About the Client
Dashboard Earth aims to crowdsource climate action that is restorative for the people and environment. This initiative believes that everyone has a role to play in combating climate change and provides a way for individuals to take action on a local level. Dashboard Earth USA has various tools and resources that allow people to track their progress, connect with local climate action, and learn about new restorative programs. This platform’s goal is to empower people to individually contribute to climate change to thrive in the face of climate change.
Dashboard Earth has impressively grown into a team of passionate individuals who are dedicated to making positive change. Working with businesses, schools, and individuals to crowdsource climate action allows this organization to run restorative programs for the environment. This smart initiative also provides resources and information to help people learn about climate change and what they can do to help. Because of its consistent efforts and unique use cases, Dashboard Earth has been featured in various media outlets, including the Huffington Post and Forbes.
Client’s Objectives
Dashboard Earth California approached us with the objective of improving their app’s usability so that people could better understand their objectives and goals. They wanted their app to be more user-friendly and informative so that users would be more likely to take climate action. They wanted a close inspection and redesigning of their app from the ground up. Because of the older app version’s usability issues, they wanted the new one to be more intuitive and provide clear information about the organization’s goals. I understood the assignment and decided to help Dashboard Earth California create an app that will help make a difference in its fight against climate change.
Business Challenges
When Dashboard Earth reached me for work collaboration, their app was not up to par and was unable to facilitate their clients. The older app version would have caused this organization several challenges, including difficulty tracking user data, lack of notification capabilities, and an insufficient user interface. Since they had meeting lines up and clients waiting, they wanted a new and improved app that could address all of these issues, and more. Dashboard Earth California could not effectively track user data, send out notifications, and engage users with a more intuitive interface. Their app had the following lackings:
- An unclear layout
- Incapability to notify the users
- Cluttered user-interface
- Complicated navigation
- An old app version that was unable to grab attention
Proposed Solutions
Dashboard Earth wanted to update its app to make it more focused and user-friendly. Here are five solutions proposed to them:
- Starting by researching which features users want and need in an app like this, I planned to design the interface with those uses in mind.
- Another solution would be to create a system that allows users to customize their experience with the app, so they can focus on the information that is most relevant to them.
- I could also work on making the app more engaging so that users are encouraged to come back to it through gamification or by adding features that allow users to track their progress over time. Sometimes less is more. By streamlining your app and removing unnecessary features, I could make it more user-friendly.
- Another change I recommended was to make the app more interactive so that users can feel like they are part of the Dashboard Earth community. I proposed making their app interactive through social features or by giving users opportunities to share their data and stories.
- I also suggested making their app more sustainable so that it does not require constant updates and can run smoothly even on older devices. By reducing the amount of data that is stored locally and cloud-based services for some of the app’s functionality, I wanted to make it easier to use.
Work Challenges
One challenge I faced was the need to increase user engagement by analyzing user data to identify patterns of behavior and developing a targeted content strategy. Another challenge was that the client’s app was not well known. I implemented a comprehensive marketing campaign to combat this, including paid and organic methods.
- Tricky business model
- Limited resources to explain the Dashboard Earth app
- Old app version and lesser conversion power
- Improper use of triggers and CTAs
I also had to understand the backend graphql of Dashboard Earth’s app to understand its business model. After understanding its business model, overcoming these challenges and prioritizing activities that would have the biggest impact was straightforward. Because of our hard work and detailed planning, I successfully improved the client’s app, and it was ready for a worldwide demo in a month.
Our Process
- Exploring the backend graphql
- Choosing React Native to redesign the app
- Adjusting the app’s layout
- Improving the use cases for different app features
After understanding the backend graphql of Dashboard Earth’ an app that was broken and needed to be fixed, we designed our work methodology to improvise it. This app was fixed using React Native and optimized for users. Since the React Native programming language allows for the building of native apps, it is easy to use and has several features that make it advantageous for developers. One of the benefits of using React Native for Dashboard Earth’s app was that it improved its speed and performance.
Using this language also allowed me to implement code on multiple platforms and reduced the amount of time required for app development. My decision to use React Native has helped this organization improve its app and make it more user-friendly.
Furthermore, simplifying the use cases of different app features boosted their functionality and adaptability. Earlier, Dashboard Earth’s app couldn’t clearly explain what each feature meant, and there was ambiguity about how their visitors could join different restorative schemes. But, by prioritizing user-friendliness and ease of use, I was able to redefine these app features.
Results
Through this smart work, I could increase the speed and functionality of Dashboard Earth’s app and make it more user-friendly. As a result, Dashboard Earth has seen a significant increase in users, which has, in turn, helped them achieve their goal of climate restoration. I am proud to say that the update I made to Dashboard Earth’s app increased its usability and brought more clientage to Dashboard Earth. By making the app interface more user-friendly, I helped more people learn about the critical work Dashboard Earth is doing, contribute to it, and strengthen their sustainability-related offers. As a result, the organization has seen an increase in donations and support – being able to help make a difference in such an important cause was also gratifying.
- Better usability
- Increasing clientage
- User-friendly interface and layout
- Simplified conversion process
- Better exposure
- Attractive app design
Improvements
Since Dashboard Earth’s team was not tech-savvy and they were losing clients because of their old app, I tracked their progress after the updating process was complete. Dashboard Earth California now has an ever-increasing clientage, better app usability, and a simplified onboarding process. If someone visits their app now, they’ll clearly understand which local climate restorative efforts they’re doing and how to be a part of it. This organization later experienced a positive visitor influx and enhanced engagement, all because of the app optimization efforts I did.
Key Takeaways From this Project
I focused on offering better usability and increasing clientage to Dashboard Earth because they were lacking in these areas. As a result of my work, the client was extremely satisfied and saw a significant increase in business because their target audience could now understand their business model. Key takeaways from this case study include the importance of user-friendly design, the power of optimized apps, and the positive changes that regular updates can bring to a platform. Here are the top learnings of this task:
- Regular app optimization is inevitable
- Complicated user interfaces repel visitors
- Leveraging the power of social media is always fruitful
- Website visitors prefer clear-cut information on your offers
- Understanding a business’s backend model makes app development easier
Post-Project Follow-Up
The process of enhancing Dashboard Earth’s app didn’t stop after it went live. Instead, I was there for client follow-up and helped them understand the correct workflows. If the client faced a technical issue or app-related hurdle, I would explain it to them. Being new on the technical front was never a hindrance for my Dashboard Earth client because my work estimation, process, and follow-up aligned well with their preferences.
Because of this initial app-related work collaboration, Dashboard Earth became my long-term work affiliation, and I have assisted them with multiple technical aspects ever since.
As a professional app developer, I always aim to exceed my client’s expectations. So, when I updated Dashboard Earth’s app, I not only offered them regular follow-ups but also helped them surpass multiple technical hurdles. My work went beyond just offering what they asked for; I ensured their app was up to par way after it went live. This commitment to quality is why Dashboard Earth has been able to continue its work of environment restoration effectively and efficiently. Plus, it’s why they’ve continued to recommend me to other organizations seeking app development assistance.
