01 // Background
RV share marketplace Outdoorsy had a platform team initiative they called Lab Day, where employees were given the opportunity to work on any chosen Outdoorsy-related project for a full workday.
Lab Day allowed product managers, engineers, and designers to focus on small-scale passion projects outside of their current workload.
As a Lead Product Designer at Outdoorsy, I had access to clear-eyed and insightful research into the handoff process conducted by the exceptional Sarah (Kettles) Bowlin, Senior UX Researcher. Having absorbed her research, I recognized a major gap in the rental experience.
This gap is a burdensome and time-consuming hands-on RV owner/renter handoff, involving a thick stack of printed paperwork for review and signature, vehicle inspection, usage instructions, and key exchange.
Problem Statement
RV owners and RV renters are challenged by a lengthly recreational vehicle handoff, frustrating both parties and eroding confidence in the Outdoorsy platform.
How can Outdoorsy minimize unnecessary friction in the process?