Ecotours NL

Overview

Newfoundland based tour website for eco-conscious travellers. Based on the principals of eco tourism emphasizing connection to nature, sustainability and education of the natural world.

My Role

UI design

Tools

Figma Procreate

Timeline

2 Weeks

Process

Newfoundland has special connection to the sea. When selecting the color palette, my aim was to pay homage to this by opting for shades of greys and blues reminiscent of the slate cliffs overlooking the ocean and its deep waters. I also choose a red-orange to serve as a warm contrast, enhancing the overall visual appeal.

Finding Context

The primary source of funding for the WWF, at over 31%, is from individuals who contribute through avenues such as monthly donations and symbolic adoptions—this aspect particularly captured our group's attention.

It allows users donate and, in return, receive a personalized adoption certificate, a species information card, and a stuffed animal, fostering a deeper personal connection between the donor and the WWF's mission

Finding Context

The primary source of funding for the WWF, at over 31%, is from individuals who contribute through avenues such as monthly donations and symbolic adoptions—this aspect particularly captured our group's attention.

It allows users donate and, in return, receive a personalized adoption certificate, a species information card, and a stuffed animal, fostering a deeper personal connection between the donor and the WWF's mission

Interview Insights

We found a concerning trend: 18-to-34 year-olds donate less for charitable causes than any other age group. We led five interviews with young adults to understand their donation patterns and see the root causes of this disparity.

Our findings revealed a common thread—participants expressed a desire to be more actively involved in the conservation process, whether through educational initiatives or by fostering a heightened connection to wildlife.

Expanding on Symbolic Adoptions

This was a very intriguing concept for us but as a way to be more environmentally conscious, we introduced virtual adoptions as an effort to reduce waste.

User Overview

For our final day we conducted five user tests and put the results in usability design matrix in order to see what to prioritize, in terms of effort required and impact.

Key Changes

Concerns with Payment Options and Wording-Overall wording was a key issue we uncovered during the usability tests. We had to work to provide more clarity especially in our calls to action like with changing “view my habitats” to “view your adopted animal” which was more clear in the intended meaning.

Defining the Target User

In response to time constraints, we opted to forego the traditional interview process and, instead, constructed a proto-persona Sarah based on our secondary research. Our analysis highlighted a significant opportunity in the community aspect, prompting us to delve into the ways creators leverage social platforms. 

The Solution

With our 12 hours coming to an end before passing our work to the developers we decided to skip the greyscale and go straight to the hi-fi wireframes our solution focused on making a few key changes to the existing platform that would streamline the contributor experience.

Interview Insights

Based on some decontextualized interviews to uncover  behaviours and pain points in patients some themes were:

  • Lack of efficiency - In both scheduling appointments and finding a doctor, it was considered a time consuming and frustrating process.
  • Negative experiences with a family doctor - The interviewees had expressed that their issues were addressed in an unsatisfactory way with their current doctors.
  • Medical literacy- Two thirds of my interviewees reported an interest in improving medical literacy as a tool to advocate for themselves when receiving medical care.

Pivot

Originally, I focused on medical literacy in Canadian women to reduce negative outcomes with healthcare providers. However, I shifted this focus to matching with a doctor due to a stronger emphasis on experiences with doctors in interview transcripts. While medical literacy can't address systemic gendered issues, selecting the right doctor is a practical way to mitigate negative experiences.

In the ideation process I started with looking at preferences to narrow down doctors based on ones that fit the criteria.  Doctor profiles also enhanced  familiarity and comfort when scheduling appointments.

    Branding

    I wanted the brand identity to feel professional while remaining approachable. I leaned into shades of scrub blues. While it might seem like an obvious choice for a medical platform, I was important to keep the design consistent with user associations for a sense of reliability. For the logo and other UI elements I used more rounded shapes to convey friendliness.

      Retrospective

      While the site was initially designed for tourists to explore, I believe it also provides an approachable opportunity for locals to deepen their knowledge about their own home. The selected tour experiences are curated to be an exciting and immersive experiences to foster a meaningful connections to the land while contributing to its conservation.

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