DESIGN TIMELINE

Sticking to the Plan:
How I Navigated the Project’s Milestones

BACKGROUND

Rooted in Innovation:
The Story Behind the Smart Hiking Poles

According to the 2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, the outdoor recreation participant base grew by 2.3 percent in 2022, reaching a record of 168.1 million participants, or 55 percent of the U.S. population ages six and older.

Lessons from my own adventures continue to guide my approach.

• Hiked across multiple notable locations.
• Sought trails matching personal abilities with scenic views.
• Faced uncertainty and concerns about routes, time, weather, and wildlife.

Hikers encounter risks on the trail for many different reasons.

One of the reaons is wander off trail.

• Could be due to curiosity, searching for a shortcut, or simply a lack of attention.
• Pose certain risks, including getting lost, sustaining injuries, or encountering other hazardous situations.

Wandering off trail can cause unforeseen difficulties.

• Since the 1950s, Mount Rainier National Park has been replanting trampled areas.
• Signs indicating "Off-trail hikers may be fined" effectively deter visitors from straying off established trails.
• Off-trail trampling causes extensive financial damage to national parks.

USER RESEARCH

Conversations with users highlighted two key types of hikers.

I had 40-min interiews with

• 2 Experienced master hikers,
• 1 Novice with little experience,
• and 1 more professional.

What are users’ needs?

Findings from interviews

• Mixed planning and navigation methods.
• Emphasis on safety and gear.
• Importance of leadership and teamwork.
• Gear for comfort and enjoyment.
• Challenges met with teamwork.

USER JOURNEY MAP

I then outlined the key steps in the users’ interaction with the product.

What are the traits of each user group?

A. Novice

• Low challenge/safe actions
• Dependent on social media
• Few individual actions
• Simple equipment
• Limited experience

B. Master

• Rich in experience
• Equipment is more complex
• Need for adaptability/flexibility
• Usually shares with personal friends
• High risk of danger
• Require protective measures

C. Others

• Task-specific gear
• Navigation skills
• Environmental interaction
• Physical endurance
• Adaptability

BRAINSTORMING

I delved into creative thinking and uncovered new technological possibilities.

Physical method

Pros:

• High visibility
• User-friendly
• Low cost
• No tech required
• Instant recognition

Cons:

• May harm nature
• Not durable
• Too much to carry
• Limited information

Chemical method

Pros:

• Visible in darkness
• Advanced technology
• Long-lasting
• Minimal physical impact
• Instant recognition

Cons:

• Chemical pollution
• Higher cost
• Technical complexity
• Not suitable for all environments

This led to the discovery of an environmentally friendly bioluminescent method.

MIT

• 2017: Engineers create plants that glow.
• 2022: The next generation of glowing plants

After the researches, how might we ensure hikers safety without disrupting their hiking experience?

I followed the following design principles for the product.

• Safety
• Convenient
• Eco-friendly

A few ideas about the product come out.

• Initially considered options like a fanny pack, wristband, or ankle wearable device, but found them to be cumbersome and unnecessary.
• Trekking poles (Selected)
• Integrate a marking mechanism with trekking poles (Selected)
• Hikers can press a button on the handle to activate a spray at the pole's tail (Selected)
• linking the trekking pole to a watch app (Selected)

PROBLEM STATEMENT

By examining the design closely, I refined the project’s direction and stakeholder roles.

The developed bioluminescent methods and devices are not only beneficial for hikers but can also be widely applied in areas such as resource optimization, resource conservation, bioluminescent aesthetics, and quality of life enhancement.

STORYBOARD

Later, I outlined the user’s path through a series of detailed sketches.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Here’s the visual evolution of the hiking pole, from sketches to 3D modeling.

Sketching

Design

There are some selected designs.

Mobile app

Watch app

In the app, user needs to follow this flow to edit the map.

During the hiking, hikers spray the marks by using the poles and watch.

In the Homepage, I came up two options and finally chose A.

For the map editing, I also came up two options and finally chose Plan B.

Here are more detailed designs on watch.

Poles Details on watch

Review of the routes

During the spraying

In the end, I pulled together the branding elements that define the project.