FordPass Mobile Application

FordPass is a mobile app that lets you remotely control and monitor key features of your Connected Ford vehicle, from starting it to checking its maintenance status.

Client

Ford

Role

UX Architect Associate Manager

Duration

1 year

Project Type

Automotive Tech

Overview

Talk about a journey! Teaming up with Ford, we set out to evolve the FordPass mobile app from a clunky MVP into a sleek, indispensable tool. Let’s dive into how we transformed the user experience without losing sight of what makes Ford, well, Ford.

Problem

The original iteration of FordPass was envisioned as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to offer essential vehicle data. As features were tacked on, we faced a problem of scale and complexity. Users struggled to navigate the labyrinthine interface, and crucial vehicle-centric features became secondary, often lost in the shuffle. The design lacked coherence, resulting in low user engagement and a suboptimal experience.

The Classic FordPass Experience

Goal

Our overarching objective was clear: Transform FordPass from a peripheral utility to a central user experience. Specific metrics were set to quantify success, including user engagement, satisfaction, and—critically—adoption rate. We targeted a layout that prioritized intuitive user interaction, creating an interface that served both experienced Ford enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Challenge

Navigating the Challenge was a lot like threading the needle. On one hand, we were dealing with an app that had grown into an unwieldy beast. Its feature bloat was alienating users and veering away from its original intent of seamless vehicle management. On the other hand, Ford was gearing up for the highly anticipated Mustang Mach-E launch, and the new FordPass had to complement this next-gen SUV in both form and function. The timeline was tight, and the room for error was practically non-existent.

This pressure-cooker situation wasn’t just about the design, but also about syncing with cross-functional teams. Engineers, marketers, and stakeholders all had their own sets of requirements and constraints. The real challenge was harmonizing these diverse needs into one cohesive, scalable, and intuitive design. It called for a strategic outlook that was both laser-focused and wide-angle; zeroing in on micro-interactions while keeping the broader user experience and business objectives in sight. It was a juggling act that kept us on our toes but ultimately brought out the best in us.
Wireframes to Show Possible App Flow

Solution

Unpacking the Solution starts with a nod to the research we dove into. Collaborating with Ford dealerships and conducting wide-scale user surveys gave us more than just raw data; it gave us insights into the emotions and behaviors driving user engagement—or the lack thereof. We processed this data meticulously, not just to understand what users were saying, but to read between the lines. It was this nuanced understanding that fueled the design iterations, where we employed advanced data visualization and interaction design, ultimately developing a gesture-based navigation system that was a hit across demographics.

But let’s not overlook the delicate tightrope we had to walk to keep Ford’s heritage intact. The goal was to modernize without losing the brand essence people trusted. It wasn’t just about looking cool; it was about creating a tool that felt like a natural extension of the Ford driving experience. So we blended old and new—the familiar buttons and color schemes with the sleek, new-age interfaces—to achieve a design that’s both innovative and unmistakably Ford. It’s not just a facelift; it’s a transformation that’s won the hearts of both new and loyal users alike.

Concept Designs

Early in the design phase, we let our creative juices flow freely, resulting in some pretty avant-garde concept designs. They were slick, forward-thinking, and were an instant hit during internal reviews. These designs brought to life a vision of what connected vehicle apps could be, pushing boundaries in data visualization and interaction design. However, we had to face the music: Ford felt these designs strayed too far from the core brand identity.

This was a pivotal moment, and we knew it was back to the drawing board. Retaining Ford’s essence while modernizing the app was the new brief, a task easier said than done. We iterated again, keeping Ford’s classic elements in the mix but weaving them into a more user-centric, intuitive layout. In the end, we struck a balance, maintaining Ford’s legacy feel while introducing nuanced features that resonate with today’s tech-savvy audience. It’s not just a redesign; it’s a respectful evolution of a trusted brand.
Base Page Concepts
Secondary Page and Interaction Concepts

Final Launch Designs

Landing on the final design was a blend of art, science, and a dash of instinct. We started with intensive user research, dissecting analytics and survey responses, to grasp what users truly craved in a connected vehicle experience. We tested a range of prototypes, each iteration guided by both user feedback and brand principles. This iterative cycle led to a design sweet spot—a hybrid of advanced data visualization techniques and gesture-based navigation. It was a calculated move that paid off, finding a balance that felt fresh yet familiar to Ford loyalists.


The outcome? An app that doesn’t just occupy space on your phone but adds value to your drive. It’s a design that’s turned heads, not just within our team but also among users—something the adoption and engagement metrics proudly vouch for. The revamped FordPass is now available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, reaching a wide array of audiences and continuing to redefine what a connected vehicle experience should be.

Results

Listen up: adoption rate shot up from 30% to 79% in just a couple of months post-launch. Downloads? Rocketed to 3.7M. Users were all about the new features we introduced. The only snag was that we needed a longer time frame to fully measure engagement, but hey, six months down the line, we’re sitting pretty at 6M registered users.

Final Metrics

The metrics stand testament to the project’s success. Note that these figures aren’t just vanity metrics; they relate to all Ford “Connected” vehicles, equipped with modem connectivity and FordConnect, currently on the road. Adoption rates skyrocketed from 30% to 79%. Downloads swelled from an initial 1.9 million to 3.7 million, effectively doubling. We amassed a solid user base of 6 million registered users as of March 2023. These numbers signify more than mere data points; they indicate a seismic shift in user engagement and brand loyalty.