Designing for rider experience at large-scale events
Project Type
Uber-Sponsored Capstone Project
Team
3 UX Designers (Me), 1 Software Engineer
My Role
UX Research & Design
Timeline
6 months (Jan–Jun 2026)
Overview
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, Uber is exploring ways to improve rider experiences during large-scale events. Our goal was to help riders navigate crowded pickup environments with greater confidence, reduce uncertainty, and improve pickup coordination.
What I did
Led end-to-end user research and synthesis
Designed the primary rider experience and key user flows
Built the interactive prototype
Served as the primary contact between the team and Uber stakeholders
my Impact
Our solution could help riders navigate crowded pickup environments with greater confidence and control.
39%
43%
690K+
Potential riders supported during Seattle FIFA events
Final Design Preview
Key Feature 1/3
Make more informed pickup decisions.
Compare recommended pickup locations based on walking time, wait time, and price tradeoffs.
Key Feature 2/3
Track queue progress and unlock rewards while waiting.
Stay informed about your position in line and see how waiting longer can earn additional rewards.
Key Feature 3/3
Find your driver with guided navigation.
Real-time orientation cues and directional guidance help riders locate driver faster.
The Problem
At large-scale events, riders struggle to understand where to go, what to expect, and whether they're making the right pickup decision.
KEY RESEARCH insights
Research uncovered three recurring moments of uncertainty during pickup.
Through field observations, rider interviews, and iterative testing, we identified three recurring challenges: evaluating pickup trade-offs, understanding matching progress, and locating drivers in crowded environments.
Design Goal
Help riders make confident decisions and reduce uncertainty throughout pickup journey.
Riders - Reduce anxiety and make more confident decisions
Uber - Reduce cancellations and increase successful pickups
Design Principles
Throughout the project, we used three principles to guide design decisions:
Balance transparency with comfort
Preserve map clarity and readability
Maintain a clear hierarchy while introducing new layers of information.
Create a sense of progress and control
Help riders understand what is happening throughout the pickup journey.
Solution 01 — Choosing a ride
insight
Riders are doing the app's job by finding their own ways to overcome limitations.
→ Riders try to call earlier and walk further to get a faster ride.
OpportunitY
How might we help riders evaluate pickup trade-offs without requiring guesswork?
Decision 1: How to display congestion?
I designed three approaches for visualizing congestion. Rather than displaying all information at the same level, we experimented with layering information to balance visibility and readability.
Decision 2: How should we present pickup tradeoffs?
From user testing, we found that 4/6 riders preferred seeing the final ride price over discount amounts. As a result, I surfaced the total cost directly to help riders compare options more quickly.
Solution 02 — Waiting for a match
insight
Riders aren't frustrated by waiting, they're frustrated by the feeling of waiting passively.
→ Riders have nothing to do but check the app until they get matched.
OpportunitY
How might we make waiting feel more transparent and worthwhile?
Decision 3: When should different types of support appear during the wait?
While there isn't a "real" queue on the engineering side, riders wanted visibility into what was happening behind the scenes. We explored ways to make waiting feel more worthwhile by introducing queue status, alternative actions, and rewards as wait times increased.
Solution 03 — finding the ride
insight
Riders struggle to translate map-based information into real-world navigation when the driver is nearby.
OpportunitY
How might we help riders locate their driver in crowded environments?
Decision 4: How can we provide guidance without disrupting existing behaviors?
To balance directional guidance across the arrow, vehicle details, and instructions, I explored and tested several versions with users while keeping the map as the primary focus. I also incorporated feedback from Uber, as dynamic elements are not used in their existing banners.
Impact
It was rewarding to see similar ideas appear in Uber's product after our project.
While our work was exploratory, our Uber sponsors responded positively to the concepts and findings. Seeing similar patterns reflected in later product updates reinforced the importance of using research to validate assumptions and uncover opportunities that matter to both users and the business.
39%
43%
690K+
Potential riders supported during Seattle FIFA events
Reflection
Beyond the metrics, this project shaped how I think about product design:
Design for context, not completeness.
I learned that more information doesn't always create more confidence. What mattered most was showing the right information at the right moment. By adapting what riders saw based on factors like wait stage, pickup status, and proximity to the driver, we reduced uncertainty without overwhelming the experience.
Research is most valuable when it changes the problem.
Through rapid prototyping, iterative testing, and ongoing sponsor feedback, we continuously questioned our assumptions and refined our direction. Reframing the problem from waiting time to uncertainty helped us uncover more impactful opportunities for design.
Learn More
There's so much more behind the scene!
02
Process Book
See the entired process of research, synthesis, iterations, and design rationale.
