Overview
BackgroundField Notes is a National Geographic map-based storytelling platform designed for Explorers to share updates about the work they conduct in the field. In 2018, the app was purchased from FOX with a vision of giving Nat Geo Explorers a means to amplify their work and engage the public.
Year: March 2020
Timeline: 8 Weeks
Role: Lead UX Researcher & UI Designer
Problems to SolveTechnical 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 GoalWhile the engineering team focused on the migration of content and functionality, I led research, testing, and a “lift and shift” to the Society’s design system. Today, Field Notes has over 570 approved expeditions and remains National Geographic’s only digital platform provided to Explorers to self-publish their work.
Research
With 6 weeks to get this app up and running and many Explorers eager to resume posting, the discovery phase was constrained to half a sprint. Without any UX documentation to reference, I set out to find a way to quickly assess the needs and goals of our users. I combed through user interview notes I had taken throughout my two years at the Society as well as surveys conducted with Explorers on other topics, looking for soundbites that might be applicable to Field Notes.
Research Goals:
Understand what Explorers need from a storytelling tool to effectively share their work
Understand why Explorers choose Field Notes and how they use it in their work
Validate the value of Field Notes as a tool for amplification
Design
While the objective of the design phase was to redesign the Field Notes as is in the Society’s design system, there were opportunities to address critical UX issues. Research findings showed that many Explorers conduct research in low-bandwidth areas and only have access to their phones, so we placed special emphasis on the mobile experience. In addition, tweaks were made to information architecture in the form of more descriptive content tags and page layouts. Accessibility was improved by limiting where and how we used National Geographic’s iconic yellow brand color.
Testing
Post-release, I conducted a two-part usability test with 20 U.S. and internationally-based Explorers who create content on Field Notes. The first phase consisted of interviews with task-based tests to validate creation, editing, and collaboration flows. We then invited these same users to complete a 2 month-long diary study. They would submit entries each time they visited the Field Notes site about their activities, posting habits, and overall experience. The entire testing phase lasted approximately 3 months.
User feedback revealed a major discrepancy between the business goals for the Field Notes app and how Explorers desired to use it.
Iteration
In light of the pandemic, the ways Explorers conduct their work has changed dramatically. As a consequence, the way they tell stories has also changed. As one Field Notes user put it, “many who planned to do work that’s geographical in nature are now doing research from their home.” Fortunately, this shift has the Product team time to think critically about how best to support all forms of Explorer storytelling. As of 2020, development of new storytelling features has been paused. The team has shifted our attention to content moderation and the administrator experience.