Master’s Project: Trails For All

This solo project began with the goal of making trails more accessible for hikers. However throughout research I discovered that, due to conflicting goals, you can not make a single trail that meets the needs of every hiker. So instead, I focused on providing hikers with the information they need to select a trail that is right for them. While a single trail can not be for everyone, there is a trail for everyone out there, so it is about empowering them with the tools and information to find them.

Through a six month research process I interviewed 20+ hikers with vastly different lived experiences to identify what problems they face on-trail, what information they wish they had access to, and how current solutions do or do not work for them. Then through multiple rounds of iteration, I developed my web based solution and continued iterating with several rounds of testing, which led to my final version of “Trails For All” that is shown here. This trail guide provides critical information through multiple modalities (both audio and visuals) such as: hours of operation, parking options, dangerous terrain / bodies of water, resting locations, and much more. All of this information is available through a portal that utilizes 3D mapping and detailed call outs to empower users to find the trail that is best for them!

Check out the example trail yourself at bit.ly/trailsforall.
The Full Report is also available for detailed explanation on the research and design process.