Encouraging climate action through education
UX Researcher | Product Designer
Jan ‘23 - Feb ‘23
As a UX consultant at Pratt Institute, I led the redesign of the Climate Science website's "courses" section, conducting exploratory and qualitative research with two colleagues to boost engagement and drive collective climate action.
During concept development, my goal was to inspire climate change action by providing concise information and a cohesive narrative suitable for all age groups, addressing previous criticism of the site's childlike appearance, leading to the creation of a new brand identity.
I successfully convinced the client to adopt our visual design and brand identity guidelines for the upcoming site launch. The new identity is now implemented, and the courses section is in beta testing, with a full launch on the horizon.
CONTEXT
About Climate Science
Climate Science, a London-based educational charity, was founded to simplify and make climate change education reliable and accessible. Their mission is to educate and empower young individuals to take proactive steps in addressing climate change.
They reached out to us to foster young people's enthusiasm for climate change, offering education and inspiration for creating a positive impact on the world.
Learn about climate change through courses curated by experts
Apply your knowledge by participating in global student competitions
Get Involved with the wide-spread community to take collective action !
The team's primary focus consisted of three key components: courses, olympiad, and a community platform
PROBLEM
The site fails to convey a coherent narrative
Our comprehensive analysis, revealed that the website suffers from redundant and disorganized content. This issue results in an inability to offer a coherent narrative for those seeking to understand climate change.
Lack of substantial integration , between Courses, Olympiad and Community modules
Despite Climate Science's courses module being a crucial tool for raising awareness and advancing their mission, it has consistently faced low retention rates over the past two years.
Lacks structured information & overview , makes it difficult to encourage users to explore further
Comprehensive courses, necessitating a significant time commitment and dedication to absorb.
Appears geared towards children , but provides advanced courses curated by experts, suitable for all age groups
High-Level Goals
01
Constructing a unified narrative to motivate users
02
Sustaining user engagement and inspiring them to take action
03
Build a versatile brand for Climate Science, appealing to all ages
SOLUTION
A personalized course experience to inspire and engage learners of all types
Course Recommendations based on preferences, daily pace, and difficulty level
Learning outcomes to help learners track their progress and stay motivated
Concise, bite-sized information for time-pressed learners!
Course overview
Previous courses page
Solution
Course Introduction: Helping learners anticipate the course content and required commitment
Encouraging learners to apply their knowledge by taking small steps toward making a huge difference
Integrating community with courses !
Previous selected course page
Solution
Climate Education
Get Involved
Competitions
About Us
Language
Welcome back!
Continue your Climate Learning
2/6
COURSES
1025
POINTS
5
CERTIFICATES
4
OPPORTUNITIES
Share
Congratulations on completing the course!
2 Days
100 pts
Simple
You are ready to embark on the next phase! Join the global student-led competition to mitigate climate change. Win a trip to present your ideas at the annual UN Climate Summit!
Explore Olympiad
Establish a career in tackling climate change
Put your newly acquired skills to use in various job positions and volunteer opportunities related to climate change.
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Integrating olympiad with courses !
Further motivating learners to take bigger steps toward making a positive impact
While developing this concept, I strived to craft a brand identity that appeals to learners of all age groups. Climate Science's mission is to educate about climate change in a fun way! The visual design of the redesigned modules reflects this goal, aiming to captivate a wide audience without appearing overly childish while maintaining an element of fun.
RESEARCH
What motivates people to learn about climate change?
We conducted research, including literature reviews, technical and competitive analysis, and eight user interviews, to understand user motivations, attitudes toward climate change, and what drives their desire to learn. This exploratory research informed the development of project goals aligned with the client's overarching objectives.
Low Commitment, Highly Motivated
Jacob
Director, ABC Company
Working professional and dad of 2. Wants to make a difference but is always short on time.
Mid Commitment, Highly Motivated
Lilly
Homemaker
Adopts lifestyle changes to make an impact. Expands her knowledge through credible magazines and news reports.
High Commitment, Highly Motivated
Jane
Graduate Student
Actively participates in rallies and volunteering events. Prefers getting in-depth knowledge through research papers.
Primary Motivational Factors for Individuals Concerning Climate Change Action?
What are the Specific Learning Needs of the Target Audience?
What Motivates Long-term Engagement and Learning?
Role Peer Influence Plays in Shaping Climate Change Attitudes and Actions?
“ I have 2 small children, want them to have a long and happy life in a planet that doesn’t melt them ”
“ It’s more satisfying to see the impact of your actions rather than making a financial donation for the cause ”
“ It’s a top priority for me but not for many people out there. We all need to get together and take action to change the situation ”
Key Insights
01
People feel motivated to pursue goals they can achieve
Literature Review
02
People’s commitment toward taking an action is schedule-dependent
USER INTERVIEWS
03
People are unsure of which module to start with on the site and why
USABILITY TESTING
DEFINING THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we build a community of climate activists through education ?
We recognized the need for a new information system for Climate Science that connects Courses, Olympiad, and Community modules. This flexible structure, as opposed to the existing linear one, directs users between modules, motivates them, and aligns with our mission.
Before : Linear Structure with dead-ends !
Learner
Climate Science Ecosystem
Olympiad
Courses
Community
Non Existent Community , community page lacked information. Users didn’t understand its potential benefits
What exactly is Climate Science ? Why should I explore it ?
Where do I even begin ? Which module would be the best for me ?
I’ve taken courses , what’s next for me ?
After : Flexible Structure, Further encouraging climate action
Learner
Climate Science Ecosystem
Actions
Opportunities
Olympiad
Toward actions that make a bigger impact
Apply your knowledge, take small steps
Guide them into the ecosystem as they join
Pre-inform learners to spark curiosity
Sense of community to inspire and support learners
Driven by community!
Olympiad
Courses
However, this objective did not come without its share of challenges ...
01
Delivering courses to engage and retain diverse learners effectively
02
Motivating low-commitment learners for significant actions
03
Strategically linking Olympiad and Community to courses, encouraging user exploration
CHALLENGE 1
How might we effectively engage diverse learners ?
Answer: Empower users to tailor their course curriculum, offering a personalized learning experience where they have the autonomy to determine their path through the course catalog. I addressed a range of commitment levels for learning, devising specific design solutions catering to low to mid-high commitment learners.
Engaging bite-sized information to spark curiosity and set course expectations.
Introductory crash course on the site offering a glimpse of courses for low commitment learning , was a also 30 minutes long course!
To capture learners' attention, I extracted and highlighted short video snippets for each course on the catalog, as modifying course content was restricted. Originally, the videos in many courses were initially hidden within the material.
Take a Quick Crash Course
View captivating videos on compelling subjects and delve into our selection of courses
2:45
Climate Change: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Course: What Is Climate Change
2:45
Food Waste: We need to Stop Wasting our Food
Course: Food Farming
2:45
Battery Powered: What is the problem with Battery Powered Planes?
Course: Clean Energy
2+
6/8 participants self-identified as visual learners
“Show me an infographic or something first giving me summary level information that increases my appetite to learn more!”
“I see online learning as rapid education or quick learning, and this works perfectly for me !”
A personalized learning experience for all types of learners
The unstructured catalog, lacking overviews and guidance, overwhelmed users with required courses, giving the perception of very high level of commitment to learn.
Guiding learners through selected topics, reducing overwhelm by aligning content with their interests. Learners can customize time commitments to their pace, encouraging them to enhance their daily pace and complete courses more quickly!
2
5/8 participants were willing to allocate 5-10 minutes daily to review the course materials
“When I read courses, I was expecting to see something that required me to devote several weeks”
Resolved by displaying time commitments in course thumbnails based on learner’s pace.
“I love this ! I can actually appreciate the urgency to adapt to the changes we are in.”
CHALLENGE 2
How might we motivate low commitment learners for significant actions ?
Answer: Guide users to define learning outcomes, set achievable goals, and incentivize them with opportunities to create positive real-world impact through applied knowledge gained in courses.
Before entering the course, learners lacked an understanding of what to expect from each course and the level of commitment required, this discouraged them from exploring any new course!
Highlighting what to expect from the course, required commitment level, and anticipated learning outcomes to benefit them personally or professionally.
2/6
COURSES
1025
POINTS
2
CERTIFICATES
4
OPPORTUNITIES
What you will learn in this course ?
Complete this course to acquire skills to be qualified for job openings and volunteering opportunities.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
People: Why Climate Change will Increase Inequality
10 min
Economy: How much will Climate Change Cost?
10 min
Animals: How can Animals Deal with Climate Change?
10 min
Can Animals & Plants Survive Climate Change?
10 min
Climate Change Impacts Beneath on Oceans
10 min
Climate Change Impacts Beneath on Oceans
10 min
Switch to Advanced Mode
Course overview, emphasizing expected achievements and time commitment
Pique curiosity with advanced difficulty levels, showcasing additional learning incentives
3
6/8 participants preferred to grasp the topic, estimate time commitment before starting the course
“Give me bullet points, tell me how much effort I need to be making, tell me what I’m getting myself into or it is even worth it ? ”
“Love the idea of sharing a glimpse for what’s in store if I switch to advanced ! That’s a smart nudge without forcing learners”
Presenting incentives and progress tracking
Climate Science provided two learning modes: simple (limited chapters) and advanced (full course)
How can I apply this acquired knowledge? There's no clear path to translate it into actions for a significant impact.
Fostering application-based learning and lifestyle changes through enjoyable, low-effort challenges that bring a sense of satisfaction from small contributions to the cause and create a sense of community through collective action.
Through application-based learning, the design encourages Challenges as initial steps toward climate action, leading to significant actions. As learners progress, heightened awareness and curiosity would drive them to engage in local volunteering or pursue climate science careers, unlocked as they acquire necessary skills in courses.
Establish a career in tackling climate change
Put your newly acquired skills to use in various job positions and volunteer opportunities related to climate change.
Citysville
No Experience
Posted 5 days ago
Clean Water Pollution
CHANGE.ORG
Citysville council of land management is preparing to build single-family housing that may pollute the water.
View
Citysville
No Experience
Posted 5 days ago
Clean Water Pollution
CHANGE.ORG
Citysville council of land management is preparing to build single-family housing that may pollute the water.
View
Citysville
No Experience
Posted 5 days ago
Clean Water Pollution
CHANGE.ORG
Citysville council of land management is preparing to build single-family housing that may pollute the water.
View
View All Opportunities
IMPACT & TAKEAWAY
Influentially persuaded stakeholders for a user-centric brand identity overhaul
01
Influenced the revamp of CS, making it suitable for all learner types
02
User testing revealed the design's ability to engage and retain learners.
03
Research Insights prompted CS to pivot to personalized learning
Our team acknowledged the need for a new brand identity to accommodate diverse learners, providing a personalized and adaptable experience across all three modules. Despite the initial concerns of the CS team regarding the impact on their mission of delivering an enjoyable learning experience, our research-backed intuitive design solutions convinced them to embrace a new brand identity and a pivot toward personalized learning.