SchweizMobil is a popular hiking app designed to help users discover trails across Switzerland. While it offers a range of features for hikers, my personal experience revealed challenges in finding trails that are truly accessible to all users, including families and individuals with specific mobility needs.
This case study is an independent design exploration. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or commissioned by SchweizMobil. All ideas and designs presented are my own and aimed to explore opportunities for improving accessibility in hiking applications.
Context
A Missed Opportunity to Experience Nature
Last summer, I was hosting a family visiting Switzerland, eager to enjoy the serene beauty of our trails. The parents were excited to show their daughter, who uses a wheelchair, the natural wonders of the Swiss Alps. However, we quickly encountered a frustrating challenge— finding an accessible trail.
Despite trying several apps and doing extensive research, there was always a lack of clear, reliable information. We spent hours navigating misinformation and trails that weren't truly accessible, leaving the young girl feeling left out, unable to fully enjoy the adventure her family had hoped for.
We were left wondering: with all the technological advancements in AI and navigation tools, why is it so hard to find an app that ensures everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can enjoy Switzerland's beautiful nature together?
The Challenge
Hiking Without Limits
1.
Design Challenges
From a user experience perspective, the challenges were no less significant. The interface design in most apps was either outdated or unintuitive, with poor visual contrast making information difficult to read, especially in outdoor settings. The sign-up process was overly complex, often requiring users to fill in multiple pages, while onboarding failed to engage new users, leading to skipped instructions.
2.
Technical Challenges
Users reported several technical frustrations while using existing hiking apps. These ranged from inaccurate GPS tracking to inadequate offline map availability, which left users lost or unprepared in remote locations. Many complained about the lack of real-time updates on trail conditions and weather changes, adding unnecessary risks during their hikes.
My Role
Collaborating Beyond Boundaries
As the lead designer and initiator of the SchweizMobil's project, I was responsible for driving the concept forward. Our team consisted of three key members: myself, Mustafa Al Awad, leading the design and development; Iryna, a UX/UI designer and illustrator; and Jelena, a UX/UI master student.
Despite living in different countries, collaboration was never an obstacle. I led the research with Iryna, and together we analyzed the findings that shaped the project. Iryna managed the entire research and analysis phase, while I spearheaded the wireframing and turned it into high-fidelity screens.
Our approach was systematic. As a cross-functional team, we mapped out user challenges, analyzed feedback, benchmarked competitor patterns, and created solutions that aligned with both user needs and business goals.
Iryna Kyrychenko
Mustafa Al Awad
Jelena Voncina
Business
A Business Perspective
In developing SchweizMobil’s, we identified significant challenges in user engagement and accessibility that SwitzerlandMobility had not fully addressed. I, along with Iryna, took a deep dive into the issues users faced while planning and navigating their hiking trips.
Our goal was to address these pain points to not only enhance the user experience but also ensure sustainable business growth by improving retention, increasing subscriptions, and expanding our user base.
Key Challenges Identified:
Lack of Accessible Trail Information
Many users found it difficult to locate accurate information about accessible trails, especially those suitable for families with strollers, individuals with mobility challenges, or older adults.
Insufficient Offline Map Functionality
Users frequently expressed a need for reliable offline maps, especially for remote hikes where internet access is limited. The absence of offline navigation significantly reduced the app’s usability in critical situations.
Personalization Lacking in User Experience
Feedback indicated a strong interest in personalized recommendations—like customized trail difficulty levels, curated routes, or family-friendly options—which weren’t fully addressed in the existing design.
Confusing User Interface
Feedback pointed to issues with the interface design, particularly around navigation and finding important features like trail difficulty or family-friendly options. This hindered user retention and led to a higher churn rate.
Actionable Solutions and Business Growth
To tackle these challenges, we made strategic design improvements, integrated personalized AI-driven recommendations, and enhanced accessibility options. These initiatives were aimed at not only resolving user frustrations but also improving key business metrics such as user retention, subscription conversions, and app engagement. By addressing these issues head-on, we laid the foundation for a user-centered app experience, which has the potential to attract a wider audience and generate sustainable growth.
Competitors
Competitive Benchmarking
To position SchweizMobil's as a leader in personalized and inclusive hiking experiences, we benchmarked against top competitors: Komoot, AllTrails, Outdooractive, and SwitzerlandMobility. Through this analysis, we identified key strengths and gaps in these apps, ensuring SchweizMobil's addresses the needs of diverse users with innovative features.
Our goal was to address these pain points to not only enhance the user experience but also ensure sustainable business growth by improving retention, increasing subscriptions, and expanding our user base.
Insight #1: Lack of Accessibility & Family-Friendly Features
While competing apps excel in trail details, many overlook critical features such as accessible routes for users with strollers or mobility challenges. SchweizMobil's fills this gap by offering advanced filters tailored to family-friendly and accessibility needs, making hiking more inclusive.
Comparative Features of Hiking Apps
SchweizMobil
Komoot
AllTrails
Outdooractive
500
400
300
200
100
0
Accessibility Features
Friendly Filter
User Friendly UI
Real-Time Weather
Insight #2: Offline Map Availability & Real-Time Weather Info
User research emphasized the importance of offline maps and real-time weather updates for planning. SchweizMobil's provides both as core features, addressing the shortcomings in apps like Komoot and SwitzerlandMobility, which limit these to premium users or exclude them entirely.
Insight #3: User Pain Points with Trail Information
Qualitative findings revealed common user frustrations with other apps, such as unclear trail information, confusing difficulty levels, and lack of visual guidance. SchweizMobil's improves this by offering detailed trail descriptions, easily understandable difficulty markers, and intuitive visuals, ensuring users are well-prepared for their hikes.
Research & Insights
Exploring the users' needs and shaping SchweizMobil's personalized experience.
Emily
Meet Emily Johnson, a 35-year-old elementary school teacher based in Bern, Switzerland. As a family-oriented person, she enjoys spending weekends hiking with her husband and two young children. However, Emily has faced constant challenges finding accessible trails that are safe for her children and suitable for strollers.
Preparing for the Adventure
Emily loves the outdoors but often struggles to find the perfect trail that matches her family’s needs. One day, while using SchweizMobil, she filters trails based on accessibility and safety features. She chooses a highly-rated, family-friendly trail that meets her requirements. On the day of the hike, SchweizMobil provides real-time weather updates and offline maps to ensure a safe journey. After the hike, Emily feels confident that her family had an enjoyable experience without any stress.
Key Research Methods
Cultural Probe
To understand real-life scenarios, we sent out cultural probes to our target users. These included tasks like documenting their hiking experiences, challenges, and thoughts on trail accessibility.
Online Survey
An extensive online survey helped us collect quantitative data, revealing that 60% of users struggled with unclear trail information, and 45% required family-friendly routes.
Usability Tests
Conducted on the SchweizMobil prototype, these tests revealed that users highly appreciated the offline maps feature and real-time weather updates, with 90% reporting ease of use.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
The lack of accessible, family-friendly trails was a common challenge. Emily's experience reflected that of many users.
Demand for Offline Maps
The majority of users expressed the need for offline maps to ensure reliable navigation during their hikes, even in remote areas.
Real-Time Weather Forecasts
Users valued weather updates to prepare for sudden changes, ensuring safe and enjoyable experiences.
Design Process
Designing the Path! From Vision to Reality
Wireframes & Prototypes
The design journey began with rough wireframes to outline the app’s structure and key features: personalized trail recommendations, real-time weather updates, and accessibility filters. These evolved into interactive prototypes, tested for usability and layout effectiveness. High-fidelity prototypes brought these ideas to life with a clear information hierarchy and sleek UI components.
Visual Design
Our visual identity captures the Swiss outdoors using a calming
teal palette and seasonal themes for winter and summer, ensuring year-round engagement. Accessibility was a priority, with high-contrast designs for readability in diverse outdoor conditions. A dark mode enhances the experience for nighttime hikers.
Design Tokens
We implemented a streamlined design token system to ensure consistency and efficiency. Tokens were named systematically (e.g., color-action-background-primary-active), simplifying collaboration and guaranteeing accessibility compliance across all components.
Sign Up
01
Visual Design
Our visual identity captures the Swiss outdoors using a calming teal palette and seasonal themes for winter and summer, ensuring year-round engagement. Accessibility was a priority, with high-contrast designs for readability in diverse outdoor conditions. A dark mode enhances the experience for nighttime hikers.
Real-Time Weather Forecasts
Stay prepared with real-time weather updates and air quality forecasts tailored to each trail, helping you plan your adventure with confidence and safety.
Trail Details at a Glance
Quickly access essential trail information like distance, difficulty, duration, and user ratings, making it easier to choose your next adventure.
Custom Trail Suggestions
Discover trails that fit your preferences, fitness, and goals with AI-powered suggestions, ensuring every hike is perfect for you.
Explore the Alps Year-Round
Dynamic seasonal themes bring the Swiss Alps to life, with vibrant summer tones and serene winter contrasts.
Design Token
We implemented a streamlined design token system to ensure consistency and efficiency. Tokens follow a structured naming convention, as illustrated on the right, which includes a clear hierarchy: Category-Concept-Property-Variant-State. This systematic approach simplifies collaboration and guarantees accessibility compliance across all components.
This is an example of how tokens are systematically named for clarity and consistency.
Light and Dark Modes
UI Screens Overview
Learnings
Reflecting on the Journey
The SchweizMobil project was an opportunity to design with empathy, precision, and user-centricity. Throughout the process, we gained valuable insights into addressing complex user needs and ensuring inclusivity in outdoor experiences.
Key Takeaways
1. User-Centric Solutions
Understanding the diverse needs of families and accessibility-conscious hikers was central to tailoring the app's features. Guided by personas like Emily, we addressed real-life challenges.
2. Importance of Accessibility
The design emphasized intuitive interfaces and robust accessibility features. These ranged from clear filters for trail difficulty to visual contrasts that made the app easy to use outdoors.
3. Iterative Prototyping
Wireframes and prototypes revealed gaps early in the process, allowing us to refine the user flow. User testing highlighted the need for collapsible trail information sections.
4. Scalable Design with Tokens
Using design tokens ensured consistency across the interface. This approach simplified adjustments for themes like light and dark modes, while also future-proofing the design for scalability.
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