Intuitive Local Discovery By Bridging the Information Gap
Project Details
- Title: Parks & Recreation Service Locator App
- Year of Creation: 2024
- Class Project: Created for User Experience and Interface Design (Spring 2024)
- Team: Solo Project (Sole Designer)
- Role: UX Researcher, UX Designer, UI Designer
- Media: Figma (Digital Wireframing and Interactive Prototyping), Canva (Logo and Image Editing)
Objective
To design a responsive mobile application that bridges the gap between community resources and residents by modernizing fragmented information architecture and improving the discoverability of local park services.
Synopsis
This project involved designing a dedicated mobile application to resolve usability friction points within a local Parks and Recreation website. Motivated by personal challenges with the existing site’s navigation, I designed a solution focused on discoverability, service accessibility, and real-time updates. The app streamlines how residents discover parks and services by reorganizing the complex information architecture into a searchable, user-friendly interface. By prioritizing “current-state” data and intuitive navigation, I transformed a high-friction web experience into a reliable community resource, ensuring users can find accurate facility details and program information with minimal cognitive effort.
Planning and Wireframing
Using Figma, I began the design process with low-fidelity wireframes to map out the core user flow and establish a hierarchy for the park locator services. These initial blueprints allowed me to focus on the Information Architecture without being distracted by visual elements, ensuring that the navigation addressed the primary pain points of data discoverability.
Once the skeleton of the app was established, I utilized Figma’s prototyping features to conduct usability testing. By observing how users interacted with the low-fidelity flow, I was able to identify and resolve navigation hurdles before moving into high-fidelity design. This iterative process culminated in a comprehensive high-fidelity prototype, which integrates the final brand identity with a fully interactive user experience.