NatureServe Explorer provides authoritative conservation information on more than 100,000 plants, animals, and ecosystems of the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
Explorer has been a trusted resource for conservation professionals, nonprofits, academics, and enthusiasts since 2000. However, the design of the tool did not keep pace with new developments in web technologies.
NatureServe engaged GreenInfo Network to provide expert guidance on the redesign of the Explorer search interface. We were uniquely positioned to do this work with our combination of conservation data subject matter experience, user-centered design practice, visual design acumen, and geospatial and data visualization implementation expertise. We'd just successfully redesigned NatureServe's
Biodiversity Indicators Dashboard, so we were well prepared for the larger task of redesigning the organization's flagship product.
We took a two-pronged approach to this project: First, we did a deep dive into every aspect of the existing Explorer, including query logs of the types of searches users performed and the full range of spatial and other data in the system. Second, we conducted user interviews at several points in the project, both to understand user need and then to test our designs with end users.
Results: Through an analysis of usage logs, a thorough inventory of site pages and functionality, and testing designs with actual users, we developed a robust prototype that was visually refined, technically feasible, and based on sound principles of user research and user experience design.
Later, NatureServe developed and implemented the system into what you see today on the site.
Focus: Conservation,
Education,
Environment
Services: Interactive Solutions, Website Design
Project Years: 2018,2019
