RIDE-HAILING AGGREGATOR & OPTIMIZATION

Meshwarak

COMPANY

Meshwarak

ROLE

Product Designer

EXPERTISE

UX/UI Design, User Research, Design Systems

YEAR

2024

Project Description

The Overview Meshwarak is a ride-hailing aggregator serving the Egyptian and Saudi markets. It solves the fragmentation of the transport industry by allowing users to search, compare, and book rides across multiple providers (Uber, Careem, Bolt, etc.) in one interface.

As the Lead Product Designer & Content Strategist, I led the end-to-end redesign. My goal was to move the product from a clunky "search directory" to a seamless "booking ecosystem," specifically targeting the mental fatigue users face when manually comparing prices across apps.


The Challenge

Solving for "App Fatigue" and Trust In Cairo and Riyadh, users suffer from extreme app fatigue, often juggling 3–4 apps to find a fair price.

  • The User Pain: The existing MVP forced users to do the "mental math" themselves to compare deals, leading to decision paralysis.

  • The Business Pain: The MVP acted as a passive directory. It had high churn because users would find a price on Meshwarak but leave the app to book directly with the provider.

  • The Goal: We needed to keep the user inside our ecosystem. We had to prove that booking through Meshwarak was faster, cheaper, and safer than going direct.

Process Header & Description

From Search Engine to "Decision Engine" We didn't just skin the UI; we restructured the core value proposition. My process focused on uncovering the mental models of Egyptian and Saudi commuters to understand how they define "value"—is it time, or is it money?

Process Details

Discovery & The "Aha" Moment: User interviews revealed that users weren't looking for a specific car brand; they were solving an equation: "Is saving 10 EGP worth waiting 5 more minutes?" This insight shifted our strategy. We stopped building a list view and started building a Smart Decision Engine.

  • UX Writing & Localization: I developed a content strategy rooted in local culture. We moved away from robotic, translated English/Arabic to a conversational, reassuring tone.

    • Example: Instead of generic sorting labels, we used goal-oriented phrasing like "Awfar" (Cheapest) and "Asra'" (Fastest) to match the user's immediate intent.

  • Architecting Trust: To combat the fear of using a third-party tool, I prioritized transparency. I mapped out a "Trust Ecosystem" that integrated support access directly into the booking flow, rather than burying it in settings.

Solution Header & Description

Designing for Speed and Clarity The final solution was a decluttered, unified interface that automated the comparison process. We removed the need for users to think, allowing them to act on impulse.


Solution Details

The Smart Decision Engine: A simplified filtering interface that instantly sorts rides based on user priorities (Price vs. Speed), removing the cognitive load of manual comparison.

  • Unified Booking Flow: We integrated payment and confirmation APIs to keep the user inside Meshwarak. This eliminated external redirects and created a seamless "3-tap" booking experience.

  • Human-Centric Microcopy:

    • Loading States: Changed "Loading..." to "Scanning all apps for the best deal..." to reinforce value during wait times.

    • Empty States: Used helpful, localized language to guide users when no cars were available, reducing frustration-based churn.

The Impact

Faster Decisions, Higher Retention The redesign proved that simplifying choice leads to higher conversion. By transforming Meshwarak into a utility that respects the user's time, we turned casual searchers into loyal bookers.

The Impact Details

  • 35% Faster Booking Time: We streamlined the flow to allow users to secure a ride in under 3 taps.

  • Task Completion Spikes: Post-launch testing showed a significant increase in new user success rates due to the intuitive hierarchy and clear "Best Value" indicators.

  • Operational Velocity: I established a strict Design System (Components & Tokens) which reduced design debt and accelerated the development of the "Help Center" by 2 weeks.