AUT School of Science wanted to develop a mobile app that allows people to identify tree species in New Zealand. The app comes with an identification quiz, a species database with detailed descriptions of each plant, and the ability to add your own tree sightings.
I was responsible for the UI/UX design and the brand identity of the app.
AUT University School of Science
2018
Identification wizard
Within the identification wizard the user is given the choice to select plant characteristics such as leaf shape, fruit colour and bark texture. We included an ‘uncertainty’ option for every category in case the plant is not in fruiting season, or we only have a single leaf to identify.
Gallery
The identification match will lead to a species list with thumbnails, where the user can find the right match. Once selected, the plant page shows an image followed by a detailed description of the plant’s characteristics such as season of fruiting and flowering as well as medical features and possible poisoning warnings, leaf arrangement, fruit type, flower colour, etc.
A-Z species list
Our filters offer the option to sort all species:
- by name within three different languages (common, Māori, Latin)
- by plant family and
- by plant group (angiosperm, gymnosperm or fern)
Sighting
We want people to use our app as a pocket guide as well as a pocket species collection tool. Once the user has identified a tree, he or she will be able to capture a photo of this specimen. The user might want to add notes such as a description of the habitat. Automatically the mobile device’s GPS (if turned on) will locate their position - or it can be set manually. In the “Sightings” section of the app, there is a gallery of all species the user has added a sighting to. For convenience, they are sorted by alphabet. The users can share their sightings with friends on social media or via personal message. This feature allows the user to exchange knowledge and to get verifications on their identifications.
