zboard companion app

The ZBoard is the first hands-free electric skateboard on the market. Unlike others requiring a handheld remote, it uses weight-sensing pads—riders lean forward to go and lean back to stop.

This project focused on designing a mobile companion app for a future bluetooth-enabled model. The challenge: extend board functionality to mobile while maintaining the hands-free philosophy, increasing engagement, and providing critical information at a glance.

Stakeholder interviews with ZBoard co-founder Ben Forman established three objectives:

The electric skateboarding community was surveyed across Reddit, Boosted Board Facebook groups, and Evolve forums—over 150 responses. ZBoard beta historical data added 120+ responses from existing owners.

For boards with companion apps, the most used features were battery/range (51.6%) and lifetime miles (46.3%).

Analysis of Boosted Board, Onewheel, and Acton: ZBoard had the highest range (16-24 miles vs 6-7 miles) but 10x less social engagement. Competitor apps prioritized battery life, ride mode, and lifetime miles.

Features were categorized using the MoSCoW framework:

Could Have: Sensitivity customization, customer service contact, headlight control, tutorials, leaderboard, gamification

Won't Have: Riding locations, lock/unlock, part malfunction alerts, find my board

The product was structured around four primary areas:

1. Dashboard — Required the most iterations to balance at-a-glance readability with quick access to critical features. Three wireframe rounds prioritized battery/range and enabled quick speed mode switching.

2. My Board — Centralized maintenance, board settings, and troubleshooting to reduce reliance on external support.

3. Leaderboard — Achievements and ride tracking to drive social interaction and brand visibility.

4. Support — Self-service troubleshooting and direct customer service access, addressing the single-point-of-contact bottleneck from research.

Testing revealed two key issues:

Speed mode terminology - Phrasing and abbreviations weren't immediately clear, causing confusion when changing modes.

Achievement placement - Users initially looked for achievements under "My Board" instead of "Leaderboard".

Low-fidelity wireframes established layout patterns, navigation, and information hierarchy for the four primary areas before high-fidelity design.

High-fidelity designs for the four primary areas: dashboard with expert/beginner modes, My Board for firmware and parts, leaderboard with achievements, and support with FAQ and troubleshooting.