Overview

Background

National Geographic supports an international community of over 9,000 grantees (Explorers) who undertake projects in conservation, education, research, storytelling, and technology in support of National Geographic’s mission.

Timeline: 2018 - 2022
Role: Lead UX Researcher & UI Designer

Problems to Solve

  • Technical debt from the acquisition of the original product.

  • The platform used a number of FOX proprietary software, rendering existing authentication, notification and profile management unusable.

  • No designs or user research were provided to the team in the transfer of the product.

The Goal

Design a digital platform that would a) help Explorers manage their grant requirements and b) consolidate existing digital tools and services on the website.

Research

We used a variety of research methods to get to know these users and how they fit into National Geographic. We conducted in person and remote interviews with explorers from around the world. We learned how Explorers carry out their work (both online and in the field) and what challenges they encounter at various stages of their project. We probed into their goals and what they hoped to achieve through their experience.

Qualitative Surveys (Above):

To learn about my users, I took a deep dive into survey data collected by National Geographic’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Team. Codifying multiple years of qualitative feedback was time-consuming, but it revealed crucial pain points and areas of opportunity.

User Flows (Above):

What began as a simple user flow quickly grew into a full service design map, connecting interactions between grantees and various teams within the organization. 

Persona Development (Above):

Our research combined with facilitated workshops with internal stakeholders resulted a set of Explorer personas.

Finding 1

Explorers are overwhelmed

During onboarding, new explorers are bombarded with tasks, planning, and forms. They engage with many web applications and points of contact for their various needs, but they seek a “one-stop shop” that shows them what they need, when they need it. 

Finding 2

It’s not just about the funding

There are many organizations that provide more funding than National Geographic, but very few funders provide the same breadth of opportunities - networking, training, and promotion. Explorers want to feel a sense of community and use the Nat Geo platform to build their skills, professional credibility, and personal brand. 

Finding 3

Internet connectivity is not promised

A digital product may not be the quick fix we hoped for this user group. While many Explorers conduct their fieldwork in a lab or classroom, there are just as many who are off the grid. This means it’s crucial that they can easily find the information they need before going into the field. Our mobile first approach to the design would ensure an intuitive and useable mobile experience for Explorers on the go.

Design

The Jobs to be Done framework served as a guide throughout the design discovery process. After many iterations, we had a set of mocks for the new grant management system, the Explorer Dashboard.

Testing

Our design team tested the prototype with users from 6 continents at Nat Geo’s annual Explorers Festival. The dev team released an MVP in January 2020, and we’ve invited 36 users to be beta testers so far.

Iteration

With the MVP released and tested, my team is thinking about the future of the Explorer Dashboard. Our hope is to give Explorers a more personalized and interconnected digital experience.

Prototyping

A simple design concept soon became a functional Invision prototype with over a dozen screens. Once the interaction design had been nailed down, we were ready to solicit feedback from Explorers.

Iteration

Testing continues on the Explorer Dashboard as new features roll out. The next phase of design for this product will merge multiple digital Explorer products, truly turning the Dashboard into a “one-stop shop.”

The research deliverables have taken on a life of their own. The personas and user journeys have helped to frame stakeholder discussions around the way our digital platforms tell the story of National Geographic. In addition, these deliverables have been essential in conversations around DEI and efforts to make all parts of the grant experience valuable and accessible for all Explorers.