Increasing visitor engagement in outdoor adventures at The Presidio

TEAM MEMBERS

Collaborative project, 5 designers, the Presidio Field Station team

TIMELINE

4 months, 2022

ROLE

Product Designer

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

ORGANIZATION
BACKGROUND

ORGANIZATION
BACKGROUND

The Presidio is a beautiful national park in San Francisco, it's managed by the Presidio trust. The Presidio Trust is a federal agency established in 1996. They work to create a dynamic and sustainable park that offers cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities.

We worked alongside the Presidio Field Station- an organization under the umbrella of the Presidio trust.

The Presidio is a beautiful national park in San Francisco, it's managed by the Presidio trust. The Presidio Trust is a federal agency established in 1996. They work to create a dynamic and sustainable park that offers cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities.

We worked alongside the Presidio Field Station- an organization under the umbrella of the Presidio trust.

The Presidio is a beautiful national park in San Francisco, it's managed by the Presidio trust. The Presidio Trust is a federal agency established in 1996. They work to create a dynamic and sustainable park that offers cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities.

We worked alongside the Presidio Field Station- an organization under the umbrella of the Presidio trust.

Brief

The Field Station is a new destination opened to the public in 2022, they wanted to bring in a design team to assess how they could improve visitor experience.

Field Station

A multi sensory investigative center in the Presidio. The Field Station provides resources and support for visitors.

Understanding the Field Station's Philosophy

The Field Station describes their mission is to inculcate a sense of curiosity, with autonomy and showcase the value of ecoliteracy.

A visitor entering the Field station is greeted with the sight of ecological artifacts, maps from San Francisco's history and mini activities that one can do. Unlike a traditional museum/science center visitors are encouraged to touch and play with all the artifacts.

Creating a roadmap for the Field Station's future

We struggled with identifying where we could best help the field station. To understand the situation better we conducted a workshop with the Field Station staff and a couple of visitors.

Observations and interviews

We started by interviewing visitors and observing how visitors interacted with activities in the Field Station. We also asked about how they got to the field station and their feedback about it.

We summarized our findings and created a customer journey map.

Workshop- Mapping an ideal experience

Our journey map showed the customer's journey before, during and after visiting the field station. During each step we highlighted the mental and physical steps of the visitor's current experience.

Emerging ideas- rejected, pinned and taking forward

Emerging ideas- rejected, pinned and taking forward

Emerging ideas- rejected, pinned and taking forward

What does 'basecamp' mean for Field Station?

Currently Field Station is focused on it's indoor activities. The visitors love the indoors experience. Field Station gets swamped with visitors exploring about the Presidio's history and ecology.

Field Station wants to extend this kind of experience to the Presidio outdoors.

Our hero concept and the focus of the rebranding: The outdoor adventures

The Field station has carefully curated adventures for visitors to engage in. These adventures take visitors to all around the presidio.

This is how the field station displayed these adventures

PROBLEMS

Invisible

The board is lost amongst the surrounding displays. It does not have an impact on the viewer.

Unclear

What’s the information being communicated here? There's no call to action for visitors.

Messy

Where do you look? The board lacks hierarchy and visitors thought it was a display.

Making Decisions about information visualization

There was a ton of information to be communicated to the visitors in a small space. We needed to design to capture attention and communicate 'how to get started?' From testing and feedback about the current board we found that:

  1. Accidental visits

Visitors stumble into Field Station, visits are unplanned and short

  1. Unfamiliar Concept

Visitors aren't really familiar with adventuring. What imagery does it invoke?

  1. Visitors look for trails

Visitors liked the idea of going on a trail with their family.

  1. Unknown Destinations

The Presidio has beautiful destinations, but local visitors do not know them

Guiding Principles for the adventure board

We conducted a workshop with the Field Station staff to make decisions about the information to be displayed and how to communicate the adventures idea. The board needed to be:

  1. A visual demonstration of the adventures and instructions about how to get started.

  1. A tool to help staff members communicate various destinations and trails

  1. Flexible and changeable to seasonal changes

PROTOTYPE TESTING

The next 3 months we did 6 rounds of tests at the Field Station, we were lucky enough to test with actual visitors and get feedback. Our strategy while testing was to not defend, instruct or pitch, we just simply asked them to think out loud and asked them 'what do you think this is about?'.

VISUAL EXPLORATION

The field station had one signature font that they used in the designs, but no specific visual design guidelines. A challenge for us was to figure out what visual styling matched the vibe of the place.

The field station had one signature font that they used in the designs, but no specific visual design guidelines. A challenge for us was to figure out what visual styling matched the vibe of the place.

The field station had one signature font that they used in the designs, but no specific visual design guidelines. A challenge for us was to figure out what visual styling matched the vibe of the place.

REJECTED IDEAS

These designs felt crowded and really difficult for the field station team to replicate. We felt there were also too many colors and fonts being used.

We ultimately decided to go with something simpler and minimal, while still maintaining the organic styles we saw at the Field Station.

Final Styling

Final Styling

Final Styling

STYLING DECISIONS

Our final design showcased organic shapes, photos and a 'call to action'. We made templates for the field station team to recreate these kind of layouts with any new activities they wanted to introduce.

Our final design showcased organic shapes, photos and a 'call to action'. We made templates for the field station team to recreate these kind of layouts with any new activities they wanted to introduce.

Our final design showcased organic shapes, photos and a 'call to action'. We made templates for the field station team to recreate these kind of layouts with any new activities they wanted to introduce.

FINAL DESIGNS

ORGANIZATION
BACKGROUND

ORGANIZATION
BACKGROUND

We took advantage of the metal board and used magnets to attach our designs to the wall. We included step-by step instructions at every step. We chose to go for a modern and clean design aesthetic.

We took advantage of the metal board and used magnets to attach our designs to the wall. We included step-by step instructions at every step. We chose to go for a modern and clean design aesthetic.

We took advantage of the metal board and used magnets to attach our designs to the wall. We included step-by step instructions at every step. We chose to go for a modern and clean design aesthetic.

  1. The Map

  • The final map is A0 sized and clean and easy to read

  • Focused on trails and destinations within the Presidio

  • Overlaid with destination cards. These are designed to be changeable seasonally

  1. Trail Highlights

  • This part is called ‘along the trails’ and showcases 5 trails near the field station. (Color coordinated with map)

  • Each envelope is stacked with cards that showcase destinations that the visitors can see

  • Informs visitor about trail distance and time taken to complete it.

  1. Menu of adventures

  • The adventure menu displays all the available adventures and the associated gear that the visitors can borrow.

  • Every card has a call to action for the visitor

  • Gear is displayed on shelves besides the adventure menu items

IN THE FUTURE

The adventure's board is a starting point for the Field Station's vision. It informs the visitors of these adventures and guides them on how to get started.

The adventure's board is a starting point for the Field Station's vision. It informs the visitors of these adventures and guides them on how to get started.

The adventure's board is a starting point for the Field Station's vision. It informs the visitors of these adventures and guides them on how to get started.

Look and feel of the space

Look and feel of the space

Look and feel of the space

How does the space outside the field station reinforce the idea of 'basecamp'. Can there be events and a community around this idea?

How does the space outside the field station reinforce the idea of 'basecamp'. Can there be events and a community around this idea?

How does the space outside the field station reinforce the idea of 'basecamp'. Can there be events and a community around this idea?

Designing for a specific persona

Designing for a specific persona

Designing for a specific persona

How can we showcase an adventure experience for group of school students. Can there be an educational element to this?

How can we showcase an adventure experience for group of school students. Can there be an educational element to this?

How can we showcase an adventure experience for group of school students. Can there be an educational element to this?

LEARNING

Designing along with stakeholders

Designing along with stakeholders

Designing along with stakeholders

I'm glad that we got to involve the Presidio team from the start. Facilitating workshops was fun for us and the participants loved the ideas and vision that we set together.

I'm glad that we got to involve the Presidio team from the start. Facilitating workshops was fun for us and the participants loved the ideas and vision that we set together.

I'm glad that we got to involve the Presidio team from the start. Facilitating workshops was fun for us and the participants loved the ideas and vision that we set together.

Design ecosystem > One Solution

Design ecosystem > One Solution

Design ecosystem > One Solution

Working with the Presidio made me consider so many touchpoints in visitor experience that would need to be designed. My biggest and kind of obvious takeaway was that any design cannot exist in silo.

Working with the Presidio made me consider so many touchpoints in visitor experience that would need to be designed. My biggest and kind of obvious takeaway was that any design cannot exist in silo.

Working with the Presidio made me consider so many touchpoints in visitor experience that would need to be designed. My biggest and kind of obvious takeaway was that any design cannot exist in silo.

Next Project

Next Project

Next Project

I'm open to new opportunities!

I'm open to new opportunities!

Made with coffee, sweat and tears

2025

Gargi

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