DURATION

January 2022 – July 2022

INTRODUCTION

As part of my Master’s in UX Design, I collaborated with a team to conceptualise a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) under the guidance of Porsche Digital. The project, internally branded as “Beyond”, reimagined the future of the passenger experience, inspired by the insight that cars are parked 95% of the time. Our goal was to explore how that idle time could be repurposed by turning the car into more than just a vehicle, while also introducing meaningful in-transit activities in a future shaped by autonomous driving.

Porsche Digital, a subsidiary of Porsche AG, was the ideal stakeholder for this mobility challenge. As the brand’s global innovation lab, it focuses on building and scaling new digital experiences, bringing both strategic vision and practical relevance to the project.

• Conducted UX Research: Stakeholder interviews with Porsche Digital, focus groups with target demographics, affinity mapping, and persona definition
• Designed the concept framework: Value proposition, user flows, interface design, and visual identity aligned with Porsche’s ethos
• Created prototypes: From low-fidelity wireframes to a storyboarded high-fidelity flow, simulating an AR windshield experience
• Facilitated user testing: Assisted in moderated sessions, collected quantitative and qualitative feedback, translated that into UI revisions and feature prioritisation
• Delivered the final MVP presentation: Directed a short illustrative video when VR implementation wasn’t feasible

We were tasked with transforming vehicles into an engaging, enriching, and personalised experiences for future passengers. In particular:

• Craft a concept that integrates physical space and digital interactions seamlessly
• Balance brand integrity and future-readiness within a speculative design project
• Test novel technologies (e.g., AR windshields), user flow design, and emerging behaviours with limited real-world reference

Beyond reimagined the passenger experience as a flexible digital platform integrated into AR-enabled windshields, offering:

• A contextual “wheel menu” interface, allowing users to layer digital information (e.g., nearby landmarks or real-world pop-ups)
• Short-form interactions—like selecting restaurants, viewing NFT-based monuments, or remote shopping—without disrupting the travel experience
• Options for either connection (shared media, social contact) or disconnection (media, mindfulness)
• Interaction via gesture and voice, designed to enable intuitive, distraction-safe control
• A concept that blends autonomous vehicle, metaverse, and digital ownership trends, aligned with Porsche’s image of innovation and status

5.1 Low-Fidelity Prototype Testing

We conducted six moderated user testing sessions using static low-fidelity screens to validate the core concept and feature set of our product. The goal was to assess how well the proposed experience aligned with real user needs.

Key insights included:

• Layout expectations: Users preferred a layout similar to smartphones, with customizable elements, widgets, and a familiar grid system
• Content priorities: Functional features (e.g., navigation, discovery, productivity) were preferred over purely entertaining ones
• NFT integration: Users appreciated the idea of collectible “digital souvenirs” tied to real-world locations, as long as they added value
• Privacy concerns: Participants wanted control over what content was visible to others in the car, with an easy way to turn off or hide elements

This feedback directly informed our feature prioritisation, wireframes, and overall product direction.

5.2 High-Fidelity Prototype

To evaluate the usability of our interface, we conducted a second round of user testing using a high-fidelity prototype simulating an augmented reality (AR) windshield. Participants interacted with the interface projected onto a screen, mimicking an in-car experience. The primary focus was testing the core flows related to navigation and contextual layers like restaurants and events.

Five users (aged 23–35, a mix of students and young professionals) were selected based on their interest in technology and future buying potential. My role during the sessions was to assist the moderator, manage props, and queue follow-up questions.

Key findings:

• Some UI elements lacked clarity and needed visual refinement
• Users expressed willingness to pay to disable AR advertisements
• They preferred targeted ads and content over random or irrelevant ones

Design implications:

• Add visual cues (e.g. highlights, glimpses) to increase interactivity and visibility
• Introduce labels below icons to reduce ambiguity
• Include payment details (methods and prices) wherever purchases are presented

5.3 Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Our original plan for the MVP was to build an interactive virtual reality experience using Unity and Blender, simulating a moving autonomous vehicle with a functional AR interface. I led the technical prototyping of this experience, coding and designing the 3D environment. However, one week before our final deadline, the university informed us that they could no longer provide a VR headset.

With limited time, we pivoted quickly:

• We created a short illustrative video to simulate the passenger experience
• I wrote the script, managed production, sourced a green screen, directed the filming, and edited the final video with VFX
• In just five days, we produced a compelling visual narrative to present our MVP and communicate the vision behind “Beyond”

• Delivered a fully-branded UX concept that positioned Porsche Digital as a forward-thinking mobility experience innovator
• Reinforced the idea that passenger time is valuable physical time, rich with digital possibilities
• Showcased the potential of AR, NFTs, and metaverse elements in automotive UX
• Demonstrated adaptability by pivoting to video when technology constraints surfaced

These project taught me how to:

• Lead design thinking in speculative yet strategic innovation scenarios
• Balance brand identity with bold, future-forward UX visions
• Pivot effectively under tight deadlines or scope changes
• Blend user-centered research with immersive storytelling