AUTOBRIDGE
designing a better car search experience
Buying a car should feel exciting, not exhausting. But for many, especially first-time buyers, the process is confusing, cluttered, and deeply overwhelming.
Filters don’t help, comparisons are unclear, and most platforms prioritize sellers over users. I set out to flip the script, by designing a truly buyer-focused experience.
Driven by Clarity: Reimagining the Car Search for Real People
AutoBridge is a digital solution aimed at simplifying and personalizing the car search journey for everyday users.
This case study showcases how I applied user-centered design methods to uncover real user pain points, define key opportunity areas, and design a more intuitive, confidence-building experience for car shoppers. By focusing on the user's mindset not just filters and listings, AutoBridge reimagines the car search process with clarity, personalization, and trust at its core.
MY ROLE
Wearing many hats as an end-to-end UX/UI designer, I conducted user interviews, ideated with sketches, built wireframes and prototypes, and iteratively tested to refine the experience, ensuring every decision was rooted in user needs.
tools used
Figma, Miro, FlowMapp, Google Forms
Understanding the roadblocks
“Sometimes I have to spend at least 10 - 20 minutes researching each and every one of them, which I generally do not do.”
RESEARCH
To understand the challenges faced by car buyers, I conducted both secondary and primary research. This dual approach helped me uncover user pain points, expectations, and motivations during the car search process.
I analyzed existing data from credible sources like reports, surveys, and articles to uncover trends, user behavior, and industry gaps. This helped me build a strong foundation before conducting primary research.
Secondary Research Insights
Percentage of Respondents Who Abandoned Their Search or Regretted Their Purchase
PRIMARY Research Insights
I conducted semi-structured virtual interviews with 5 participants who were either actively looking for a car or had recently gone through the car-buying process. The interviews were designed to explore their motivations, pain points, and decision-making behaviors.
The goal was to uncover real user frustrations and needs in the car search experience, especially for first-time buyers navigating online platforms.
Semi-structured virtual interviews with 5 first-time and experienced car buyers revealed recurring frustrations - from overwhelming interfaces to a lack of trusted guidance.
These are the key Jobs To Be Done to focus the design on real user goals and desired outcomes during the car buying journey.
Turning Problems into Possibilities
Synthesis methods were essential for me to transform research findings into structured, actionable insights for improving the car buying experience.
Affinity Map
I synthesized interview insights into an affinity map to uncover recurring pain points and behavioral patterns. This process revealed key themes like information overload, difficulty comparing options, distrust in reviews, and a need for personalized recommendations. These findings directly informed my design direction.
research synthesis
Affinity mapping helped surface common user frustrations - ranging from overwhelming information and unclear filters to a lack of trusted reviews and personalized support.
empathy Map
I used the empathy map to capture what users said, thought, did, and felt throughout their car buying journey. It revealed how often they felt overwhelmed, uncertain, and unsupported. These emotional insights helped me design with empathy and focus on reducing cognitive load.
personas
I created three personas based on interview patterns: the Tech-Savvy Analyst, the Budget-Conscious Shopper, and the Safety-First Parent. These personas guided my design decisions by keeping user motivations, frustrations, and behaviors at the center of the process.
Empathy map visualizes what users say, think, feel, and do - helping me design with greater emotional insight.
These three personas represent distinct buyer mindsets and align the design with real user needs.
Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)
I defined Jobs To Be Done to clarify what users hoped to achieve. They wanted to compare options easily, feel confident in their decision, and find a car that fits their lifestyle. These jobs helped me stay focused on delivering solutions that meet real user needs.
"As a car buyer, I want a side by side comparison of specifications, pricing and reviews so that I can make an informed decision."
Mapping the user journey to uncover key friction points was challenging but rewarding. I then sketched and iterated toward an MVP that balanced value and simplicity.
Ideation
In the early ideation phase, I focused on what would truly reduce user frustration and bring clarity. Three key ideas emerged as core MVP features:
First, easy access to car details and smart filtering options, so users can quickly narrow down choices based on what actually matters to them.
Second, a centralized platform for user and expert reviews, helping users feel more confident and informed.
And third, personalized car listings - showing recommendations based on individual needs and preferences, whether that’s safety, price, or features.
These ideas shaped my early sketches and informed the direction of the design moving forward.
Ideation Sketches
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
USER FLOW
This user flow is divided into Sitemap, High-Level, and Low-Level views to convey the overall structure, key actions, and in-depth task flows.
from concepts to screens
The design phase was a really delightful part of the process! I kicked things off with quick, hand-drawn sketches to get my ideas flowing and explore different layouts. Then I turned those into simple wireframes and wireflows to map out how users would move through the app.
To set the vibe, I put together a moodboard and style guide that nailed down the colors, fonts, and overall look. Finally, I polished everything into high-fidelity mockups that brought the whole experience to life - clean, clear, and ready for users.
sketching
To quickly explore layout directions and prioritize core functionality, I began with hand-drawn wireframes. This allowed me to sketch freely, experiment with structure, and focus on what mattered most without getting caught up in visual details.
It was a fast, low-pressure way to test ideas and map out the user journey. This early step ensured that design decisions were rooted in clarity, usability, and the real needs of users, helping me move into digital wireframing with confidence and direction.
Paper Sketches
low fidelity wireframes
To explore the structure and flow of the product, I created low-fidelity wireframes covering key touchpoints like onboarding, search, and comparison. These wireframes allowed for quick iteration and feedback before moving into higher fidelity.
wireflow
The wireflow outlines the sequence of screens and user decisions, providing a visual blueprint of the product’s navigation flow.
moodboard and styleguide
Onboarding ———>Questionnaire ———>Car results ———> Car details (Specs, Pricing, User Reviews) ———> Favorites
high fidelity
Brand Attributes: Trust-worthy, User-centric, Simplicity, Transparency
from static to dynamic
I created clickable prototype with animations and smooth transitions to bring the design to life. It made navigating through the app feel natural and gave a real sense of how everything would work before building it for real.
Prototyping played a key role in this project. It allowed for early validation of design decisions, helped uncover usability issues before development, and made it easier to communicate ideas.
I added key interactions to simulate a realistic experience including:
Smooth transitions between tabs like Specs, Reviews, and Pricing
Animated filter toggles for selecting personal preferences
And subtle micro-interactions, like the animated favorite icon, to enhance feedback and engagement.
These interactive elements brought the design to life and helped test how users actually navigate the app.
Prototype
REAL USERS, REAL FEEDBACK
I conducted usability tests with real users to see how they interacted with the prototype. Their feedback helped me identify pain points and areas to improve, making sure the final design was easy and enjoyable to use.
I conducted two rounds of remote usability testing, first with 5 participants, and later with 3, to evaluate and refine the prototype.
Usability testing
Voices from Usability Testing
Specifications layout modified
Before
After
Before
After
After
Before
After
In Round 2, feedback focused more on accessibility and clarity:
Users wanted clearer navigation cues, especially for icons like the heart
And the ‘<’ symbol was confusing, suggesting that text-based labels might be more intuitive
These insights directly guided the next set of refinements and improved the overall user experience.
Round 1 revealed key issues:
Car specs were getting cut off in the comparison view
The mileage filter on the pricing page was unclear
Users expected clicking the label to also select the radio button
And they wanted car images to be clickable for quicker navigation
Lightbulb moments
Through this project, I learned how simplifying complexity creates meaningful user experiences. Research and testing are critical - they challenged my assumptions and strengthened the design. Most importantly, I saw how empathy, not just features, drives better solutions.
What I'd do differently:
I’d involve users even earlier in the design process, especially during sketching.
I'd like to explore deeper personalization using onboarding questions to guide search results.
Adding accessibility testing would ensure inclusive design from the start.
Next Steps
To conclude, here’s what really worked in this project:
A simplified comparison flow
Fewer, more relevant options - no information overload
And a user-friendly design that supports clear decision-making
For the next steps, I plan to:
Integrate seller-side features to support real-time listings
Add personalization, so users can get suggestions based on their needs
Include more detailed safety information - especially important for safety-first users
And design advanced features for car enthusiasts and experts looking for deeper insights
This project laid a strong foundation and there's a lot of exciting potential to build on.
AutoBridge simplifies the car search by turning overwhelming data into clear, trusted guidance. It’s a step toward making car buying easier, smarter, and more user-centered.