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ZuKo Logo

A Case Study in Transforming Public Spaces

Zuko is a free rental service for mobile street furniture. It works similar to a public access parcel box, but with folding chairs. This allows you to use public space, such as squares and parks, even more easily and flexibly according to your ideas. Zuko is a smart and mobile version of the conventional park bench - the park bench 2.0, so to speak.

ZuKo_Splash-Screen

Customer

Startup

Type

Mobile App

Industry

Urban Mobility

Duration

3 Months

Country

Austria

Starting Off with Goals in Mind

1

Enhance Public Spaces

Zuko was designed to make public places more lively by offering an easy and convenient way to borrow chairs.

2

Provide User-friendly Experience

A user-centered design approach lies at the heart of Zuko, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience for all users.

3

Ensure Reliability

It was crucial for Zuko to be a reliable platform, allowing users to access chairs when and where they needed them.

Creating Zuko

Creating the Zuko app required a comprehensive process that encompassed our three key steps: Sketch, Craft, and Ship.

To ensure efficient project management and meet the desired timeline, we meticulously planned the entire process to span over three months.

We utilized Jira, our preferred project management tool, to create a detailed roadmap, enabling us to track progress, assign tasks, and collaborate seamlessly, resulting in a streamlined and successful development journey.

Zuko_Roadmap
Phase 1

Sketch

Kickoff Workshop

We began by conducting a thorough kickoff workshop to understand the client's vision, target audience, and desired functional requirements and non-functional requirements but also to discuss and define what is out-of-scope.

Animation of a Roadmap

Roadmap

Animation of a Pen

User-Story Mapping

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Business Goals

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Jobs-to-be-done

Animation of two People talking

Feature Brainstorming

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User Personas

User Story Flow Charts

Using Lucidchart, a collaborative online platform, we visualized the app's user journey, allowing stakeholders to provide valuable input and refine the concept. 

Take a glimpse into the user story flow charts

Wireframes and Design Phase

Working closely with the Zuko team, we iterated on wireframes and designs to create a visually appealing and intuitive interface. We used Figma, a powerful design tool, to craft the app's look and feel. 

Explore the click dummy and meet the design of Zuko in Figma

 

Architecture Diagram

Knowing the app’s requirements, look and feel and flow charts, our team of Senior Engineers had the perfect foundation to map out the app's architecture. This diagram showcases the app's components, connections, and data flow, ensuring a solid foundation for development. 

Unveil the blueprint of Zuko in Lucidchart
Phase 2

Craft

Tech Stack

By utilizing React Native, we were able to write a single codebase that could be deployed on both iOS and Android platforms, resulting in faster development cycles and easier maintenance. This approach also ensured a consistent user experience across both platforms, while still providing access to native device features and functionalities. 

Implementation GIF

Implementation

With a well-defined plan in place, our development team embarked on the implementation phase, leveraging their expertise in Mobile App Development. Over the course of three months, they diligently transformed the concept into a fully functional reality.

The Agile Way

We utilized an Agile Scrum methodology, renowned for its adaptability and customer involvement. Each 'Sprint', a two-week development cycle, focused on specific software features. Following each Sprint, our clients received an increment of the functional product, offering a transparent view of the software's growth.

This iterative process fostered continuous collaboration, integrating client feedback and aligning the solution with their expectations. In this way, every iterative step becomes a collaborative milestone, bringing us closer to a software solution tailored precisely to our client's needs.

Unique App, Unique Challenges

lupe

Bluetooth: An invisible Obstacle

Implementing Zuko presented challenges in dealing with Bluetooth connectivity. We had to develop custom protocols to ensure reliable communication with the lockers, overcome random delays ranging from 3 to 40 seconds when opening locks, and address issues when integrating Bluetooth with music playback.

tool

Software, Hardware and Chairs

One of the significant challenges we encountered during the implementation of Zuko was handling numerous edge cases and errors. As ZuKo is not a trivial app but rather an innovative experience involving three distinct components - software (app), hardware (locks), and real items (chairs) - ensuring seamless integration and reliable performance across these elements proved to be a complex task.

Phase 3

Ship

Ready, Set, Ship!

Once the app was developed, we conducted a thorough handover process to ensure a seamless transition with Zuko. This involved providing documentation, offering training sessions on admin tools, and offering ongoing support and optimization to guarantee a successful launch.

Explore Zuko in your Hands
ZuKo-Final

Impact Unleashed

ZuKo Logo

Summary

After three months of collaborative effort, the Zuko app was born. It seamlessly merged convenience, modern technology, and public spaces, finally bringing chair borrowing to life.

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Impact

By revitalizing public spaces and fostering community engagement, Zuko is making a significant impact on society. With Zuko, individuals can easily access and borrow chairs, creating vibrant social hubs and encouraging people to spend more time outdoors. We at &amp successfully transformed the vision of ZuKo into a fully functional app, promoting convenience, and enhancing the overall quality of public life.

Portrait of Erik Czejka

Erik Czejka

CEO of Zuko

“The experience from start to finish was nothing short of exceptional. It was clear from our very first interaction that &amp were not just going to build my app, but would guide me every step of the way, demystifying the complex process of app development.”

Erik Czejka on LinkedIn

About &amp

&amp uses the power of technology to empower people in what they are doing. Depending on your ideas and needs, we develop, shape, and improve software products to increase your digital resilience.

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Andreas Wittmann
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Project Lead and Managing Partner at &amp

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