Award-winning Mobile App Development — Case Study

Relay logo

App Demo

Summary

Relay is Canada’s first ridesharing app for parents, enabling safe and reliable carpooling for kids within trusted networks. Built by a team of 8 UX/UI designers and full-stack developers, the team identified key challenges and created an AI-powered solution to ease transportation burdens and foster social connections. Recognized for its innovation and market potential, Relay won 1st place at the Annual Student Innovation Design & Technology Showcase.

Role

  • Project Manager | UX/UI Designer

Timeline

  • September — December 2024

Key Skills

  • Project Management
  • User Research
  • UX/UI Design
  • Branding

Overview

Pain Point

With 75% of Canadian families with children aged 6–12 having two working parents, the same percentage struggle to balance work and their kids’ transportation needs due to limited reliable options.

Solution

Relay is an AI-powered ridesharing platform that connects parents within trusted communities, simplifying transportation with smart route matching, live GPS tracking, and real-time ride updates.

Key Takeaway

"Great design starts with listening—deeper insights drive impactful solutions that truly help."

Relay User Research Data

User Research

User research uncovered key challenges parents face in managing their children’s transportation. Three key insights emerged:

  • Scheduling conflicts — 75% of parents struggle to arrange transportation due to conflicting schedules, and 67% report that transportation issues have disrupted their children’s participation in activities.
  • Safety concerns —100% of parents agree that GPS tracking is essential, and 83% prefer private groups to organize carpools within trusted networks.
  • Rideshare demand — 75% of parents struggle to arrange transportation due to conflicting schedules, and 67% report that transportation issues have disrupted their children’s participation in activities.

These insights shaped a solution prioritizing safety, convenience, and trusted connections. Learn more from the User Findings Report.

Competitive Analysis

A competitive analysis was conducted to evaluate how Relay compares to other ride-sharing platforms. Since no direct competitors were found in Canada, the research focused on U.S.-based platforms and indirect competitors, such as general ride-sharing apps not specifically designed for kids. This helped identify key opportunities for Relay to stand out in the market.


The analysis highlights Relay’s unique position as an all-in-one platform that combines ride scheduling, in-app communication, real-time GPS tracking, and AI-powered ride notifications. Its focus on community-driven connections through public and private group channels further sets it apart. By assessing competitors' strengths and weaknesses, the research also identified actionable improvements to enhance user experience, design, and features.


For more details, check out the full report.

Relay Competitive Analysis
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User Personas

To make sure Relay truly works for parents, user personas were created based on real stories from surveys and interviews.


  • Meet Joseph, a full-time software engineer and father of a 10-year-old son, struggles to arrange reliable rides due to his demanding schedule. He values a tech-driven ridesharing solution with GPS tracking and reliable network.
  • Meet Sarah, a part-time climate policy advisor, enjoys helping her community by giving kids rides but finds it hard to coordinate with busy parents. She seeks a platform that simplifies scheduling, enhances communication, and builds connection.

These personas guided app development by representing real users' needs, behaviors, and challenges, ensuring the design and features effectively meet user expectations.

User Workflow

An app workflow and user story map were created to visualize the user journey, streamline navigation, and prioritize features within a tight timeline. The workflow offered a structured framework for intuitive interactions, ensuring both designers and developers had a clear understanding of the app's flow.


The user story map helped break down user needs, identify dependencies, and define the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). These tools played a key role in ensuring a seamless user experience, improving team alignment, and optimizing development efficiency.

Relay Workflow and User Story Map
Relay Style Guide

Style Guide

Rounded buttons and typography create a welcoming, modern, and easy-to-read interface. They enhance approachability, ensure easy tapping, and build trust among parents, aligning with the app’s focus on connection.


The branding colors, a mix of orange and red, reinforce warmth and trust, supporting a safe, community-driven environment. The logo integrates key elements of radar, a car side mirror, and eco-friendly symbolism to represent connectivity and sustainability within the Relay brand.

App Highlights

1. Smart Route Matching

Relay's Smart Route Matching streamlines carpooling by automatically suggesting ride matches based on similar routes and times. Previously, parents had to manually coordinate schedules with other individuals, but with Relay, the process becomes effortless with just a few taps.


The app also estimates ride time changes based on different matches, allowing parents to quickly form carpools with others heading to the same destination based on their preferences. This not only saves time but also makes kids transportation more efficient, easing the load for parents.

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2. Safety at the heart of Relay

Relay prioritizes safety just as every parent does for their child, with features designed to provide confidence in every ride.


  • Real-Time GPS Tracking — Parents can track their child’s ride from start to finish, ensuring peace of mind.
  • AI-Powered Ride Notifications — Timely updates on ride progress and arrival times keep parents informed, making them feel as if they’re riding along.
  • Unique Ride PIN — A secure, trip-specific PIN ensures kids enter the correct car, adding an extra layer of protection.

By leveraging technology, Relay not only addresses common ridesharing concerns but also empowers parents to manage their children’s transportation with ease and confidence.

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3. Connect with trusted community

No parent would hand their child off to a stranger—that’s why Relay builds a trusted community. Instead of random drivers, parents connect with others from the same school or activity group to share the driving load. Every parent we surveyed preferred ridesharing with familiar faces!


To ensure security, identity verification is required to join school groups, confirming all members have children at the same school. Parents can also create private groups with their trusted network, using in-app messaging and coordination tools for seamless rideshare planning.


Beyond convenience, ridesharing strengthens connections, helping both parents and kids build closer relationships within their community.

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Marketing & Branding

Bringing Relay to life goes beyond building the app. The team created a variety of promotional materials, including a landing page, brochures, name cards, stickers, and Instagram (@relay.rideshare) to strengthen marketing and branding. By maintaining consistent colors and typography, these materials ensure a cohesive identity.


The Instagram account adopts an infographic style to visually explain the app’s concept and features in a clear, data-driven way, making it easy for parents to understand. This approach not only informs but also aims to resonate with our target audience, reinforcing Relay’s value in their daily lives.


Development blogs further document the journey, keeping users engaged with updates.


Promotional Video

The promotional video takes a storytelling approach, highlighting the real-life challenges parents face with transportation. It showcases how Relay simplifies carpooling and fosters a stronger community, emphasizing the app’s benefits and its positive impact on daily life. By focusing on the emotional connection between parents and children, the video aims to resonate with viewers, encouraging them to try Relay and experience the difference.


This project would not have been possible without the team's hard work. Thank you to the team and the amazing young actors for bringing the story to life!

Relay presents at the Annual Student Innovation Design & Technology Showcase

Project Pitching

After three months of hard work, Relay was showcased at the Annual Student Innovation Design & Technology Showcase. The idea was presented to distinguished judges—including BC Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Anne Kang, City of Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, angel investors, industry leaders, and other notable guests.


Relay was honored with the Gold Award and received valuable feedback from everyone who expressed interest. Special thanks are extended to the faculty, instructors, families interviewed, and the kids who assisted with filming and organized special prizes.

Unforgettable Journey

Originally, the team envisioned a broad ridesharing solution focused on eco-friendliness and resource sharing. However, after in-depth research and considering a tight timeline, the focus shifted to the specific challenges faced by working parents. It also became clear that parents were hesitant to use ridesharing for their children without robust safety measures, so the concept was refined to emphasize safety and trust.


Building Relay presented significant challenges. The app required dynamic accounts for both parents and drivers, a user-friendly yet advanced interface, and features such as smart route matching, AI ride notifications, and GPS live tracking. Overcoming these obstacles not only took extra time but also confirmed Relay's potential to make a real difference. Special thanks to everyone for their hard work and dedication in bringing Relay to life!


Meet the team behind Relay!

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