Guru is a rideshare program designed specifically for the students of Little Black Pearl. LBP is a CPS school serving neighborhoods on Chicago’s south side that focuses on countering the challenges urban youth face by providing a safe environment where students learn lifelong skills through the expression of the arts. The ride share program provides safe transportation to and from school for students, while working to combat school truancy and support families who cannot afford public transportation.
I was brought in after the conclusion of research to lead the interaction and visual design of the native mobile application experience.
“At Little Black Pearl (LBP) we commit ourselves each day to achieving success for all children by empowering them to envision and achieve their unique potential through art and entrepreneurship.”
- Little Black Pearl’s Mission
the goal of the application was to…
1 Provide safe transportation for students to and from school
2 Facilitate social connections and relationship building amongst the drivers and students
3 Foster mentor-mentee relationship building with industry partners
4 Help students meet academic goals
At the end of the design process, 4 different experiences were to be handed over to development...
Students of Little Black Pearl
Students needed to be able to schedule rides as part of the rideshare program and engage with the Guru community through sharing their artistic expressions.
Parents or Guardians of students
Guardians were to be kept updated on students’ location while in a ride, schedule rides for student, and build trust with the guru drivers through bios.Mentor / Driver
Drivers are instructors at LBP. Must have the ability to coordinate rides, track earnings, and engage with the Guru community through their art share feed.
School Administrators
Administrators need the ability to track cars, provider updates, approve and delete profiles and registration requests, etc.
where it started
Knowing that students needed access to safe transportation to safeguard them during the vulnerable outside of school hours
Little Black Pearl counters the challenges urban youth face by providing a safe environment, access to positive role models, rigorous programming, skills development activities and social growth opportunities. But the reach of the LBP needed to extend beyond the classroom walls to provide the needed resources and encouragement for students to expand their learning through artistic outlets and pursue their academic ambitions.
Early wireframe iterations mapping out the perspective of a student waiting for their ride
where it ended
A student-focused experience that fosters artistic growth and healthy relationships
Guru rides aims to combat school truancy, support families who lack funds for public transportation, and address the issues of safe travel across neighborhoods by allowing students to use a vetted ride in order to receive high quality school and after school programming. While taking these rides, Guru hopes to serve as a mentorship program. Behind the wheels are trusted adults that will provide a listening ear and guidance, and help build students’ self-esteem and sense of responsibility. Mentors can also provide emotional support, advice, and guidance about subjects that students might feel uncomfortable or fearful discussing.
See who is driving and who is riding along.
Students can now be prepared for their weekly schedules. No more worrying if you will make it to school on time. Having the peace of mind that a safe ride will pick them up allows them to spend more time on their art and studies.
Create + share to foster creativity.
At Little Black Pearl, students are encouraged to openly explore, express and challenge their ideas and feelings through art. The combination of art and community bring out innate talents and shows students the value of their creative outputs. Sharing through the application, mentors are able to build on relationships with students that fosters growth through a common bond.
Engage + enrich by being present.
Guru allows drivers to be fully immersive and in control. They can set their own schedule, approve or deny rides to fit their work-life balance, and also share their work within the Guru community.
Get to school on time and safely.
The allows for students of all grade levels to easily and safely interact with the interface. Rides can be requested only from pre-registered and approved location to ensure students are where they are suppose to be. Providing rides to and from school gives families a safe and free alternative to public transportation whose costs can often be burdensome.
Peace of mind for students’ guardians.
Students are only allowed to be picked up and dropped off at pre-approved locations. All locations must be approved by a guardian. This not only ensures that students are only be dropped off at safe locations, but also reduces the chance of users abusing the rideshare system by holding them accountable.
Drivers can manage their schedules and learn about their students.
Drivers provide positive role models for the students. Drivers, as educators at the school, volunteer to take part in this program. It is a true testament to their commitment to the students’ futures. Drivers can view students portfolios beforehand for talking points to prompt natural engagement.
Research conducted on this project was completed by graduate students at DePaul University.
Visual & Interaction Design: Christanne Siamas
Research, User Testing & Project Management: Dr. Sheena Erete