Project Details
Role: UX Designer
Team: Volunteer UX designers, product managers, engineers, and stakeholders.
Duration: 6 months volunteer project
Tools: Figma
Orcasound is a platform designed to enable users to listen to orca vocalizations and contribute to marine conservation efforts. However, the original app had significant usability issues that hindered engagement. The goal was to simplify the user experience while maintaining the app’s scientific purpose.
By focusing on user-centered design, I improved Orcasound's interface to make it more intuitive and efficient. In the initial usability tests, users faced challenges in navigating the reporting process and identifying vocalizations. After simplifying the sound categorization and reducing the steps to report, the second round of testing showed a 15% increase in task completion rate and an improvement in the System Usability Scale (SUS) score from 85 to 92, indicating a more engaging and effective experience for users.
I conducted usability tests with both researchers and casual users to identify the app’s pain points. Feedback revealed that users had difficulty finding and categorizing sounds and were often unsure how to report them effectively. The interface was seen as unintuitive, with important features buried under several layers of menus.
The original process: a straightforward and functional tool created by the collaborative efforts of a global community of dedicated volunteer developers.
Participants completed the reporting a sound process
SUS Score from the first usability test (above average but could be better)
Participants completed the reporting a sound process
SUS Score from the second usability test
Although we increased task completion and SUS scores, I saw room for refinements like enhancing the map UI for older users and streamlining the reporting flow. The following prototypes represent the research, iterative design, and testing that was crucial to validating my solutions.
The latest user interface comprises an interactive map that seamlessly directs users to select a hydrophone with heightened visual and dynamic features. Each hydrophone site showcases an image and clear instructions for orca listening, thereby promoting exploration, enhancing guidance, and ultimately increasing the number of listeners.
We crafted a reporting flow that incorporates detailed information about the hydrophone, a play button with sound waves, and a clear signifier to confirm the success of the report. This flow has greatly improved the reporting experience by ensuring seamless functionality, while preserving the integrity of the original design.
This project reinforced the importance of conducting multiple rounds of user testing and iteration to achieve a truly user-centered design. By focusing on simplifying complex tasks and improving navigation, I was able to create an intuitive experience that supported Orcasound’s mission to promote marine conservation.
