Nitro Drive
Redesign, Service design, Product design, 2016, Mar–Jul

Digitalisation in driving schools with added value through collected and visualised data

Nitro Drive shows how driving schools and learner drivers can profit from the recording of data. In this project we designed use cases beyond digital learning sheets. The introduction of a companion app during driving lessons supports reflection and feedback.

Overview of the completed driving lessons

ContextMany of us have already been driving students. Do you also remember confirming every (not so) successful driving lesson with your signature? We explored what is possible with current technologies to invent new services for driving schools.

How can we support driving schools by increasing digitalisation?

Challenge The time window in which students will use such an app is limited. The challenge is to create a sustainable system that benefits everyone involved. There is a lack of existing products which required an examination of all participants' touchpoints.

OutcomeThe outcome is a system of three different apps that accompany driving instructors and learner drivers during the whole acquisition of a license. It supports communication by visualising progress and driving lessons, as well as through task-oriented appointment management.

The student's app to keep track of their progress.

Nitro Drive: The companion app during and after the driving lesson.

The teacher's app with contacts and appointments.

Design Research

Existing driving school apps focus primarily on practising for the theoretical driving test.

Market & SWOT AnalysisWe start by comparing competing products in the App Store by using a SWOT analysis to identify undiscovered potential. Most of the apps are touching the surface, focussing solely on learning for the driving theory exam. What do users need beyond the transfer of information from paper to screens?

Teachers and students have different needs. We evaluated them trough interviews, card sorting, personas and user stories.

User needsAlthough our own driving test was quite some time ago, we talked to each other about our experience back then. To understand the perspective of learners today, we conduct interviews with students, driving school owners and teachers. Based on the findings we build personas and used a Kano analysis to evaluate ideas from their point of view.

Being on the road makes it difficult to digest feedback as it is often impossible to stop and reflect.

During a driving lessonI've asked the student for permission to record and observe her driving lesson. The most interesting touchpoints are how the instructor began and ended the lesson and how feedback was given during and after the ride.

Feedback works well if the student has enough time to follow instructions e.g. practising parking in a calm alleyway. Being on a busy road on the other hand makes it difficult to digest feedback as it is often impossible to stop and reflect or repeat the situation. Feedback in sum is given at the end of the lesson and decoupled from the driving experience.

------> We chose a concept which is divided into three parts that roughly equal three phases: Management for the instructor, a shared part whilst driving and track keeping for the students.

Planning phase:
Teacher's app

The nature of the driving teacher's job makes it important that the application is smartphone based. A calendar offers driving teachers an overview of all events. When creating an event it is possible to select the type of driving lesson, as well as the duration and meetup location with the student.

Driving phase:
Shared application

The teacher starts a session for a student and the recording begins. They tag locations and add notes if necessary. At the end of the drive, teacher and student reflect together on mistakes and important events that have been noted during the lesson.

Taking notes during the lesson

When the lesson is over, the students can access their ride data within their app.

Confirming the lesson and giving feedback

Review phase:
Student's application

Unlike existing apps, Nitro accompanies boths parts of learning to drive – the theoretical and the practical one. Beside learning for the theoretical exam the student is able to keep an eye on their progress in driving thanks to shared data with their teacher.