the project
A mobile application where hunters log their moose sightings. MyMoose bridges the gap between citizens and regional biologists, who can use the collected data to better estimate British Columbia's moose population and therefore aid in its conservation.
Project Details
Context
Paid, part-time, remote work
Company
Goldstream Publishing Inc. (Angler's Atlas)
Skills
User Research, Usability Testing, Interface Design
The Company
Based out of Prince George, B.C., Goldstream Publishing Inc. (Angler's Atlas) is dedicated to creating technology for the wildlife sector.
The Challenge
A steady decline in the moose population has been observed in some regions of British Columbia. Normally, the costly and time-consuming aerial surveys are used to gather data in order to determine these numbers. MyMoose allows hunters — who are already out in the field — to log their sightings and therefore assist in estimating populations.
The App
MyMoose is a ‘citizen-science’, crowd-sourcing, platform that helps track the moose population in British Columbia. Hunters submit surveys of their outings, and report whether they saw or didn’t see moose.
My Involvement
When I entered the team, a good portion of the interface had been designed. However, no user research or usability tests had been conducted. My role involved learning about our users, getting them to test the app and making iterations accordingly.
Learning About Users
Who We Interviewed
We interviewed moose hunters, mainly from the Prince George area. In addition, we spoke with some regional biologists to get a better understanding of what kind of data they needed and how this information could help them.
A Combination of Methods
Due to constraints in time and the fact that not much research was done prior to app development, I chose to carry out usability tests and incorporate some general interview questions to get to know our users better.
What We Asked
One of my main tasks was to prepare and conduct interviews with our users. Some of the questions we asked were:
"What does a typical moose hunt look like?"
"What kinds of devices, if any, do you take on your hunts?"
"Tell me your thoughts on the introductory tutorial.”
“Tell what it was like for you to submit a survey.”
“What would you be most excited about seeing in your own statistics page? What would you not really care for?”
What We Learned
We had four main findings from our main round of interviews:
- Hunters had neutral feelings towards the social, Instagram-like aspect of the app
- Hunters were not pleased with the 'Leaderboard' feature that had been implemented early in the app
- Hunters were more interested in their own achievements
- Many hunters did not own smartphones, but everyone had access to a desktop computer and the Internet
A Unique Experience
While looking for people to interview, I came across a friend of a friend, who was a seasoned hunter. I was invited to his home, where I had a casual conversation over dinner with him and his wife while their four young children ran around the dining table. One of the most interesting things from the evening was not something that was said, but something that I observed.
Amongst the many family photos above the fireplace, there was one of the husband and father, proudly posing beside his latest kill. I learned that he took pride in his catch and wondered if this sentiment was shared amongst other hunters. I later found out that this proved to be true. Interestingly, many of them were not very interested in posting their photos to the app’s photo feed.
Making the Changes
Removing the Leaderboard
I also learned from our user interviews that although they hunt because they find it an exciting activity and it is the meat they eat throughout the year, hunters are still interested in knowing that they are not overhunting.
This feature was completely removed because users felt it created unnecessary competition which would not be conducive to the conservation of the moose population.
Adding a Statistics Tab
Upon our findings, I suggested that we implement a statistics tab that gives a breakdown of the most important information a hunter would want to see, such as the locations and number of sightings. We later found that users really loved this feature of the app.
A Personal Reflection
One thing I would have loved to explore more is the particular aesthetic chosen for the interface because I think there could be a better way to visually convey the brand and target our users more . I was also fortunate enough to experience working with developers during the development phase of the app. This is one of the many things we usually don't get to experience in school. I learned that constant and detailed communication is vital to the relationship.