Earth Discovery
End-to-End Application.
Project Type
Duration
2 months
Product Designer
Role
Explore Earth's wonders with Earth Discovery.
Our app connects you to stunning landscapes and unique wildlife, making it easy to learn, and explore our planet.
With climate change, many people are increasingly concerned about natural landscapes and wildlife conservation. However, finding a single source that provides comprehensive information on the wonders of the entire world and ways to learn about and protect them is challenging. Creating easy-to-use apps that educate curious users is crucial—not only for promoting knowledge but also for helping to protect our planet.
Background
Users must visit multiple websites to learn about natural landscapes, animals, and conservation worldwide. Each site presents different information, leading to inconsistent, text-heavy content that is difficult to read and lacks thorough details accessible to non-experts.
Problem
Earth Discovery is a mobile app that consolidates worldwide natural landscapes, conservation opportunities, and a comprehensive animal database. It provides easy-to-read content for casual users, along with in-depth details for those with a deeper interest.
Solution
Design Process
Research
To learn how my competitors organize the vast amount of information on natural landscapes. I explored four different sites: World Wildlife Fund, National Geographic, The Global Alliance of National Parks, and the National Park Service.
Competitive Analysis
Insights
Brief summaries with click-through options for more details keeps navigation easy.
Natural landscape sites can be hard to navigate due to too much information.
A simple homepage with a search bar and basic filters is easier to use.
Pictures help me explore without feeling overwhelmed by text.
I interviewed 5 participants. The goal of my user interview was to identify user needs in order to create an app that best fulfills their curiosity and desire to learn about natural landscapes across the entire world.
User Interview
General Information
All users want basic information on natural landscapes, like weather, history, and conservation. Some prefer more in-depth explanations.
Travel Destination Users research natural landscapes when planning vacations, seeking details on hikes, tours, and trip-related information.
Insights
Animal List
Users want to learn about animals. Many appreciate a detailed animal database for different landscapes, while others prefer a simplified list focusing on the "cool" animals.
Dangerous and Endangered Animal
Users are curious about dangerous wildlife and endangered animals.
Conservation
Users are interested in conserving natural landscapes. Some engage internationally through volunteering or donating, while others prefer local, passive actions like turning off lights.
Map Feature
Users desire a map feature with filters to customize their view when exploring different natural landscapes.
Define
User Needs
Dangerous and Endangered Animals
Conservation
Map Feature
Travel Destination
General Information
Animal List
To narrow down my users needs and goals. I created three different Pov’s and Hmw’s that will help me best figure out how to create design solutions.
Pov and Hmw
I'd like to explore ways to help people who are mildly curious about natural landscapes by providing basic information that is sufficient to satisfy their simple curiosity.
I'd like to explore ways to help nature enthusiasts access thorough information about different natural landscapes, as they have a deep interest in learning all aspects of these areas and participating in active conservation measures.
I’d like to explore ways to help users learn more beneficial information about the natural landscapes for visiting, as people often research natural landscapes when planning to visit.
Pov
How might we provide sufficient information to satisfy the curiosity of people who are mildly interested in natural landscapes
How might we help nature enthusiasts with a deep interest in learning all aspects of natural landscapes and participates in active conservation measures gain comprehensive.
How might we help tourists learn more beneficial information about the natural landscapes they are visiting?
Hmw
With the help of my POV, HMW, and user research, I created two personas to guide my project, ensuring it focuses on their needs and goals.
Personas
Persona 1
Persona 2
Based on our users' needs and goals, I developed and prioritized key features for implementation.
Features & Prioritization
Animal Page
An animal page with a search bar and filters, allowing users to discover and learn about animals through a complete database of all existing animals.
Must Haves
Geolocation for Personalization
Use geolocation to suggest nearby natural landscapes, animals, and conservation efforts, as users are highly interested in their local environments.
Conservation Opportunities
A page with tips, education, and opportunities on how people can contribute to conservation on different scales.
Natural Landscape Page Each natural landscape will have its own page, including multiple topics with short summaries and options for users to click for more in-depth information.
Visit Page
Include a "Visit" tab on each Natural Landscape page where users can find the necessary information to successfully visit that location.
Map Feature
Users desire a map feature with filters to customize their view when exploring different natural landscapes.
I conducted two card sorting tests using open card sorting to best organize complex information into sections. The first test involved 20 cards for the Bottom Navigational Bar, while the second test involved 31 cards for the Natural Landscape Page.
Card Sorting
Bottom Navigational Bar Categories
Natural Landscapes
Conservation
Animals
Profile
Natural Landscape Page Categories
Overview
Visitor Information
Conservation
News & Publications
Based on the results of card sorting and insights from competitive analysis, I designed the site map. Given the project's time constraints, I focused on the Natural Landscape and Animals Pages, which address four key requirements and meet most users' needs for learning about animals and gathering essential information on natural landscapes and areas to visit.
Site Map
Contained sections are the ones i’m focused on designing.
I created two user flows that our users would go through. Two distinct user flows were chosen. These are paths that our users would go through based on their needs and pain points.
User Flow
Find the complete list of Amphibians at Fiordland National Park
For our users that seek in-depth information.
User flow 1:
Key
User flow 2:
Find the safety page for visiting Fiordland National Park
Users need to be informed of any potential dangers when visiting the location.
Design
I started putting together my low-fidelity wireframes. My process includes three separate surveys and iteration that ultimately helped me choose the final designs for each unique screens.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Natural Landscape Search Page
Natural Landscape Search List
Animal Search Page
Animal Search List
(Natural Landscape Name) Overview
(Natural Landscape Name) Animal
(Natural Landscape Name) Visitor Page
Since some pages share the same layout, I began my low-fidelity iteration with only a few screens. As I progressed, I created the remaining screens and gathered user feedback.
Required Screens
My three-iteration process included twelve participants via Maze, conducted either in person or through video chat.
Iterations
(Final) Low-Fidelity Screens
User Flow 1: Find the complete list of Amphibians at Fiordland National Park
User flow 2: Find the safety page for visiting Fiordland National Park
I wanted to determine if the user flow and screen design made sense for our users, so I conducted usability testing with 8 participants using two flows of my low-fidelity prototype.
Low-Fidelity User Testing
Results
Both flows had a 100% success rate.
The first flow scored 8.1/10 for ease, with an average duration of 82.2 seconds.
Users found the flows easy to navigate and straightforward.
The second flow scored 9.4/10, averaging 40.2 seconds.
To ensure the product attracts users, it was important for me to make strong decisions.
Branding
I defined the product's values and the feeling I wanted it to convey.
Mood Board
Brand Logos
The logo features a harmonious blend of natural elements—mountains, rivers, trees, and a sun—within a circular design that evokes Earth, highlighting the need to safeguard and explore its landscapes. The multiple lines suggest exploration and the wealth of knowledge available. The title 'Earth Discoveries' reflects the planet's vast wonders, while the deep green color conveys sophistication and a strong connection to nature.
UI Kit
High-Fidelity Wireframes
Testing
I tested the high-fidelity prototype with 5 participants on their phones to ensure it looked good, as the product is primarily for mobile. More screens were added at this stage compared to the low-fidelity version to ensure smooth and logical transitions between steps from a design perspective.
High-Fidelity User Testing
User Flow 1: Find the complete list of Amphibians at Fiordland National Park
User flow 2: Find the safety page for visiting Fiordland National Park
Both flows had a 100% success rate.
Results
Both tasks met and exceeded the success expectation.
The first flow scored 8.8/10 for ease, with an average duration of 2.09 minutes.
The second flow scored 9.2/10, averaging 47 seconds.
Users had no issues completing the task flow, though some made UI suggestions that seemed based on personal preference. I considered all feedback, analyzing why users made these suggestions and exploring how they could improve the user flow.
Iterations
Final Prototype
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed every step of this project and am proud of my design process and the results it produced. During user testing, I received feedback that the app felt like a legitimate natural landscape resource, with each page being well-organized and informative.
Reflection & Next Steps
Insight
This project was insightful as I learned the value of card sorting. The smooth user flows I created were largely due to the insights gained from this process. Understanding how most people grouped cards helped me design smart, intuitive sections.
Designing each page was challenging due to the large amount of information to organize. However, going through multiple surveys and iterations during low-fidelity helped solidify the design based on user feedback. I made sure every design decision was backed by research and user testing, ensuring a purpose behind each choice.
Challenges
As a design student, I’m always improving my Figma skills. In this project, I created many components and learned that building smaller, detailed components first speeds up iterations when used in larger designs. I overcame this by going back and creating consistent assets, but next time, I’ll start with this process.
Things I Could Have Done Differently
Due to time constraints, I focused on designing the must-have features that were crucial for user needs. My next steps are to create a world map page and a conservation page, which will include a "Sustainable Daily Choices" section.