Hevway App
Transforming how heavy vehicle drivers get around, easing compliant navigation through complex roads.
Role
At JTB Studios, I led the end-to-end app design, collaborating with a project manager, creative director, head of digital and offshore development/QA team.
Tools used
Figma, Miro, Principal
Project Length
3 months
Introduction
Problem statement:
Planning routes as a crane and heavy vehicle operator is harder than it should be. Most navigation tools like Google Maps don’t understand things like heavy vehicle restrictions or crane configurations, which means operators often have to figure it out themselves, juggling paper maps, government websites, or just relying on past experience.
This leads to stress, wrong turns, wasted time, and costly mistakes for both operators and the businesses they work for.
Hevway was created to fix this. The goal was to design an easy-to-use app that helps crane and heavy vehicle drivers plan their trips with confidence.
It automatically finds the right route based on your crane setup and shows only the roads you're allowed to drive on, taking the guesswork out of the job and helping operators get from A to B without hassle.
The Approach
01
Discovery
As part of the JTB Studios team, I worked closely with the Hevway team to understand their business requirements through a series of workshop activities. Together, we explored functionality, key features, constraints, and what success would look like for the product.
We then spoke with heavy vehicle drivers the client connected us with, as they would be the ones using the app, to hear first-hand about their experiences, pain points, and what they wanted from the product.
During these research sessions, we uncovered that the current route planning process was highly manual and error-prone, with operators relying on outdated PDFs of restricted roads, legacy tools, or even guesswork.
Early research with drivers to understand their experience on the roads
After documenting the key functionalities and identifying what screens the app should include, we aligned with Hevway on the scope. I then wireframed and mapped out the end-to-end journey of how a heavy vehicle operator would use the app, from selecting their crane configuration to reaching a destination safely.
This helped us identify key use cases, such as automatic routing based on road classifications (Green/Orange roads) and simplified trip planning that reflected how operators actually worked on the job.
We ran a fully interactive low-fidelity prototype through the client for alignment and tested it with the heavy vehicle drivers to gather feedback and assess how logical the flow was. We then made iterations based on what we learned.
02
Planning, wireframing and prototyping.
Getting alignment with the client on functionalities
Wireframe and mapping out the userflow
03
Interface Design
Next came high-fidelity design, where we prioritised simplicity, readability, and usability in-vehicle. Given the demographic was likely not highly tech-savvy, accessibility was critical. This meant using clear labelling, straightforward prompts, and intuitive navigation throughout the app.
Another focus was on reducing friction when setting up crane profiles, making permitted routes easy to identify, and ensuring the interface performed reliably in real-world driving conditions.
Once the high-fidelity designs were complete, we reviewed them with Hevway stakeholders to ensure alignment. We then explored animation, creating an output in Principal that helped communicate key motion functionalities such as slide-out sheets, drag-to-rearrange route order, and smooth transitions.
Sample of high fidelity driver flow
We then ran additional testing with 12 heavy vehicle drivers to ensure the user interface met their needs and reflected their experience out on the road. These insights led to improvements such as larger directional arrows, bigger touch targets on key UI elements, and clearer labelling of certain fields.
The insights were played back to the Hevway team to validate that the app was fit for purpose and to give them confidence to move forward with the build.
A handover with engineering commenced, with support provided throughout development and QA of the final product.
04
Testing & Iteration
Challenges
Limited Real-World Testing Time
It was challenging trying to get crane and heavy load operators to attend user research, many were busy and often on tight schedules. Coordinating usability tests around their availability was a challenge, so we had to make each session count and rely on a lean feedback loop to iterate quickly.
Interpreting Complex Road Rules
Heavy vehicle and crane access rules are detailed and vary by state, road type, and vehicle configuration. Translating these into something operators could trust and understand in seconds was a major challenge. We had to work closely with the client and VicRoads to get it right.
Designing for Non-Technical Users
Many crane operators aren’t highly tech-savvy, and often use older devices. The app had to be incredibly simple, with large touch targets, minimal setup steps, and a clear visual hierarchy that worked in-vehicle, even in bright sunlight. They would often be driving so it had to be easy to understand at a glance.
Outcomes
75+ Operators Onboarded
Crane operators across Victoria started using the app within weeks of launch, with minimal support thanks to an easy setup flow.
70% First-Try Success Rate
Most users were able to complete a full route plan on their first attempt, showing the app was intuitive and accessible from day one.
Time Saved on Route Planning
Operators reported cutting planning time by nearly half compared to using PDFs or government maps, reducing stress and manual work.
No Major Compliance Issues:
There were no reports of incorrect routing or regulatory problems during the first release, a key factor in building trust.
Positive Operator Feedback:
Users called the app “easy to use” and “absolute game changer,” especially appreciating how it removed the guesswork from daily planning.
The end — or maybe just the beginning?
Whether it’s just a friendly chat or a potential opportunity, feel free to say hello.