Climb Colorado

Final Prototype Mockups
 
 

the challenge

This was an on spec collaborative design for a mobile application built to assist all types of climbers within the Colorado region. The main goal was to create an app that had all features climbers need, but without designing a confusing interface or overwhelming them with too many features. The app would be provided by REI, with a subtle business motive of bringing potential buyers to their store.

I lead in competitive analysis, creation of two distinct personas, journey mapping, wireframe design, prototyping, usability testing, and designed the final user interface.

 
 

Research

COMPETITive ANALYSIS

I downloaded eight different mountain climbing apps to test and went through the onboarding process for account creation (when needed), finding routes, downloading options, etc. 

competitive analysis
 

Competitor Conventions:

  • Location-based apps
  • Search feature
  • Route ratings
  • Including a map
  • Offline availability

Missed Opportunities:

  • Comments feature
  • Driving directions
  • Shareable information (crowdsourcing)
  • Downloadable content
 
 

Persona Creation

I synthesized the information from user interviews by affinity mapping and creating the personas. The two personas are shown below:

Avid Climber Persona
Novice Climber Persona

Key Findings:

  • Avid climbers tend to go on 2-3 day climbing trips and want assistance with camping near their climbing routes
  • Novice climbers are typically looking to places, even just bouldering gyms, near them to practice for a few hours
  • Keeping up-tp-date route information will have to heavily rely on crowdsourcing
 

Journey Mapping

I needed to understand what difficult situations the users may encounter on their journeys, so I created the journey map. This helped me to better understand how important it was to avoid adding too many features as well as creating downloadable content for the climbing routes and the directions to them.

Journey Map

Key Findings:

  • Downloadable directions is the most important feature for Adam.
  • The amount of features immediately shown in most climbing apps is a big barrier to entry.

Information Architecture

Nancy and Adam's User Flows

Adam and Nancy have different goals. Nancy's ultimate goal is to find a route she wants to try and add it to "My Routes", while Adam wants to go through the "Plan a Trip" wizard and add a route to his trip. Nancy can go to her routes list to see her newly added route and Adam can go to his trips list to see his newly added trip.

user flows
 

App Map

Due to the amount of information needed in a mobile application, by climbers we interviewed, there needed to be a lot of sorting and filtering.

app map

Prototyping and Usability Testing

PLAN A TRIP WIZARD

The beginning wireframes, for the wizard, lacked any top-level navigation. The "Continue" button had to be added since swiping wasn't clear to everyone who used the prototype.

The beginning wireframes, for the wizard, lacked any top-level navigation. The "Continue" button had to be added since swiping wasn't clear to everyone who used the prototype.

 

BROWSE ROUTES

The first wireframes had a download and add option, within the list of routes. After usability testing, we observed that people wanted to visit the routes to know more information before choosing to add them to their list or download them. 

The first wireframes had a download and add option, within the list of routes. After usability testing, we observed that people wanted to visit the routes to know more information before choosing to add them to their list or download them. 

 

SPECIFIC ROUTE PAGE

I changed the header navigation throughout, to better match material design. With material design in mind, the FAB icon was added in; meant for the user to be able to add routes to their routes list or any trips they had created.

I changed the header navigation throughout, to better match material design. With material design in mind, the FAB icon was added in; meant for the user to be able to add routes to their routes list or any trips they had created.

 

Final Working Prototype

Remember Adam and Nancy's user flows? Below, you can try them out for yourself!

 
 
 

Please note: Whenever you click somewhere that's not active within the prototype, it'll highlignt the active areas with blue boxes.

If you'd like to see my partner's contribution to this project, visit Erika's Aldeborgh's portfolio.