This design brief outlines the scope of the project. It states the problem to solve, the secondary research which confirms the need to solve the problem. It communicates the proposed solution, target audience, and the competitive audit of what is currently in the market attempting to solve the same proposed problem in this brief.
DESIGN BRIEF
Problem
Printed Zoo maps are busy, cumbersome, and hard to read. At the end of a visit, these maps are discarded, creating more garbage unnecessarily. Moreover, they cannot give information about restaurant hours, menus, or if exhibits are under repair or construction. These printed sheets are static. They cannot be updated in an instant. Current zoo apps don’t offer live navigation, audio narration, and the interface is busy and uninteresting.
Printed Maps can be works of art and graphic design, but they are busy and confusing.
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Zoos managed to cram a lot of useful details into these maps, but it takes not a few times looking at them to understand them and navigate them.
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Zoos are very busy and confusing to navigate. Their layout, for the most part, is organic and not straightforward. An app with a GPS and Wi-Fi location feature will help users navigate the zoo grounds with ease.
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Many zoo-goers do not read the lengthy descriptions posted near the animal exhibits. Having an audio feature will ensure that visitors will have easier access to more comprehensive information, including the awareness of species in danger.
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Secondary Research
PRINTED MAPS ARE TOO BUSY
ZOOS ARE BECOMING AWARE OF USERS NEED FOR MOBILE NAVIGATION TOOLS.
A ZOO APP WILL INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT ANIMAL AND HABITAT CONSERVATION
Proposed Solution
Design a mobile app that will help users navigate the zoo with the help of GPS. This app will have events, feeding times, and showtime alerts. Teachers, parents, and visitors will be able to plan and their visits ahead of time. It will also have the audio capability to narrate the information on the exhibits.
Target Users
This design is for zoo-goers, mothers with young children, elementary school teachers, elderly people, tourists. The Association of Zoo and Aquariums said that 69% of the population goes to zoos and aquariums with children.
COLCHESTER ZOO APP
The problem with this app is that it tries to put too much information on one screen.
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The map is pretty impressive, but it does not provide step by step directions to points of interest.
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SAN DIEGO ZOO APP
This app looks great. Looking at the map, it feels like looking at a video game. The graphics and photos are impressive.
Many complaints about this app had to do with GPS reception and lack of information about events and restaurants.
Competitive Audit
PRINTED ZOO MAP
Southwick's zoo printable map. Maps still have many advantages over mobile applications. One of these is they have a low production cost. Repacing a lost printed map is no cost to the user. Printed maps can also be viewed at a glance.
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DENVER ZOO APP
This is one of the best zoo apps on the market. It still doesn't offer step-by-step navigation to different exhibits, events, and restaurants.
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A second shortcoming is the inability to offer audible information.
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The map has very small icons that users with large fingers or limited fine motor skills will have a hard time tapping.
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