Master’s Final Project

Route

Reimagine the experience of walking as a
new way to discover the world with every step

COMPANY

Digital Rural Lab

YEAR/S

2019 - 2020

ROLE

UX Research, Product Strategy, UX/UI, Design System, Brand

01 / ABOUT THE PROJECT

A digital companion for more meaningful outdoor experiences

Route is a mobile app concept designed to enrich outdoor activities by helping people plan, navigate and rediscover their routes without making the screen the centre of the experience. The product combines route planning, audio guidance, contextual information and interactive maps to help users stay connected to their surroundings.

Route is a mobile app concept designed to enrich outdoor activities by helping people plan, navigate and rediscover their routes without making the screen the centre of the experience. The product combines route planning, audio guidance, contextual information and interactive maps to help users stay connected to their surroundings.

Role & scope

Role & scope

Product Design, UX Research, UX/UI, Design System, Brand

PLATFORM

PLATFORM

Native app · Mobile-first · Outdoor activities

02 / RESEARCH & OPPORTUNITY

Understanding how people experience the outdoors

Research combined market analysis, sports and outdoor apps, route blogs, social content, surveys and interviews with different user profiles. The goal was to understand how people prepare outdoor activities, what information they rely on and where existing tools fall short.

Research combined market analysis, sports and outdoor apps, route blogs, social content, surveys and interviews with different user profiles. The goal was to understand how people prepare outdoor activities, what information they rely on and where existing tools fall short.

01

01

NAVIGATION MUST BE RELIABLE

NAVIGATION MUST BE RELIABLE

GPS, route planning and activity tracking were among the most valued features, making reliable navigation a basic requirement rather than a differentiator.

02

USERS WANT MORE CONTEXT

People wanted richer information about the places they were exploring, both during the activity and afterwards — something their existing apps did not fully provide.

03

DISCOVERY & COMMUNITY MATTER

Recommendations, nearby routes, challenges, events and community features could help users discover new activities and stay motivated.

03 / USER NEEDS

Different users, different reasons to explore

01

EXPLORE

Find relevant routes and activities.

02

NAVIGATE

Follow reliable guidance adapted to the activity.

03

CONNECT

Discover people, events and recommendations.

04

REMEMBER

Review routes, places and points of interest afterwards.

04 / PRODUCT STRATEGY

Turning research into a focused MVP

Research findings were translated into a feature-prioritization model based on user benefit, business value and implementation complexity. This helped separate essential functionality from ideas that could be introduced later.

Research findings were translated into a feature-prioritization model based on user benefit, business value and implementation complexity. This helped separate essential functionality from ideas that could be introduced later.

The goal was not to build everything, but to identify the smallest experience that could deliver real value.

The goal was not to build everything, but to identify the smallest experience that could deliver real value.

05 / CORE EXPERIENCE

Guidance that gets out of the way

Route was designed as a companion rather than a traditional navigation tool. Users could plan a route, receive non-intrusive audio guidance and contextual information while moving, and later revisit the experience through an interactive map with saved points of interest.

Plan

Navigate

Listen

Discover

REVISIT

Less screen time. More attention to the environment.

Less screen time. More attention to the environment.

06 / DESIGNING ROUTE

From structure to a coherent visual system

The interface was intentionally kept simple despite the amount of information the product needed to handle. The architecture was organised around five main areas: quick access, route search, community, profile and settings.

The interface was intentionally kept simple despite the amount of information the product needed to handle. The architecture was organised around five main areas: quick access, route search, community, profile and settings.

07 / BRAND & PRODUCT VISION

Making the product feel like part of the landscape

Route’s visual language was built around nature rather than the user. Landscape photography, organic colours and a calm, intimate tone were used to make the environment the protagonist of the experience.

The name “Route” refers both to the path towards a destination and, phonetically, to “root” — a connection with origin and nature.

Route’s visual language was built around nature rather than the user. Landscape photography, organic colours and a calm, intimate tone were used to make the environment the protagonist of the experience.

The name “Route” refers both to the path towards a destination and, phonetically, to “root” — a connection with origin and nature.

08 / LEARNING

Designing technology that helps people pay more attention

Route explored how digital products can support an experience without becoming the experience itself. The project strengthened my approach to research, feature prioritization, information architecture, product systems and visual storytelling.

Route explored how digital products can support an experience without becoming the experience itself. The project strengthened my approach to research, feature prioritization, information architecture, product systems and visual storytelling.