Native Woodland Trust

UI & UX Design

Project Overview

The Native Woodland Trust is dedicated to protecting, preserving, and restoring Ireland’s native woodlands. The project aimed to revamp Native Woodland Trust's digital presence by creating a comprehensive brand style guide, an engaging Android app prototype, and a detailed design system to ensure consistency and usability. This case study details the design process, challenges, and outcomes of the project.

Project Brief

Background
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Forests play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance by storing CO2 and providing habitats for wildlife. While plantations, consisting of a single tree species, lack biodiversity, native forests are rich in various plant and animal species indigenous to the area. Historically, Ireland was heavily forested, but today it ranks among the least forested countries in Europe with only 11% forest cover.

Scenario
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The Native Woodland Trust hired me as a UI Designer to enhance their digital presence. My responsibilities included creating a new logo and brand style guide, designing and prototyping an Android application, conducting usability testing, and developing a comprehensive design system to guide future design efforts.

Project Timeline and Structure

Week 1: Logo and Style Guide Creation
Week 2: Designing an Android App
Week 3: Prototyping the High-Fidelity App
Week 4: Creating a Design System
Week 5: Usability Testing
Week 6: Data Analysis and Presentation Creation
Week 7: Report Writing

Outcome

This structured and iterative design process resulted in a cohesive and user-centric digital solution for Native Woodland Trust. The project enhanced my skills in logo design, UI/UX design, usability testing, and project management, ultimately contributing to a more engaging and effective digital presence for the Native Woodland Trust.

For the Native Woodland Trust project, my goal was to create a digital presence that not only embodies the Trust’s mission to protect and restore Ireland's native woodlands but also engages and informs users in a meaningful way. My design process is grounded in research, iteration, and user feedback, ensuring that every decision is intentional and geared towards enhancing the user experience.

My Design Process

Background Research: Investigated the ecological importance of native woodlands, the mission of Native Woodland Trust, and user needs.
Project Scope Definition: Outlined the project timeline and deliverables in alignment with the brief provided by Native Woodland Trust.

Objective: To create a comprehensive digital solution for Native Woodland Trust, enhancing their brand identity and user engagement through a new logo, brand style guide, Android app, and design system.

Initial steps:

Step 1: Understanding the Brief

Step 2: Logo and Brand Style Guide Creation

Week 1
Concept Development: Explored various symbols that represent both heritage and habitat, leading to the integration of a tree with a Celtic spiral.
Iteration: Created multiple logo drafts and refined the chosen concept based on feedback and visual testing.
Final Design: Developed a versatile logo in forest green, ensuring it is adaptable to various media and maintains brand integrity.
Style Guide: Compiled guidelines for logo usage, color palette, typography, and photographic style to ensure consistent brand communication.

Step 3: Designing the Android App

Week 2
User Research: Conducted surveys and interviews to understand user expectations and preferences for a woodland exploration app.
Wireframing: Created low-fidelity wireframes to map out the app’s structure and user flow.
Feedback Loop: Collected initial feedback from stakeholders and potential users to refine the wireframes.

Step 4: High-Fidelity Prototyping

Week 3
Visual Design: Transitioned from wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes, incorporating detailed UI elements, colors, and branding elements.
Interactive Elements: Added interactive features to the prototype to simulate user interactions and navigation.
User Testing Preparation: Prepared the prototype for usability testing, ensuring all interactive elements were functional for test scenarios.

Step 5: Creating the Design System

Week 4
Component Library: Developed a comprehensive library of UI components, including buttons, icons, typography, and color schemes.
Documentation: Detailed the design principles and guidelines in a document to facilitate consistent application across all development efforts.
Review: Ensured the design system was user-friendly and scalable, allowing for future enhancements without compromising consistency.

Step 6: Usability Testing

Week 5
Test Plan: Defined objectives, participant criteria, and key tasks for usability testing.
Execution: Conducted usability tests with five participants, focusing on navigation ease and overall user experience.
Data Collection: Recorded metrics such as task completion rates, error rates, and user satisfaction scores.

Step 7: Data Analysis and Presentation

Week 6
Analysis: Analyzed the usability test data to identify common issues and areas for improvement.
Recommendations: Developed actionable recommendations to address identified issues, such as improving menu visibility and enhancing search functionality.
Presentation: Created a detailed presentation summarizing findings, insights, and proposed solutions for stakeholders.

Step 8: Report Writing

Week 7
Comprehensive Report: Compiled a detailed report documenting the entire project process, from initial research to final recommendations.
Learnings: Highlighted key learnings, including the importance of iterative design and user feedback in developing user-centric solutions.
Final Review: Ensured the report clearly communicated the project’s impact and potential for enhancing Native Woodland Trust's digital engagement.

Conclusion

This structured approach demonstrates a logical and thorough process for addressing design challenges. By showcasing each phase of the project, from concept development to usability testing, it illustrates a commitment to creating user-centric designs that align with organizational goals. This methodical process ensures employers can see the depth of thought and strategic planning involved in delivering a successful digital solution for the Native Woodland Trust.

Want to work together?

If you like what you see and want to work together, get in touch!

renzlow@gmail.com