The Process
Analysis
Interview: I arranged interviews to learn about the operation and needs of the organization. First, I met with the Director to discuss the mission of the organization, financial needs, and obstacles they are facing. Next, I spoke with a supervisor to learn about the operations of the organization and to determine pitfalls they’ve encountered. Then, I reached out to team members to learn more about them and their needs.
Observation: After building rapport with the team during my initial interviews, I observed several front desk shifts. I viewed the team members interacting with visitors during these shifts. Prior to this, I had studied the resources available to the team, and then as they assisted the visitors, I paid close attention to how they utilized these resources. I also observed how the visitors responded to their assistance. Additionally, I spoke with the team members after they performed these tasks to see if they had a need for additional resources.
Reflection: After collecting a copious amount of information during the interviews and observations, I reflected on what I learned. Among many things, I learned that this organization values its visitors and the experience that they have with nature while on their refuge. (This experience often involves hiking.) Additionally, visitor donations and memberships are an important source of income for the organization. The front desk volunteers are responsible for assisting visitors who desire help planning their hiking experience. However, there is a very limited amount of information about the trails available to the volunteers.
Case Study
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Design
Research: I met with the team’s supervisor to discuss the steps that should be included in the protocol. Then, I performed research to gather information about the trails. I utilized the resources on their website, studied their existing trail map, requested documents with additional information, and met with their trail subject matter experts (SMEs) to compile the trail features.
Outline: Next, I created an outline for the protocol. I organized the protocol into steps that would be easy for the volunteers to follow. I also vetted through the information that I had gathered about the trails and determined what was needed to provide personalized recommendations for the hikers. I organized this information into tables.
Communicate: I submitted the outline to the supervisor and the tables to the trail SMEs so that they could review the information. I also presented mockups to the Director to get approval to proceed with development.
Development
Tools that I Used:
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Canva
The Job Aids
LGNC Hiking Job Aid.pdfLGNC Trail Guide Aid.pdfLGNC Loop Information Aid.pdfResults
Since using these job aids the team has reported that they are able to provide better assistance to visitors who are seeking trail advice. Several times, they have had visitors return to tell them how much they enjoyed their time on the refuge, and to sign up for memberships. The Director has seen positive reviews left by hikers who appreciated the recommendations they received and there’s been an increase in donations.
