Wanderflush

2025

Speculative Work

A way to find a restroom near you that fits your needs, fast, wherever you are in the world.

Role: UX/UI Designer

Length: 4 Months

Team: Solo Project

What is the problem that needs to be solved?

Everyone pees. So… why is it so stressful to find a public restroom?

Public Restrooms in the United States are increasingly rare and difficult to find. In fact, the lack of public restrooms in this country has been declared a public health crisis and a civic catastrophe.

The right to access public restrooms is a public health issue and a humanitarian issue. It affects the entire population, but disproportionately, it affects people who are suffering from medical conditions, unhoused individuals, pregnant individuals, the elderly, and more.

What is the problem that needs to be solved?

Everyone pees. So… why is it so stressful to find a public restroom?

What is the problem that needs to be solved?

Everyone pees. So… why is it so stressful to find a public restroom?

Research

In order to determine the best possible solution, I employed the following methodologies:

Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
"POV" and "How Might We?" Statements
Personas
Storyboarding

Key findings and user Identification

Based off of my research, and my user interviews, I was able to pin point the main issues people face when trying to utilize a restroom in public.

Public restrooms can be difficult to find, especially while traveling.
Public restrooms are often unclean.
Public restrooms often have a barrier to entry (i.e. a code, or a fee).
Public restrooms are often under-stocked (i.e. no soap, paper towels, etc).

If you want to read more in depth about my initial findings, you can check out the insights and POV statements I formulated below.

POV Statement #1

Insight

Users find it distressing to use an unclean public restroom.

POV Statement

People who are out in public who need to use the restroom need a way to find bathrooms that are clean, because otherwise they might avoid using the restroom altogether and risk potential health complications and discomfort.

POV Statement #2

Insight

Users find it inconvenient and stressful that most public restrooms have potential barriers to entry (i.e. a required purchase, a code, etc).

POV Statement

People who are out in public who need to use the restroom need a way to know whether or not a restroom will be accessible to them, because otherwise they might avoid using the restroom altogether in order to avoid the potential awkwardness of the situation.

POV Statement #3

Insight

Users will often try and locate familiar businesses/enterprises when looking for a public restroom to use.

POV Statement

People who are out in public who need to use the restroom need a way to find restrooms that are associated with well known business, because their familiarity with the business and the associated bathroom policies makes them feel that most potential complications can be avoided.

POV Statement #4

Insight

Users often feel unsure about how to locate public restrooms when abroad.

POV Statement

People who are traveling abroad that need to use the restroom in public need a way to find nearby public restrooms, because otherwise they might avoid using the restroom altogether and risk potential health complications and discomfort.

POV Statement #5

Insight

Users find it distressing to be in a public restroom that is understocked with supplies.

POV Statement

People who are out in public who need to use the restroom need a way to find bathrooms that are correctly stocked with supplies, because otherwise they might avoid using the restroom altogether and risk potential health complications and discomfort.

I then used these findings to create personas of potential users.

Ideation - what am I hoping to achieve with the product?

Now that I had identified the problem space, and the potential users, it was time to set some goals and figure out what the solution would look like.

This is what I came up with:

An app that allows users to find restrooms near them that fit their criteria through community sourcing and public data bases.

While searching for restrooms, users will have access to, and be able to sort restrooms by:

Accessibility
Barriers to entry
Cleanliness
Availability of supplies
Changing tables

Users will also be able to save restrooms for future reference, and add new restrooms that do not already exist within the data base.

Ideation - what am I hoping to achieve with the product?

Now that I had identified the problem space, and the potential users, it was time to set some goals and figure out what the solution would look like.

This is what I came up with:

An app that allows users to find restrooms near them that fit their criteria through community sourcing and public data bases.

While searching for restrooms, users will have access to, and be able to sort restrooms by:

Accessibility
Barriers to entry
Cleanliness
Availability of supplies
Changing tables

Users will also be able to save restrooms for future reference, and add new restrooms that do not already exist within the data base.

Wireframing and Prototyping

Now it was time to figure out how users would interact with the app.

In order to help the product materialize, I utilized the following methodologies:

User Flows
Task Flows
Low Fidelity Mockups
High Fidelity Mockups

Wireframing and Prototyping

Now it was time to figure out how users would interact with the app.

In order to help the product materialize, I utilized the following methodologies:

User Flows
Task Flows
Low Fidelity Mockups
High Fidelity Mockups

User Testing

Next, it was time to verify that the product was working as intended. Did it actually solve the problem I wanted it to?

I prototyped the High Fidelity Mockups in Figma and asked 6 different users to complete a series of tasks.

What did they think? What would I have to change to make this the ideal solution to our problem? Here were the key findings:

Make the vertical navigation, which allows users to toggle from the map view to the list view, more visible.
- 100% of users struggled to find the list view.
Make the filter a more universally recognizable icon.
- 80% of users struggled to correctly identify/utilize the filter.
Add an “I forgot my password” flow to the sign in screen.
- 40% of users noted its absence.
Add a "go here" or "take me here" feature that prompts navigation to the selected restroom.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.
Add a location puck to the map view.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.
Add an “Is there a changing table?: Y/N” question to the “Adding a Restroom” flow.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.

User Testing

Next, it was time to verify that the product was working as intended. Did it actually solve the problem I wanted it to?

I prototyped the High Fidelity Mockups in Figma and asked 6 different users to complete a series of tasks.

What did they think? What would I have to change to make this the ideal solution to our problem? Here were the key findings:

Make the vertical navigation, which allows users to toggle from the map view to the list view, more visible.
- 100% of users struggled to find the list view.
Make the filter a more universally recognizable icon.
- 80% of users struggled to correctly identify/utilize the filter.
Add an “I forgot my password” flow to the sign in screen.
- 40% of users noted its absence.
Add a "go here" or "take me here" feature that prompts navigation to the selected restroom.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.
Add a location puck to the map view.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.
Add an “Is there a changing table?: Y/N” question to the “Adding a Restroom” flow.
- 20% of users noted this would be a useful addition.

Finalizing the Design

Now all there was left to do was to put all of the pieces together— and Wanderflush was finally born!

Finalizing the Design

Now all there was left to do was to put all of the pieces together— and Wanderflush was finally born!

In Conclusion

Finding a usable restroom near you, no matter where you are, is a basic human right we should all be afforded. I hope this product can serve as an informed, research based solution to a critical issue that we can all relate to.