Chronolog started as a visionary concept, uniting technology and nature to create a symbiotic relationship where everyday citizens could contribute to the well-being of our natural environments. The idea was to allow hikers, nature enthusiasts, and anyone in national parks or forests to document changes within specific locales. As the Lead Product (UX) Designer, I translated this vision into a tangible, user-friendly web application and optimized the entire user experience. The initial iteration of Chronolog was rudimentary, a basic AWS-backend prototype primarily serving as a litmus test for feasibility. But like any seed, with the proper care and conditions, it had the potential to grow.
Company: Chronolog.io
Project Duration: 2018 - 2109
Role: Lead Product (UX) Designer
Objective: Enhance the existing proof-of-concept Chronolog platform, refining both its digital and physical user experiences to promote citizen science, while ensuring utility for park rangers and researchers.
Background: Chronolog, initially a basic application, aimed to enable hikers and citizens to document environmental changes through photos. These images, taken at designated stations within national parks, provide valuable data to scientists and park rangers to detect erosion, invasive species, and other ecological concerns.
Key Strategies and Approaches:
Solution: Launched an MVP of Chronolog that integrated user-friendly mobile interfaces for field users with an admin dashboard tailored for data analysis. Introduced durable stations with QR codes for swift access and data upload, cutting down barriers to user participation.
Impact: The Chronolog platform has since grown in scope and reach, with over 500+ stations across the globe, serving as a testament to its user-centric design and functionality.
Development
Chronolog emerged as an innovative citizen science initiative, aiming to transform everyday hikers into vigilant observers of our natural world. Situated predominantly in national parks and various forest locations, Chronolog stations invite park-goers to snap photographs of specific zones. These pictures, when uploaded, offer a goldmine of data for scientists and park rangers, who rely on them to monitor aspects like erosion, detect invasive species, and discern other environmental issues.
In 2018, when I joined the Chronolog team, the application was developing more of a proof of concept than a full-fledged tool. Running on an AWS backend lambda server, the tool's sole function was to validate the feasibility of image uploads and subsequent display on the website. My responsibility was expansive - not only was I tasked with enriching the web application's user experience, but I was also pivotal in sculpting the physical experience, ensuring that park rangers could seamlessly integrate the tool into their environment. This included handling everything from unboxing the product to installing it and guaranteeing the onsite instructions were crystal-clear for visitors.
We could simplify capturing and uploading pictures for hikers and park-goers and tap into a vast reservoir of real-time environmental data.
However, this simplicity was essential – any friction in the process would deter potential contributors. The challenge was to bridge the gap between an idea's potential and its practical implementation.
The initial MVP revolved around placing posts with instructional signage at each station. We faced An intriguing challenge related to the materials chosen for the stations. Given that our bracket – designed to ensure each photograph maintained a consistent angle – was 3-D printed, the choice of material was critical. The material had to withstand the rigors of the outdoors, from harsh sunlight to rain and snow.
Moreover, the signage at the stations needed careful consideration. Factors like legibility, durability, and ease of use were paramount. We aimed to equip each sign with a unique QR code, allowing users to transition from snapping a photo to uploading it on the designated webpage. The primary goal? Reduce steps, reduce friction, and increase user participation.
Embarking on Chronolog's journey, the first thing that became evident was that while the concept was innovative, its real potential lay in its execution. It was essential to nail down the core functionalities, ensuring that the tool's development was more than just haphazard but steered by the genuine needs of its users.
My involvement began with orchestrating a workshop with the co-founders. Meeting in a local library, we delved into detailing the tool's features. Our strategy involved leveraging a whiteboard to note down all envisioned features. The objective was to create a list and strategically rank these features – categorizing them into 'must-haves,' 'need-to-haves,' and 'want-to-haves.' This collaborative exercise paved the way for a clear product roadmap. It demarcated not just what the product would offer but also, crucially, what it wouldn't at its MVP stage.
It was clear that Chronolog was designed to serve a dual-user base. On one side, we had the 'citizen scientists' – the hikers, the casual park-goers who'd capture and upload photos.
Conversely, the administrators, primarily scientists and park rangers, would delve into this uploaded data, extracting insights and patterns. The MVP had to cater to these demographics, each with distinct needs and usage patterns.
After synthesizing the insights from the workshop, I put forth a strategic blueprint. It outlined the envisioned app and set the stage for the actual design and development phase, particularly emphasizing mobile optimization, considering the on-the-go nature of its primary users.
Chronolog's primary appeal lies in its practical application within the vast expanse of national parks and forests in the real world. It became paramount to ensure that the tool wasn't just digitally intuitive but also physically accessible and easy to use within its natural setting.
Designing the digital interface was an intricate dance between maintaining simplicity for everyday hikers and offering depth for administrators, such as park rangers and scientists. For the former, our main challenge was reducing the friction between photographing and uploading it. We conceptualized a QR code system for each station, streamlining the process of photo uploads. By simplifying these steps, we aimed to increase the likelihood of user engagement, ensuring that users would find the task manageable and manageable.
The engagement with park rangers was a significant inflection point. As the potential administrators and frequent tool users, their input was invaluable. I coordinated meetings with them, diving deep into their day-to-day challenges, the kind of data they found most useful, and how Chronolog could aid them in their duties. These interactions provided insights into functional requirements and emphasized the importance of durability and legibility of physical installations, such as signage.
Given the tool's outdoor deployment, there was an evident need for durability. Our 3-D printed phone brackets, which ensured the photos were taken from a consistent angle, underwent rigorous material testing to ascertain longevity and resistance to weathering. Likewise, the signage bore instructions and station details and needed to be clear, resistant to wear and tear, and easily distinguishable.
Armed with these insights and a clear understanding of both user personas, I began the exciting phase of sketching and drafting. These rough drafts soon transformed into more concrete designs, particularly optimized for mobile phones, acknowledging the field's nature and recognizing that most users would access the tool away from their desktops.
After setting the design foundation, the next phase involved developing the backend infrastructure to support the application's requirements. While the design laid out the user experience, the robustness of the backend would ensure the system's scalability and efficiency. Since the project was more than just a passive photo repository, our backend needed to handle many images, intelligently sort and categorize them, and provide meaningful outputs for analysis.
The initial infrastructure was based on an AWS lambda server, a minimal setup that was essentially a proof of concept. Leveraging the AWS ecosystem allowed us scalability and security, both vital for the ever-increasing influx of images and potential global reach.
A significant aspect of my role was ensuring the uploaded images' integrity and consistency. Every photograph contained a wealth of metadata, mainly geographical and timestamp information. Harnessing Python, I created scripts to parse through these layers of metadata. This was pivotal in ensuring the images were correctly cataloged chronologically, making temporal analysis feasible and accurate.
The image metadata provided the time and location context and enriched the tool's analytical capabilities. For instance, analyzing seasonal changes or the impact of specific events became possible due to this meticulous organization.
However, Chronolog's objective was not just to be a digital album but a tool that offered valuable insights to administrators. It was imperative to ensure that this massive data influx was translated into actionable insights for the park rangers and scientists.
With the intuitive design, the backend supported a seamless flow from image capture to upload and analysis. As images poured in from various stations, the platform evolved into a dynamic and insightful database, providing valuable environmental observations.
Following building our backend infrastructure and design implementation, the next logical step was to subject our platform to rigorous testing. This phase involved identifying bugs or technical glitches and understanding how real users, citizen scientists, and administrators interacted with the platform.
For the citizen scientists – hikers, tourists, and nature enthusiasts – the testing phase was essential to understand the user journey. Since they were the primary source of the photographs, ensuring their ease of access and use was vital. The immediate questions to answer were:
On the other hand, the focus was different for the administrators, park rangers, and scientists. Their interaction revolved more around accessing, sorting, and analyzing the images to derive meaningful conclusions. Here, the primary queries included:
To gather this feedback, I initiated a series of user testing sessions. These sessions ranged from one-on-one interviews to group workshops. The aim was to capture a diverse range of experiences and insights. I also collaborated closely with park rangers, ensuring their ground-level experience and needs were adequately represented and addressed.
The insights gathered were invaluable. While many users appreciated the ease of use and the seamless integration between the physical stations and the digital platform, some pointed out areas of improvement. For instance, some users suggested enhancing the sign legibility at certain stations, while others wanted more context or historical data when viewing images.
Acting on this feedback, we initiated several iterative design and development cycles. Each iteration aimed at refining the user experience based on real-world feedback. This adaptive approach ensured that the platform remained user-centric and enhanced its reliability and effectiveness.
As we progressed through this phase, it became evident that while our MVP was a significant leap from the initial proof of concept, the journey of Chronolog would be one of continuous learning and evolution.
The culmination of our project was the rollout of the Chronolog web app's finalized design. Our extensive creativity, strategic planning, user feedback, and iterative design process led us to this pivotal moment.
Drawing from user feedback and technical requirements, the app showcased an intuitive user interface. The color schemes, fonts, and graphic elements were harmonized, creating a visually appealing platform for the casual hiker and the professional scientist. For the citizen scientists out in the field, we ensured that the image capture, QR code scanning, and upload processes were seamless. Simple prompts, easy navigation, and a minimalistic approach ensured that users, even those not too tech-savvy, could easily interact with the platform.
The dashboard was developed to be robust and functional for the administrative end. Features included easy image sorting, tagging, and filtering, a chronological presentation with helpful metadata displays, and tools for more profound analysis. We also incorporated elements that allowed them to flag specific images, add notes, and collaborate with other team members.
In line with the physical component of our project, the signages and phone brackets have been revised. Our material tests on the 3-D printed brackets yielded results that guided us to use the most durable yet environmentally friendly material. The signs were enhanced for better legibility and were made with durable materials to withstand the test of time and the elements.
Beyond the design and development, I also ensured that a comprehensive documentation process was in place. From user guides for both ends of our user spectrum to technical documentation detailing backend processes and design philosophies, we ensured that Chronolog's journey and its foundation were well-documented. This would serve as a guide for any future iterations or expansions of the platform.
The project began in 2018 and transformed from a mere proof of concept into a full-fledged platform by 2019. Today, with over 500 stations globally, Chronolog is a testament to the power of collaboration, user-centric design, and an unwavering commitment to the environment. It's more than just a tool; it's a bridge between nature enthusiasts and professionals striving towards a common goal of preserving our planet.
I wrote about my experience at chronolog here.