Redesigning the National Parks Service App
A speculative redesign for a fresh, intuitive experience of the National Parks Service App.
In our 5 week speculative redesign for the National Parks Service App, we aim to highlight the wonders of the world in US National Parks. Recognizing that the current app has shortcomings in this goal, we implemented features such as a trip planner, national park news, and a revamped map. Now, adventurers can easily embark on their next adventure.
Jump to final design!
Jump to final design!
Role
Tools
Duration
Team
The problem space
The current National Parks Service App is overwhelmingly unorganized and does not encourage exploration of their natural spaces.
There are many dead ends, inconsistent UI elements, and confusing flows that decrease adventurers' confidence in navigating the app. None of these contribute to the NPS's goal of encouraging the planning and visiting of their national parks.
The opportunity
There are plenty of design opportunities that can better align with NPS's goals.
Restructure the information architecture to create a smooth navigation process.
Provoking an adventurous spirit to encourage a trip to National Parks
People tend to be unaware of what cues ACTUALLY trigger unwanted actions.
Competitive analysis
Our competitive analysis found that neither competitor app truly showcases the wonders of the world.
Instead, they get lost in a lack of information, arbitrary definitions that measure trail difficulties, and confusing UI. We recognized that with these shortcomings, come improvements we can consider when redesigning the National Parks Service App.
Key insights
Many digital educational conveniences have changed how we normalize learning.
Insight #1: Content expectation
There is a need for an engaging and interactive way to learn new concepts, not just an answer machine.
Insight #2: A need for introspection
Tangible learning—learning via practicing, discussing, and doing—is become more and more scarce with the introduction of digital shortcuts.
Design opportunity!
Going phone-free shouldn’t feel like a punishment.
Many existing solutions (such as locking your phone away in a safe) almost feel like a self-imposed exile, yet people feel like they need to resort to this extreme in order to find solutions that stick.
One of my favorite phone experiments that show just how far we have to go to remove ourselves from our phone addiction.
Problem statement
How might we facilitate group discussion dynamics for students and create an environment conducive to learning and collaboration?
Design exploration
Ideating for fun, function,
and effectiveness
The key is to change the experience from a “punishment” to “something fun”. This is where Nosho was born!
Design exploration
With a basic concept down, it was time to refine how Nosho removes notifications as an intrusive trigger.
Picking the right measurement to emphasize.
Focusing on the number of pick-ups (instead of screen time) encourages users to reflect if they truly need to pick up that phone right now.
Making Nosho a charging home for your phone!
All interviewees sit next to a charger for easy charging/usage. Integrating phone charging into Nosho also solidifies its place as a useful phone hub.
Just the right amount of fun without stealing your focus.
Nosho’s goal is to minimize notification intrusion, yet, it should feel delightful. The longer your phone hasn’t been touched, the more lively your aquarium becomes!
Sketching & 3D prototyping Nosho’s form factor.
Nosho should look approachable. So, I ideated different form factors, settling on two, and eventually 3D-modeling and printing the final result!
Visual design & video work
Creating the visual feel &
video for Nosho
Nosho’s visual look is captured by the idea of being delightful, fun, yet calm.
“Nosho” came about as a double play-on words. “Notification-shoal” (like a shoal of fish) and “No-show”!
Storyboarding the product video & working with Blender
Since Nosho is a physical product concept, I knew a product video would help visualize its use cases. Plus, who doesn't like a little motion?
Final design!
Without further ado, here’s
the final Nosho design!
Nosho is a playful, dynamic notification visualizer in the form of an aquarium to help manage those tempting phone pick-ups with a simple motto: out of sight, out of mind!
From loud notifications, to calm fishies swimming in.
Nosho softly restricts unessential notification information while providing some level of transparency in order to avoid notification anxiety.
A natural desk home for
your phone.
Nosho is able to wirelessly charge your phone while keeping track of your notifications, serving as a great desk gadget whether you’re working or heading to bed.
Impact
Nosho has promising potential to redefine how we experience habitual phone pick-ups.
When evaluating the success of Nosho’s concept, I turned to fellow designers and participants to provide their opinions.
82%
User satisfaction
Users felt that Nosho could effectively shape their relationships with their phone for the better.
100%
Success rate
Users successfully navigated through Nosho to remove notification noise.
If I had the opportunity, I'd also test:
% Change in phone pick-ups
Retention rate
Net Promoter Score
Taking the prototype into my everyday life…
I’ll admit, I’ve been using my own Nosho prototype to stay focused at times...and I’m happily surprised to find out that since using it, my screen time’s been down by 63%.
Late June’s screen time...
...versus early July!
Reflections, takeaways, & the UW Design show!
Lots to say, lots to thank, and lots to reflect on.
Personal notes
Where do I begin! Nosho is especially meaningful to me because it’s my final project as an Interaction Designer at the University of Washington. I challenged myself to combine as many different skillsets as I could; UX design, research, visual design, 3D modeling, motion, prototyping, 3D printing; it was an amazing mesh of everything I wanted to do and more.
Nosho at the UW Design Show!
As my UW Design capstone, I presented it at the 2025 UW Design Show along with my other fellow designers and their capstones! While the show has already ended, you can check it out here: https://www.uwdesignshow.com
Working solo: the creative freedom and lack of constraints
Working on Nosho has taught me a LOT about the ups and downs to working solo. I always love working in a group because everyone has a different perspective! So while I had much more creative freedom, it also meant that the final decisions were up to solely me. In that sense, it’s helped me understand that having some constraints isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all!
Thank you!
Lastly, I’d like to thank my fellow designers and my instructor, Bridget Weis, for providing feedback throughout this very quick 9-week process! And of course, thanks to you, the reader, for checking this out! It’s a concept I’m very proud of, and maybe someday I’ll make it a real thing. Who knows? :)
