Research revealed how frequently pedestrians are forced into reactive decisions, while testing showed that a real-time, community-powered solution can drive immediate adoption, engagement, and trust.
Adoption: 86% task success rate in usability testing, indicating strong completion of core flows
Confidence: 4.57/5 ease-of-use rating, reflecting high perceived usability and trust
Engagement: 71% identified filtering as most valuable feature, showing user alignment with the core value proposition
Data quality potential: 85% willing to contribute real-time reports, indicating strong willingness to generate community data
Market gap: 70% believe current maps don’t reflect sidewalk conditions, reinforcing need for more accurate pedestrian navigation tools
86%
Success Rate
4.57/5.00
Ease of Use
70%
Market Gap
IMPACT
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
INSIGHT
EVIDENCE
Current leaders are fragmented. Waze is driving-only. SeeClickFix is reporting-only. Others don’t integrate real-time sidewalk travel conditions.
Scope Limitations Create Opportunity
Key Market Gap
No existing tool combines pedestrian navigation, real-time safety reporting, accessibility, and community engagement into a single experience.
Waze leads in real-time updates but is car-focused, while Google Maps and Route4U offer limited or slow pedestrian-relevant obstruction reporting.
Tools like Route4U and Transit App offer strong accessibility controls, but none combine them with real-time pedestrian obstacle data.
Real-Time Data is Incomplete
Inconsistent Accessibility
A competitive audit was first conducted to understand how existing tools approach pedestrian navigation and where they fall short.
The audit revealed a fragmented landscape where elements of accessibility, real-time reporting, and navigation exist in isolation, but no product brings them together for pedestrians navigating real sidewalk conditions.
Prettypath
Re-imagining Pedestrian Navigation:
Making walking safer and more accessible for everyone
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Urban pedestrians constantly encounter unsafe and obstructed sidewalks, making split-second decisions without reliable, real-time guidance for whats ahead. Current navigation tools are disconnected from what’s actually happening on the ground.
Problem
I designed Prettypath as a community-powered navigation tool that helps pedestrians avoid obstacles using real-time, user-generated data.
Solution
Principal User Researcher and UX Designer
Discovery Research, Interaction, Visual Design, Prototyping and Testing
My Role
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
How do users currently navigate around obstructions, and what pain points exist in those strategies?
What accessibility concerns should be addressed?
What types of real-tizme or community-driven data would users trust and find helpful?
Research Questions
Key Insights
49% reported meaningful sidewalk obstructions within a typical month, indicating disruptions are routine rather than occasional
70% felt that current navigation tools fail to reflect real sidewalk conditions, revealing a gap between mapped routes and lived experience
85% expressed willingness to contribute real-time reports, signaling openness to a more participatory navigation model
Frequent Obstructions
Navigation Accuracy Gap
Contributor Readiness
49%
70%
85%
Together, these findings revealed that the problem wasn’t just lack of information—it was the absence of timely, grounded context at the moment decisions are made. This shaped how I approached designing the experience.
To understand how pedestrians actually navigate city walkways, what obstacles and obstructions they face, and how that experience can be improved.
Objective
41 pedestrians were interviewed through online surveys
Recruited a diverse mix of ages, households, and walking frequencies
Focused on real-world sidewalk navigation and obstruction scenarios
Synthesized findings to surface behavior patterns and opportunity areas
Methodology
I wanted to understand how pedestrians use mapping tools, what they need from them, and where existing tools fall short. User research helped uncover the behaviors and unmet needs that shaped Prettypath.
PERSONA
Through research, I identified common patterns among target users and synthesized them into a representative persona whose daily routines depend on transit through the city. This persona became a lens for evaluating design decisions throughout the process.
Efficiency: Wants the quickest, least-disruptive route to destinations.
Comfort & Safety: Prefers paths that are well-lit, clear, and less congested.
Contribution: Likes to give feedback to improve city life and help others avoid issues.
MOTIVATIONS
Encountering unexpected obstructions (trash, construction) that force sudden detours.
Lack of reliable, real-time info about sidewalk conditions.
Frustration when walking apps don’t reflect the actual pedestrian experience.
PAIN POINTS
Walks multiple times per day for mixed purposes (commuting, errands, leisure).
Occasionally reports civic issues through city apps or social media.
Adopts new tech quickly—especially if it feels community-driven and practical.
BEHAVIOR PATTERNS
Persona:
The Active Urban Walker
Name:
Jordan Reyes
Age:
34
Occupation:
Marketing Manager (Hybrid Work)
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
Household:
Shares an apartment with one roommate
Journey Mapping
I mapped the happy path of the pedestrian’s journey with PrettyPath to understand their experience before, during, and after a walk. This helped identify opportunities to better support users as they navigate, respond to obstructions, and contribute to the community.
I mapped PrettyPath’s core user flows to define how pedestrians would discover, avoid, and report sidewalk obstructions. This helped establish the product’s core loop and guide the structure of the navigation and reporting experiences.
The IA was drafted to create a clear, streamlined structure that keeps Prettypath’s core navigation and reporting tasks easy to find and repeat.
Awareness
Engagement
Adoption
Usage
Ongoing convenience.
apprehensive
curious
User Actions
User Goal
Experience
User receives a push notification about a nearby obstruction, or notices a nearby obstruction.
User opens the app.
User interacts with the system:
If avoiding: they select an alternate clear route.
If reporting: they pin the obstruction, add a short note/photo, and submit.
The interface confirms success (“Obstruction reported” / “Route updated”).
User benefits immediately:
Avoids delays and hazards.
Feels their contribution helps others.
Stay safe / informed. (Help others do the same.
Find or share path info.
Save time / contribute to community.
relieved
content
empowered
Saved routes
Map (Home)
Report
Profile
Settings
Search/Nav
Route options
Active Navigation
Detail input
Type selection
Confirmation
Preferences
History
Push notification:
Obstruction nearby
Option to view map
or ignore
Selects view map
Map displays
obstructions in the
vicinity
Option to select’
clean / clear path
User chooses clear
route, avoids,
obstruction, &
saves time
Navigation Flow
User encounters
a patch of ice
rendering sidewalk
impassible
User opens app
Selects report
Selects location,
problem, & adds
photo
Other users view
the report & avoid
the obstruction
Reporting Flow
The navigation flow focuses on fast comprehension and minimal interaction.
The reporting flow reduces friction so contributing feels quick and worthwhile.
Together, these flows reinforce each other: users alternate between benefiting from and improving the system.
Map (Home) is the hub for all key actions.
Features are grouped into four simple areas:
Search/Nav: route planning and active navigation
Report: quick obstacle submission and confirmation
Profile: history, saved routes, and preferences
Settings: personalization and controls
This architecture prioritizes clarity, speed, and repeat use. The most important actions are always one tap away.
User Flows
Information Architecture
User receives a notification or opens the app to view nearby obstacles and plan a safe route.
Before walking
They view the map to avoid hazards or quickly report new ones.
During walk
Users save time, feel safer, and contribute to safer routes for others—reinforcing ongoing use.
After walking
DESIGN EXPLORATION
Initial concept sketches translate design principles into user interactions. I explored different layouts for navigation, reporting, and discovery to identify patterns that best supported fast decision-making with minimal user effort.
Sketches
}
I translated research insights into design recommendations, then used them as guidance to explore and refine ideas through sketches and wireframes. Each stage helped narrow the project direction, turning broad concepts into actual interactions.
INSIGHT
EVIDENCE
RECOMMENDATION
Reactive Coping Patterns
Most users “detour on the fly” or briefly walk in the street
Design Anticipatory Guidance Systems (notifications, predictive routing...)
Frequent Walking Barriers
Pedestrians regularly encounter trash, damaged pavement, and parked scooters.
Enable Predictive, Real-Time Navigation
Peer Data Trust
Users trust and prefer peer-generated insights over official data.
Build a Community-Driven Reporting Ecosystem
Safety & Accessibility
Concerns like poor lighting and uneven surfaces affect all walkers
Emphasize Safe Paths
Map Blind Spots
70% agree that current map apps don’t reflect real sidewalk conditions, a major gap between digital and physical reality.
Create Hyper-Local, Trustworthy Map Layers
Low Fidelity
ITERATION
I used the findings from usability testing to refine the experience, reducing friction and better aligning the design with users’ mental models. The iteration focused on making reporting faster, map interactions clearer, and filtering more flexible.
!
!
!
Search Map
View Nearby Issues
!
Report
!
!
!
Accessibility
Wheelchair Accessible
Avoid Stairs
Smooth Pavement
Curb Cuts
Audio Signal Crossing
Experience
Quiet Routes Preferred
Saftety
High Visibility (Avoid poorly lit streets.)
Pedestrian Only Paths
Avoid Obstructions
Signalized Crossing only
Marked Crosswalks Preferred
Avoid High Traffic Areas
Avoid Busy Intersections
Save Settings
ALL FILTERS
REPORT
72 Rose Lane
Location:
Submit
Upload Photo
Obstruction
Accessibility Issue
Cleaniness Issue
Temporary Hazard
Problem:
Notes:
Broken glass and trash covering most of the sidewalk.”
Severity:
Low
High
Medium
Current location detected
Tappable map markers: Hazard icons now open an obstruction overlay directly, aligning with user expectations for map interaction.
Additional filters: Added a Quiet Routes preference to reflect user-requested route personalization.
Streamlined reporting: Location, problem type, and details are consolidated into a single screen.
Result:
More personalized routes
Result:
Faster access to issue details
Result:
Easier to report
USABILITY TESTING
HEADING TOP MARGIN
To validate the prototypes core flows: finding nearby issues, filtering routes, and reporting obstacles.
Objective
15 participant completed an unmoderated usability test
Methodology
User Quotes
Key Insights
Filters emerged as the strongest value. 70% chose them as most useful.
70% said they would report real-world issues
Reporting flow had the highest friction and misclick rate
Requests for new filters, including quieter routes
Valued Filters
Report Contributions
Reporting Flow Friction
70%
70%
40%
These insights directly shape the next iteration, focusing on simplifying reporting, improving map interaction, and adding filtering options.
Participants revealed moments of friction:
“I was clicking the icon on the map before the actual button — I think it should work both ways!”
“It would be better if I didn’t need to scroll to see certain features.”
I tested the prototype to validate the usability of Prettypath’s core navigation and reporting flows and uncover opportunities for improvement.
RETROSPECTIVE
Switching between research & design: Working solo strengthened my ability to move between divergent research and convergent design thinking while maintaining scope.
From broad findings to focused flows: I synthesized broad early discoveries into a simple core experience aligned with users’ mental models and designed to reduce cognitive load.
Designing for measurable usability: I prioritized clarity, efficiency, and low-friction interaction to support KPIs such as task success, time on task, error reduction, and perceived ease of use.
PROTOTYPE
I transformed research insights and design principles into a testable prototype to validate how the core experience could support fast, low-friction navigation and reporting.
!
!
!
Accessibility
Wheelchair Accessible
Avoid Stairs
Smooth Pavement
Curb Cuts
Audio Signal Crossing
Cleanliness
Clean Streets Preferred
Saftety
High Visibility (Avoid poorly lit streets.)
Pedestrian Only Paths
Avoid Obstructions
Signalized Crossing only
Marked Crosswalks Preferred
Avoid High Traffic Areas
Avoid Busy Intersections
Save Settings
All Filters
!
!
!
Search Map
View Nearby Issues
!
Report
Enter Location
Current Location
Or
Report
Select Location:
Next
Report
Enter Details:
Severity:
Severity:
Is this an Accessibility issue?
Is this an Accessibility issue?
Notes:
Yes
No
Unsure
Yes
No
Unsure
Upload Photo
Minor
Severe
Minor
Severe
Sidewalk is blocked by construction.
Submit
Map as the hub: reflects research showing users want immediate, scannable safety info.
Two clear paths: browse or report, translating the consume/contribute symbiosis identified in research.
Low-friction contribution: short steps with immediate confirmation.
Progressive disclosure: optional details balance fast reporting with useful community data.
Filter Personalization: Routes can be quickly tailored to match each user’s accessibility, safety, and comfort preferences.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How might we help regular urban pedestrians navigate unpredictable sidewalk conditions with greater confidence and less disruption?
Prettypath was designed as a pedestrian navigation tool that combines reports of sidewalk conditions with route guidance, helping users identify safer, more accessible paths before and during their journeys.
Drive adoption through safer, more informed pedestrian navigation.
BUSINESS GOAL
Regular urban pedestrians, especially those who prioritize accessibility, safety, and predictable routes.
TARGET USER
Users can identify and navigate a route that best meets their needs for safety, accessibility, and efficiency.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
I translated early concepts into functional flows, prioritizing visibility of key actions, simplified reporting, and intuitive map interactions to support real-world usage.
Wireframes
Search Map
!
Nearby Issues
2 mi
0.25 mi
Cleanliness
Obstruction /
(150 ft away)
Severe obstruction
“Dumpster blocking pedestrian path”
Reported at 3 hrs ago
Add an update
Search Map
View Nearby Issues
!
Report
!
!
!
Accessibility
Wheelchair Accessible
Avoid Stairs
Smooth Pavement
Curb Cuts
Audio Signal Crossing
Cleanliness
Clean Streets Preferred
Saftety
High Visibility (Avoid poorly lit streets.)
Pedestrian Only Paths
Avoid Obstructions
Signalized Crossing only
Marked Crosswalks Preferred
Avoid High Traffic Areas
Avoid Busy Intersections
Save Settings
All Filters
Search Map
Recent
Saved
Got it!
We’ve shared this with nearby walkers.
Username
View Profile
Saved
Report
History
Settings
Help
Enter Location
Current Location
Or
Report
Select Location:
Next
Obstruction
Accessibility Issue
Cleaniness Issue
Temporary Hazard
Report
Select Problem:
Next
Report
Enter Details:
Severity:
Is this an Accessibility issue?
Notes:
Yes
No
Unsure
Upload Photo
Minor
Severe
Broken glass and trash covering most of the sidewalk.”
Submit
{