The WayPass
role
Concept, Research, Lead Designer, System Design, 3D Model
tools
Figma, Adobe CC, Spline, After Effects, Premier Pro
year
May 2024
01. The Problem
Being a pedestrian in Los Angeles is a survival-of-the-fittest experience filled with anxiety and hypervigilance every time you step outside.
Now imagine:
These are just some of the everyday struggles older adults and people with disabilities face when navigating the city. Accessibility has been treated as a checkbox with surface-level ADA compliance failing to address the full spectrum of needs.
By putting people back at the center of city planning, we build safer, more inclusive streets that support independence, exploration, and quality of life.
How might we empower pedestrians with mobility challenges to navigate crosswalks safely, confidently, and independently in Los Angeles?
02. Research
Leading a group of 3 designers, we used fieldwork, user interviews, netnography, and competitive analysis to uncover gaps in accessibility, safety, and urban mobility in Atwater Village. These insights grounded our approach in real needs and exposed the systemic failures of current crosswalk systems.
03. Approach
To turn our research into an impactful solution, The WayPass was developed through a phased, systems-focused process. Starting with a persona and journey map to empathize with user needs, I mapped out the intake and onboarding, outlined the user flow to incorporate machine learning processes, prototyped the experience, and visualized system behavior across digital and physical touchpoints. Each step was strategically refined to ensure feasibility, improve safety, and bring the concept to life to implement for existing infrastructure.
Demo Video
04. Results
The WayPass was tested with 2 non-target users and 3 target users who have varying degrees of mobility. Ojen is fully paraplegic, Manuel utilizes a wheelchair, and Camilla is 65 years old with arthritis and vertigo. Our primary focus was ensuring The WayPass was a system to benefit their experiences and ease of navigation, not become another hurdle in their journey.
The feedback gathered from each user test proved our system to be recognized as a solution needed now, by the people who need it most.
Feedback
The WayPass received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users and stakeholders, who praised its ability to address long-overlooked accessibility gaps with an intuitive and inclusive design. Stakeholders emphasized the system's potential to save lives while accelerating implementation by reducing the need for extensive redesign phases for initial launch and testing.
The WayPass is projected to improve pedestrian safety by 40-63% in pilot intersections, with future plans to scale citywide based on ongoing feedback and performance data.
With The WayPass we're empowering our fellow people to be confident in navigating their surroundings and regain the independence they deserve.
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