Nature Nest

An outdoor recreation app designed for outdoor enthusiasts, focusing on community-based interaction to provide authentic information and enhance user experiences.

Role

UX/UI designer

Timeline

02/2024 - 03/2024

Project Type

Personal Project

Design Type

Responsive Design

User Research Analysis

Market Research

In conducting market research, I first searched for the market size of outdoor recreation activities to assess their potential. Then, I searched for existing outdoor recreation apps to understand the situation.

Market Size in the US

$1.1 Trillion
in economic output
2.2%
of U.S. GDP

Situation around the Existing App

Less Visual Appealing
Outdated and unattractive apps
Coverage Gap
Incomplete outdoor activity listings in most recreation apps
The data indicates that the market size is substantial and has significant potential. However, the performance of existing outdoor recreation apps appears to be subpar.

Competitive Analysis

In conducting competitive analysis, I initially recognized the need to encompass all potential competitors and categorize them into the three groups: travel booking websites, outdoor recreation platforms, and social media platforms.
By walking through these pros and cons, I got ideas for developing an outdoor recreation app to include the following features.
All Types of Outdoor
Community Base
Booking and Shopping

User Interview

In conducting user interviews, I selected five participants from Generation Z to Millennials. To obtain accurate insights for developing a better user experience app, I established goals for the interviews and created questions based on them.

Goals

1.
What experiences do people expect to gain from outdoor activities?
By understanding their motivation for outdoor activities, I am able to include their needs into the app.
2.
What challenges do people typically face when searching for outdoor activities?
By understanding their motivation for outdoor activities, I am able to include their needs into the app.
3.
What habits do people have when searching for outdoor activities?
By understanding the users habits during the search process, I am able to include features which meet their searching expectations.

Takeaway

Unique Experience
Seek outdoor activities as a means to break away from their daily routines, refresh themselves, and enjoy leisure.
Real Information
Encounter difficulty in finding authentic details, which can deter them from experiencing outdoor activities.
Reviews
Usually check reviews carefully including the number of “Likes,” ”Stars,” and comments since they aim to enhance their experience and ensure it's success.

Problem Statement

Outdoor enthusiasts are facing challenges in discovering enjoyable outdoor activities due to a lack of accessible and authentic information. Existing outdoor apps often provide limited features, further hindering users' ability to explore and engage in diverse outdoor experiences.

Solution Statement

In response to these challenges, NatureNest will implement features that provide opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to find unique outdoor experiences. To achieve this goal, NatureNest will commit to implementing features that allow users to share their outdoor experiences in detail, display content recommendations, and include all types of outdoor recreation.

Design Process

Persona

I created two personas, one male and one female, representing individuals in their twenties and thirties, both single and married, who I believe would be the most likely to enjoy outdoor activities and search for information through web and app.

User Flow

To cultivate empathy with users, I first created user stories for each flow: sign-up, log-in, booking a camping place, reviewing, and purchasing running shoes. Then, I developed user flows based on these stories.

Information Architecture

Based on the user flows described above, I created the information architecture below by initially organizing the menus into booking a camping place, writing a review, and purchasing running shoes as categories on the first layer. Then, I expanded upon each category, adding more detailed layers to correspond with the specific user flows.

Low/Mid-Fidelity

To develop visualizations, I began by creating low-fidelity designs for every page, using the user flows and information architecture mentioned earlier as a reference to gather ideas and inspiration. Then, I created mid-fidelity designs based on the initial low-fidelity versions.

Style Guide

During the UI design phase, I aimed to create interfaces that convey excitement and trustworthiness, drawing from insights obtained through user interviews. This effort involved selecting appropriate colors, typography, icons, and developing UI elements consistent with this objective.

Usability Testing

After creating the high-fidelity design, I conducted usability testing with 5 participants, including millennials and Gen Z individuals. During the usability test, I evaluated 4 direct tasks and 2 scenario tasks with each participant.

In total, I identified 50 errors and received negative feedback. Upon reviewing all errors and feedback, I prioritized addressing 30 issues that could potentially impact the app's user experience negatively.

Below are some examples of adjustments made based on user feedback.

Before

After

Several participants encountered difficulty in finding a review page to share their outdoor experiences. To make it easier to navigate, I changed the label of the button.

Before

After

Based on user reactions during testing, I found that the navigation page, accessed by clicking the plus icon on the navigation bar, could be made more effective to enhance user experience.

Outcomes

To resolve the problems existing among outdoor recreation apps, I incorporated four key features into NatureNest.

Optimizing the Review System

To encourage users to share their outdoor experiences with the community, Nature Nest has implemented a review system that enables users to accumulate points for getting discounts by sharing their activity experiences as reviews.

Utilizing tags is also effective in organizing and making it easier to find the right reviews.

Implementing the Community Page

By developing the community page, Nature Nest enables users to share real experiences, which assists other users in accessing trustworthy experiences they are interested in.

All-Inclusive

Nature Nest provides users with opportunities to enjoy searching for and booking a wide range of activities, as well as renting and shopping.

Content Recommendations

To show users the information they want, Nature Nest has implemented features such as a questionnaire to gather user preferences for outdoor activities and a like button, which optimizes the users experience for finding outdoor activities.

Takeaway

During this project, I learned critical skills to improve my UX/UI design. To further develop my skills, I will especially focus on improving the following areas.

Human Interaction

During the user testing, I gained a strong sense that each individual interacts with the app uniquely. This experience underscored the importance of deeply understanding human interaction from various perspectives.

Visualization

During the wireframing and prototyping process, I realized that visualization is the area within the UX/UI field I want to specialize in. Believing that visualization is the foremost tool for communicating with users in the UX/UI field, I am committed to further honing my skills in this area.

Technical Skills

To create more effective visual designs, I've recognized the need to continually learn about design tools, such as Figma. Given the rapid pace of technological advancements, staying updated is essential for producing superior designs.
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