How do we improve the parking meter experience?

This was a question embarked upon by myself along with a couple of other teammates. We had initially thought that the solution would be a simple one, but after conducting some more research, we realized that we were in for more than we bargained for. 

We found that the general parking experience came with several pain points, even when narrowed down to the use of parking meters. 

1. Parking (including by parking meter) was difficult to find. 

2. The parking meter did not allow a cushion time in case one was not able to make it back to their vehicle, which put drivers at risk of encountering a dreaded parking ticket. 

As seen in the first picture above (the low-fi sketch), I initially wanted to tackle the Pain Point (1). However, after receiving feedback from my peers, I realized that while parking meters made good locators for drivers, more complications came with using a mobile app to find a parking spot. This idea was scrapped in my next phase.

The mobile app, dubbed PARKME, is useful for two things: the cushion time and the scan-and-go feature. These allow drivers to be both flexible and efficient with their time while providing a feeling of assurance and less risk of getting a ticket. 

I still wanted to retain the traditional parking meter for those who did not want to use a mobile app. My group and I considered an older population that could potentially be unfamiliar or unwilling with mobile technology. 

My inspiration for the parking meter itself came from our Amazon Pick-up locations, where shoppers can scan a barcode on their phone and pick up their items in a timely and simple fashion.