DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS
Client Overview:
Don't Mess with Texas is a litter prevention program of The Texas Department of Transportation. It is one of the most universally known and loved social advocacy brands in the world.
Campaign:
“Report a Litterer” Mobile App
Role:
UX, UI, and Visual Design.
The Ask:
From hand-drawn wireframes to clickable prototypes, we were tasked with bringing an analog process of reporting violations into the mobile universe. Updating a trusted method (pen and paper forms ya'll) required a simple, intuitive and safe experience for users.
UX PROCESS
Research.
We interviewed 20 active litter prevention advocates sourced from Don't Mess with Texas page Facebook subscribers.
Competitive Analysis.
There wasn’t a state or government-issued mobile application on the market that assisted advocates in reporting litter violations at the time, so we were working from a blank slate.
Assumptions.
The average "pen and paper" litter prevention advocates were very comfortable with the tried-and-tested process. A mobile app, if not developed purposefully, could frustrate more than empower. We had to get this right the first time.
Persona.
This is Mary Johnson. She is a high-level representation of passionate and dedicated litter prevention advocates.
User Flow.
This is a high-level user flow showing how a user logs an infraction, files in a report, and sends it to TxDot.
Wireframes.
We wavered between using a four-button categorization system and a one-button catch-all reporting method. Below are sketches of the initial designs. Through user testing, we determined that giving the user the ability to categorize the type of infraction up-front ultimately saved them time filing the report to TxDot.
Visual Design
A mix of vintage looks and state-of-the-art functionality.
Our goal was to design a large-buttoned interface that immediately categorized the violation into four of the most common types of road litter: Fast Food, Cups-Bottles-Cans, Cigarette Butts, and other miscellaneous trash. We also gave the user a quick one-tap way of making a vocal recording so they could log their information to report at a later time.
CONCLUSION
Both TxDot and avid litter prevention advocates were thrilled with the result. By linking the reports into a custom database, we gave users the convenience to file reports that triggers TxDot to send a notification (and a trash bag) as a reminder to not mess with Texas.
The app is currently on its second design iteration in the Apple App Store, as well as Google Play. They've taken my framework and added a host of really great additions. Check it out here.