OWL Conservation platform
team
Team of 5
Timeline
Jan 2023 - May 2023
tools
Figma, Google Suite, Photoshop, Miro
key responsibilities
UX Research, UX Design, Qualitative and Quantitative Research, Wireframing, Prototyping
At a glance
Brief overview of the entire project
What is Borrowing Owl Conservation?
Burrowing Owl Conservation focuses on preserving and protecting burrowing owls, small ground-dwelling birds native to North and South America. Due to habitat loss and human activities, these owls face significant threats, making conservation efforts essential. The goal is to create sustainable habitats, raise awareness, and engage researchers and conservationists in protecting this species and its ecosystem.
Problem
The Burrowing Owl Conservation project faced significant challenges with its existing digital platform, which lacked user-friendliness, accessibility to critical research data, and effective tools for scheduling field visits. Researchers and professors, the primary users, struggled to navigate the interface and access important information on burrowing owl conservation efforts. Additionally, there was no streamlined way for users to schedule visits or collaborate on research projects. To address these issues, a redesign was necessary to create a more intuitive, functional, and accessible platform that supports conservation efforts and facilitates research collaboration.
Enhance Usability
Redesign the website interface to improve navigation and accessibility for researchers, professors, and conservationists.
Streamline Scheduling
Implement a "Book a Visit" feature, allowing users to easily schedule visits to the burrowing owl field and related events.
Automated footage tagging
Integrate a SaaS-based auto-tagging feature to categorize and filter research footage by date and time for efficient workflows.
Solutions
Redesigned User Interface: Develop a more intuitive, user-friendly interface to enhance navigation and accessibility for researchers and professors.
"Book a Visit" Feature: Introduce a streamlined scheduling system for booking visits to the burrowing owl field, improving user engagement.
Automated Footage Tagging: Integrate a SaaS-based auto-tagging feature to categorize research footage by date and time, improving efficiency in research workflows.
Improved User Experience: Conducte usability testing and implement changes based on user feedback to ensure a smooth and engaging user experience.
The Process
How did I reach to final solution?
Empathize
Planning and Discovery
To better understand the needs of researchers and professors, I conducted Semi-Structured Interviews and Contextual Inquiries to identify key usability improvements for the Burrowing Owl Conservation website. The research focused on uncovering the challenges users faced with navigation, access to research resources, and the scheduling of site visits, providing insights into where the site could be enhanced.
Questions Asked
Could you tell us a little about your background and the research you do?
What is the purpose of when you decided to do the research?
What tools or devices do you usually use to conduct your research?
Where were you finding the information to support your research topic?
What is the most important point when you try to get information on the website?
How do you think (website) this interface will help you to find your research, does it help you easily to navigate?
What sort of difficulties or issues do you face while researching?
What kinds of preferences do you have when it comes to interfaces?
What would you like to see on a conservation website?
Semi-Structured Interviews
To gather diverse insights, I conducted semi-structured interviews by first providing participants with a brief introduction to the project. Since participants came from various backgrounds, I used an open-ended question format to allow flexibility and encourage in-depth responses. However, I ensured that key questions remained consistent across interviews to identify common themes related to user needs, pain points, and expectations. This approach enabled me to gather comprehensive feedback from participants while ensuring we addressed the core aspects of the user experience.
Methodology
Conducted with 15+ stakeholders, including researchers, professors, and conservationists.
Followed a semi-structured format with predetermined questions, allowing flexibility for participants to share additional insights.
Focused on understanding user challenges, tool usage, and expectations from the Burrowing Owl Conservation website.
Key Insights
Users found the website’s navigation unintuitive, making it difficult to access research articles and data.
Lack of scheduling features for field visits was a major pain point.
Outcomes
Informed the need for an improved navigation system and the development of a "Book a Visit" feature.
Prioritized design changes that aligned with user expectations and conservation goals.
Contextual Inquiry
During the contextual inquiry, the goal was to gain deeper insights into the conservation efforts of the Burrowing Owl Project at ASU. This involved observing and listening to professors as they shared detailed information on various aspects of owl conservation, including owl behavior, the importance of conservation, reasons for relocation, and the relocation process itself. They also demonstrated the equipment and tools used specifically for the conservation efforts. The knowledge gathered from this inquiry provided a comprehensive understanding of the project’s nuances and helped establish a solid foundation for identifying key priorities in the website redesign.
Methodology
Observed how users, including researchers and professors, interacted with the existing website in their work environments.
Focused on how users navigated the platform, accessed research materials, and scheduled site visits.
Gathered real-time data on user behavior and practical challenges faced during their interactions with the website.
Key Insights
The lack of a calendar or booking system for scheduling visits was a significant usability issue.
Frustrations arose from inefficient workflows for uploading and categorizing research footage.
Outcomes
Led to the integration of a clear "Book a Visit" feature and SaaS-based auto-tagging for research footage.
Redesign focused on creating a more seamless and efficient experience for users, improving usability and workflow efficiency.
Define
Target Audience
Who are the users
Researchers: A conservation-focused academic seeking quick access to research data, scheduling tools for field visits, and collaboration features for peer interactions.
Bird Enthusiasts: A passionate wildlife observer looking to easily schedule visits to owl habitats and stay updated on conservation events and information.
User Persona
Based on the findings from interviews and contextual inquiries, I developed two personas to represent the key user groups of the Burrowing Owl Conservation (BOC) website. These personas were crafted using demographic and behavioral data, including occupation, conservation involvement, and specific challenges they faced with the existing platform.
The primary goal of creating these personas was to better understand the target users and their distinct needs for an optimized website redesign. By aligning the design with the unique requirements of each persona, we could directly address their pain points and significantly enhance their overall user experience on the site.
Concept Story
The concept story revolves around understanding the unique challenges and needs of the two primary user groups: researchers and bird enthusiasts. Through user research, we identified that researchers need quick and seamless access to data, research articles, and tools to aid in their conservation work. For them, efficiency is key, whether it's navigating the site, booking a visit, or finding specific research information. On the other hand, bird enthusiasts want an engaging and easy-to-use platform to schedule visits to observe the burrowing owls and learn more about the conservation efforts.
For example, Carl, a 46-year-old from Mesa, Arizona, wants easy access to comprehensive information about burrowing owls, including their habitat, behavior, and conservation status. Meanwhile, Farah, a 42-year-old Biomimicry Professional from Tempe, Arizona, needs a simple and user-friendly way to schedule her visit to the owl field. By aligning the website’s features to meet the unique goals of both user types, the platform can support both research-driven and nature-curious audiences.
Concept Story
Usage Story
The usage story highlights how each persona interacts with the redesigned Burrowing Owl Conservation (BOC) website. For instance, Carl, a conservation enthusiast, navigates the platform to easily access up-to-date research on burrowing owls, exploring sections on habitat and behavior. The clear organization and search functionality allow him to find the specific information he's looking for without hassle.
Farah, on the other hand, visits the site with the intent of booking a field trip to observe the owls in person. Using the newly integrated "Book a Visit" feature, she quickly selects a date and reserves her spot. She also appreciates the clear, intuitive process that allows her to access relevant site information, including travel details, time slots, and visit guidelines.
Both of these user journeys showcase how the platform’s redesign directly aligns with the expectations of its target audience, providing a seamless experience tailored to their specific goals.
Usage Story
Ideation
Refining Wireframes
In the design phase of the Burrowing Owl Conservation (BOC) project, I first created low-fidelity wireframes to outline the structure and functionality of the website. The wireframes focused on simplifying navigation, improving access to research resources, and integrating key features like the "Book a Visit" function. After several iterations, I developed high-fidelity prototypes that included visual design and interactivity, allowing for usability testing and feedback before final development.
Wireframe
For the wireframes, I concentrated on a clear, user-friendly layout that addressed the pain points identified during research. These wireframes were iterated upon based on feedback from stakeholders to ensure they met the needs of both researchers and bird enthusiasts, focusing on features like the calendar for scheduling visits and access to research data.
Prototype
High-fidelity Prototypes
Prototype
Once the wireframes were finalized, I created high-fidelity prototypes that incorporated detailed interactions and user flows. This allowed us to simulate the final user experience, making it easier to gather feedback and refine the design further. The prototypes helped validate core features such as the automated tagging system and visit scheduling, ensuring everything worked smoothly for users.
Reflection
What did I learn?
Impact
Improved user engagement through a user-friendly interface tailored for researchers and bird enthusiasts.
Streamlined visit scheduling with the new "Book a Visit" feature, increasing on-site participation.
Enhanced research efficiency with the implementation of automated footage tagging for categorizing and filtering research data.
Provided a centralized platform for accessing burrowing owl conservation resources, promoting conservation awareness and collaboration.
What did I learn?
The importance of user-centered design in addressing specific pain points for different user groups.
Conducting thorough user research (interviews and contextual inquiries) is essential for understanding real-world challenges and shaping actionable design solutions.
Iterative testing and feedback loops are crucial for refining design features, ensuring they meet user expectations and enhance overall usability.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration (between designers, conservationists, and researchers) enriches the project and fosters innovative design solutions.
Future Consideration
Explore additional features such as real-time chat or discussion forums for researchers to collaborate more effectively.
Introduce mobile optimization to ensure a seamless experience across devices for researchers and bird enthusiasts on the go.
Continuously gather user feedback post-launch to further refine features and address evolving needs.
Integrate enhanced data visualization tools to help researchers easily interpret data on burrowing owl populations and behaviors.
