Argo
role
UX, UI, Mobile, Web, Branding
client
Private Client
year
2019
The Challenge
Argo’s goal is to create a safe and social experience for the boating community. However, its competitors seem to stack up against it. Wavve Boating uses crowd-sourced navigation data and connects boaters and Garmin is a leader in marine data. Argo needed to combine the accuracy of Garmin’s marine navigation data with the crowd-sourced community data of Wavve while also providing users with a true social boating experience so that they could instantly connect with friends and family.
Creative Process
After a design sprint with extensive market research, the Bytelion team started developing an application to provide the best navigation and social boating experience for all boaters. Our research indicated that to entice user buy-in, the app had to be easier to use than expensive and advanced on-board boating equipment and socially engaging enough to encourage users to use the app to find and message their friends rather than another source such as Facebook.
To solve some of these problems, I designed in-app search and newsfeed features. The in-app search feature was beautiful, intuitive and fast. This search feature allowed users to search for points of interest (POIs) on the Google Maps API including marina, yacht clubs, boat ramps, restaurants and bars and navigate to them with ease. In addition, the bathymetric data used to detect the depth of certain points along the water aided our navigation algorithm in guiding users through their voyage safely.
The in-app news feed feature was derived from the concept of Facebook, allowing users to post updates in real-time to a feed that would be displayed to their friends. Users can post plain text updates, add photos and videos and even comment and like each other's posts. To integrate the search and news feed features, I designed a sharing feature that allowed users to share previews of their voyages and places they’ve visited with friends directly to the feed. This ultimately encourages users to come back to the app for both their navigation and social
Results
Officially released onto the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in August 2019, users are now able to connect with their friends and safely navigate the waters simultaneously. Argo uses a proprietary navigation algorithm that guides the user throughout their voyages and trips while users can send friend requests to other users and send and receive messages in real-time. In addition, Argo includes a self-reporting feature similar to Waze. While on the water, users are able to take pictures, comment, and report on their findings. Boaters can notify each other on weather, police, places, local advice, sea life, hazards, and map issues instantly and all within the application.
The new logo accurately represented the brand's values and appealed to their target audience. The business reported increased website traffic and social media engagement, and the logo was featured in several local publications.
