WolfPack is a group movement and travel software that offers route planning and navigation on web and mobile platforms. WolfPack is interested in expanding their software to the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms. The target demographic of WolfPack is motorcyclists. I was the designer in charge of porting the WolfPack experience to the Apple CarPlay platform. I worked with one product manager, one engineer, and the CEO of WolfPack.
The Wolfpack team was interested in bringing their application to motorcycles with built in infotainment systems. Part of the research I conducted identified the number of motorcycle models which featured infotainment systems, and of those infotainment systems, which supported Apple CarPlay and/or Android Auto. I looked at 207 motorcycle models from the 2022 lineups of major brands and found the following results. This information helped the team justify spending development time on a new platform, starting with Apple CarPlay.
Motorcycle models with Apple CarPlay and/or Android Auto
13%
Have CarPlay
I analyzed 3 of the most popular navigation apps on Apple CarPlay - looking both at the navigational hierarchy and UI components/patterns for inspiration.
Apple Maps
Google Maps
Waze
Apple provides a few options for UI navigation which were visible in the sample applications researched.
Apple's design guidelines are very prescriptive and its limitations were helpful constraints when deciding which UI components to use and when.
To outline all the necessary functionality I created a simple flow diagram of the main tasks the user can do.
Once the flow diagram was established, I started creating the low fidelity wireframes of the main flows.
I connected my high fidelity designs into a clickable prototype. This helped me get feedback from users and the internal team.
WolfPack CarPlay on a Honda Goldwing
During the project, I managed to evaluate the market, create low fidelity wireframes, and connect them into a prototype at a higher fidelity. My designs went through several iterations before they were developed and WolfPack for Apple CarPlay was launched in July 2022.
