top of page

Integrative Conservation Clinic

Role: UX/UI Design, UX research

Objective: Design a centered digital hub that simplifies cross-disciplinary conservation research and supports offline field use.

Tools: Figma, Notion, Illustrator, Zoom

Methods: User interviews, personas, low- and mid-fidelity prototyping, think-aloud usability testing, interactive testing, A/B testing

Full Report - PDF

Origin & Research

 

  • The Core Problem: Conservation research is dense, text-heavy, and strictly siloed by academic disciplines (e.g., Botany vs. Species).

  • Research Executed: Interviewed 5 field professionals (including a Conservation Science Director and Environmental Technologist) and audited 5 industry platforms (e.g., Conservation Tools, WildLabs).

  • Key Insight: Data-heavy tools lacked usability, while social spaces lacked structured research. Practitioners struggled to find actionable information outside their specific discipline.

  • Design Direction: Build a single, unified hub balancing data density with a clean, predictable interface

Screenshot 2023-01-13 at 11.03 2 (1).png

Low-Fi Exploration & The Structural Pivot

  • Low-Fi Testing: Built paper sketches and an 11-screen low-fi wireframe in Figma. Initial testing showed basic search worked (4/5 success), but complex tasks failed (1/5 success) due to text bloat and confusing navigation.

  • The Realisation: Users don't search by academic discipline—they search by real-world intent.

  • The BATs Framework: Created a 4-tier taxonomy to reorganise search results around user goals:

    • Level 1 (Theoretical Background): Foundational knowledge.

    • Level 2 (Broad Approach): General deployment strategy.

    • Level 3 (Specific Tools): Physical gear and resources required.

    • Level 4 (Case Study): Real-world field documentation linking levels 1–3.

High-Fi Execution & Field Mechanics

 

  • High-Fi Search UI: Translated the BATs framework into structured search pages with explicit level filters (Background, Approach, Tool, Case Study) to eliminate cognitive overload.

  • Field Constraint: Research revealed conservationists frequently work in remote, low-connectivity "wet areas" where digital tools fail.

  • Offline Utility Feature: Built a 1-click export tool directly into study layouts, allowing users to convert complex research into clean PDFs or print-ready physical sheets for field work.

Final Validation & Iterative Refinement

  • Usability Testing (4 Active Field Professionals Across 5 Tasks):

    • Search & Filters: 4/4 users located specific data on their first attempt.

    • Forums & Printing: 3/4 users completed forum replies and physical printing tasks.

    • Downloads & Reporting: 2/4 users completed downloads due to small button sizes and a vague "Social" tab label.

  • Strategic Trade-Off: Avoided a high-risk overhaul based on a small test group; chose targeted, incremental UI fixes instead.

  • Second Iteration Fixes: Simplified top navigation (Home, Groups, Account, Forums), increased font sizes for field readability, and added global and personalised feeds.

  • Final Outcome: Delivered a validated system blueprint taking raw research to an intuitive, field-ready platform.

bottom of page