Working along sideSan Diego CoastKeepers
I had the pleasure of working with San Diego CoastKeepers, a nonprofit based in San Diego California that focuses on protecting local water sources. They believe that everyone has the right to clean water, and they work hard each day to make sure water in the San Diego community is safe for all residents to enjoy, This includes maintaining high water quality for agricultural, recreational, and environmental sustainability reasons. Their goal for this project was to provide clear and understandable data of local watersheds in the form of a map as a supplement to their presentations to local government. It was especially important to make sure anyone could read and understand the data, even if they had no background knowledge on the topic.
Important Takeaways
This project is a my first experience in UX and UI, and it is something I hold very dearly to my heart. Not only was it my first time working with a nonprofit, but it was also my first time working on a project that wasn’t just an assignment for a class. Working on this project helped me learn about real world constraints, and most importantly, about what it’s like to help real people. Getting to know the passionate members of SDCK was an incredible and highly rewarding experience, and it became the core of the entire project. I learned that in order to truly understand how to solve a problem and what makes a good design, you need to have compassion and empathy for the people involved before all else. For every future project, I try my best to uphold this mindset. In return, I feel that my design are more effective and user friendly. Most of all, every connection I make with someone during a project becomes a precious moment of learning and community. I feel truly inspired by everyone I work with, and this project began my love for design and the people I meet along the way.