The Nature Exploration Log is a product developed through a collaborative project with Stanley Park in West Vancouver. By conducting extensive research, interviews, and surveys, our team gathered valuable insights into the needs and visions of both visitors and staff, allowing us to create an improved experience that encourages deeper connections with nature. In this project, my role involved designing features that enhance user interaction, making iterations, and prototyping the final product to ensure an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
The biggest challenge during this four-month project was discovering that while visitors prefer minimal screen use and value hands-on learning in a natural environment, staff sees digital tools as essential educational support. This conflicting perspective made it challenging to identify an optimal solution that caters to both user groups.
The proposed solution consisted of two components designed to meet the needs of both user groups. Effectively blending the two mediums is especially crucial for ensuring a seamless interaction during the visit. The design not only encourages visitors to actively engage with nature while in the park but also makes the learning experience more personal and memorable.
Allows staff to monitor visitors' discoveries, fostering more meaningful interactions and educational experiences centered around their findings.
Visitors receive a stamp for each log entry as a reward for their discoveries once their sightings are successfully uploaded, providing an engaging way to expand ecological knowledge.
In this project, I learned that understanding and balancing the diverse preferences of users is essential in creating a meaningful and engaging experience. Our final product was able to foster deeper connections with nature while supporting educational goals, ultimately enhancing visitor engagement and awareness of conservation efforts.