question #1: whats the biggest pain point when ordering a gas cylinder?
Question #2: how familiar are you with online ordering? Uber eats or Pick Me?
Answer #1:
I have to call the dealer multiple times before I’m able to place the order, and most of the time, there’s no way to know how quickly they will deliver.
Answer #2:
I don’t have a smartphone, but my children and grandchildren can help me with it.
Manel Fernando
77 Years
Answer #1:
At times, I have to wait until the next day for a gas cylinder to be delivered, and the store does not inform me of the proper timing.
Answer #2:
I don’t use Uber Eats, but I can manage if it’s easy
50 Years
Answer #1:
The waiting time to get a gas cylinder is a hassle. Sometimes it’s hard for drivers to find my house, and they roam around the neighborhood before locating me.
Answer #2:
It would be nice if there were a way to track them and communicate. Anything beyond phone calls and waiting would be great.
28 Years
Answer #1:
My biggest hassle is sending a gas cylinder to my mom. It’s hard to give users instructions over the phone about the location.
Answer #2:
I am already familiar with Uber and PickMe ordering, so it would be smooth to maintain the same ordering process.
43 Years
Problem Statement
In my user interviews, I was able to narrow down two main problems:
Problem #1: People are unable to know when the gas cylinder will be delivered and also don’t know the riders’ locations in case they need additional information.
Problem #2: Not all users are familiar with online ordering or
Userflow
The app aims to provide a great user experience to its users by providing real-time delivery details once the order is placed. The design for the delivery screen focuses on facilitating both the real-time location of the delivery rider and the current status of the order.
The UI elements and their arrangement also give an indication of the current progress of the order through blinking elements that progress in real time as the order statuses advance.
3 Step Ordering Process
We designed a complete mobile ordering platform with an easy-to-use 3-step ordering process. Customers can easily place an order by tagging their location, and the system will assign it to available riders and facilitate the delivery.
Outcome / Results
Over the first couple of weeks, more than 500 gas cylinders have been delivered to different households.
#Problem 1: Shop owners did not have enough stock to meet all the demand.
#Problem 2: There were not enough riders to ensure delivery within a shorter time frame.
#Problem 3: Local authorities requested the shutdown of the application because there was a government-approved alternative.