How can technology
help us reconnect
with our environment?
Problem : With increasingly busy lives, humans are losing touch with their natural environment. The average American child can identify 1,000 corporate logos but cannot identify 10 plants and animals native to their hometown
Anxiety, isolation, and depression are rising at epidemic levels. Research shows that time in nature regulates the nervous system, fostering awe and reverence. Yet most people struggle to spend even 15 minutes outdoors per day amid busy schedules. By harnessing technology to reconnect people with nature, we can promote environmental stewardship while amplifying the benefits of our natural environment.
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Prototype
Test
Based on user interviews with 10 participants, I created three personas to guide the product's UI design, user journeys, and feature development.
Takeaways for product design
Photography VS illustration - Subjects felt that they would be motivated by beautiful photography
Simple features with light interaction - Experiencing overwhelm with tech was a common note and less device time wanted
One tap sign in (SSO) - Participants want simple quick access, not lengthy profile information forms to complete
Diversity of location options in app - Subjects were located in very different environments from extremely urban to remote
Low stakes engagement - light gamification to help habit formation but not constant notifications (apple watch stand up feature frequently cited as irritating)
Stats - although most subjects noted stats were annoying, some enjoyed the granular details and tracking progress.
Site Map & Task Flows
High Fidelity Wireframes
