OverviewThe Celery Bog Nature Area is a protected wetland located in West Lafayette, Indiana, not far from Purdue University. The marsh plays a number of important roles, both to park visitors and the plants and animals that it shelters.
As part of a wave of recent park renovations, the park directors expressed interest in expanding technologies that might aid visitors. My RoleUser Research, Usability Testing, UI Design |
User Research
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Site Familiarization Early on, our team realized that in order to craft a good user experience, we had to gain a physical understanding of the park. We accomplished this by walking the trails, exploring landmarks, and learning the park's history.
Informal Interviews and Brainstorming A series of informal interviews were conducted with the Celery Bog's three directors. Follow-up interviews, check-ins, and additional brainstorming sessions were also conducted as needed through the rest of the project.
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A Double-Layered Problem
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Park Visitors consisted primarily of three groups: joggers, dog walkers, and bird watchers, all of whom would benefit from an interactive park map. 
Park directors required an application that could be maintained long-term, without the need for technical assistance. |
Core Question
How can we design an interactive map application that can be easily maintained in the long-term?
Prototyping the Application
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Data Gathering Description
Preliminary data gathering for prototypes took the form of physically touring the Celery Bog Nature Area and documenting GPS coordinates of major landmarks, paths, and path nodes. |
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Sketch Wireframes and Paper Prototyping Description
Paper sketches and wireframes were constructed to better envision the application. These paper prototypes were submitted to cognitive walkthrough testing. Results We learned from our various paper prototypes that we were trying to convey too much information at once, and needed to simplify the application. |
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High-Fidelity Prototype Description
Using the insights gained from the low-fidelity prototype testing, we simplified the interface and began developing a high-fidelity prototype. This prototype was then subjected to another round of cognitive walkthrough testing, both on the front-end (map) and back-end (administration). Results The front-end prototype was better received and required fewer tweaks to proceed. The administrative back-end however still suffered from over-complication. A backup default version was created, and several features, such as the path editor, were removed entirely. |
Final Deliverables
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Application
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Administrator User Manual
Announcement Poster
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Master's Capstone
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Haptics Haunted HouseEmerging Technology
Service Design |
Celery Bog Interactive MapApplication Design
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