Author: Julian Maria Morejon Carmona
Date: April 2021
We find a very interesting app, with a simple interface to facilitate quick access to the search for car parks without much complication and that covers the entire national territory.
In this review we will do an analysis of the app, for devices with Android, because it is available only in this operating system, using Android version 9.0 in the analysis.
Interaction
Next, we proceed to carry out a detailed analysis of the application.
When we open the application for the first time after having installed it, a simple interface appears with a map centered on the national territory, this map can be zoomed in or out manually.
At the bottom we will have a bar with the different functionalities of the app, which fulfill the following functions:
- Search: allows us to write an address or location so that the map will focus on the written address or location, showing all the parking spaces available in that area.
- Location: the app uses the device's GPS to center it on the map and show the available parking spaces around our situation.
- Plaza: offers us the possibility of registering a parking space in the app by using our location.
- Call: allows us to call the local police to report that a person without the corresponding permission has occupied a parking space.
The way the app works when it comes to showing the places available in an area is really interesting, since if we zoom out the position, it will show icons with the numbers of the places available in an area grouped together. If we zoom in on the map in an area, it will show each specific square in its exact location, making the app very useful when it comes to increasing parking possibilities.
The application has the necessary options, although you may miss a settings option that allows you to configure different aspects of the app, such as an option to activate a notification sound when we are near a square, since it would allow driving and locate parking without having to be aware of the device, or an option that will guide us using GPS to the location of the parking lot.
If we summarize, the application fulfills its objective of helping parking for people with mobility problems, although in the future it could include some extra option that complements its functionality, such as those mentioned above.
Accessibility
Being its main target audience people with mobility problems, the developers worked to make a simple application designed for the collective.
So it does not include any native accessibility option and although, for example, if we want to use it with a screen reader, it may not sometimes recognize what we select or the position on the map, so it is difficult to work with the app if you have visual difficulties.
In the same way, people with physical disabilities who use screen pushbuttons may find it difficult to handle it if they want to zoom in or out on the map, a button in the app to zoom in or out of the map would have been interesting.
If we summarize, because the app has been designed for people with physical disabilities, the developers have focused on creating a simple app for this group without focusing so much on accessibility for other types of groups.
Conclusions
After having made intensive use of the application, it can be concluded that it fulfills its main function, which is to help people with reduced mobility park, with interesting features such as adding spaces or reporting to the police. But a menu of settings or accessibility options is missing.
In short, the application is quite complete and simple to use, it fulfills its function, but extra and accessibility options would be welcome, as well as how a version of the application for the IOs operating system would be appreciated and thus encompass the entire user community.
Highlights
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Ease: The application is very easy to use and allows very fast access to its functionality, making it very competent in its objective.
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Interesting extras: The app has extras outside the notable functionality such as simply registering new parking spaces and being able to report to the police if a space is occupied, being very interesting extras that complement the main functionality of the app.
Improvement points
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Extra optionsAlthough the app is intended exclusively for people with mobility problems, it would be interesting to include accessibility options for other groups, as well as extra configuration settings in the app to allow it to be accommodated to the user's taste.
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IOs version: a version of the application for this operating system would be an extra plus to help include the entire user community, since the user base of IOs is very broad.
