National Park Service Homepage
Founded in 1906, the National Park Service has provided millions of American's the opportunity to explore and experience the great outdoors. However, as the world continues to focus its eyes on to the internet, homepages become an extension of an organization. That is why Ray Smith and I have redesigned the National Park Service homepage; to reflect the organization's values of education, conservation, and curiosity.
This project was designed with the help of Ray Smith.
Current NPS.gov
The current nps.gov has the charm of hundreds of other government websites. That is to say, the homepage could use a lot of work. Upon first glance, the information hierarchy is poor, the imagery isn't captivating, and the "find a park" search bar is forgettable. As a result, the website is hardly utilized by anyone looking to visit a National Park.
User Research
For this redesign, five individuals were interviewed. The five interviewees each had a different level of experience with regards to visiting National Parks. However, the five interviewed are represented by three groups, 'The Guide', 'The Frequent Flyer', and 'The Casual Visitor'. This was done in order to solve problems facing user groups, rather than solve specific problems for specific individuals.
The Guide
The Frequent Flyer
The Casual Camper
Insights
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Plans trips for less experienced people
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Uses multiple websites to gather information when planning
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Struggles to find vital National Park information such as hours
Insights
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Motivated by images of parks
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Discovers new features via word of mouth and social media
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Looks for accessible locations
Insights
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Campsites must be family friendly
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Locations must have activities for the whole party
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Requires amenities such as electric and clean water
Wireframe Prototypes
Ideation Sketches
Information Architecture of Final Prototype
Final Design
