Jana Buchtova
SkogApp
Project Timeline17.06.2024- 09.08.2024
SkogApp is an accessible forestry management platform, which uses AI to provides essential tools for tracking forest health, CO2 capturing, timber volume/prices, and future Bio-Growth, empowering foresters to make informed decisions and manage their forests more efficiently.In collaboration with forestry experts, government agencies, and academic institutions, SkogApp has proven to decrease costs, increase productivity and be effective in protecting the environment and biodiversity.
My Role
Research
Developing user surveys (in Norwegian & English)
Conducting
competitor analysis
Mapping user flows and information architecture
Requirement management
Creating personas
Leading workshops on design thinking and wireframing
Requirements management and reporting to C-Level executives
Implementation
Building a comprehensive design system
Prototyping
Designed the UI components
THE AUDIENCE
Forest Owners
Forest Experts
THE PROBLEM
Current forestry management apps present significant challenges for forest owners. Users often struggle with:
Complex interfaces that make key features hard to access.
Cluttered layouts and small text, which hinder usability, especially on mobile devices.
Slow data retrieval and lack of guidance, frustrating tasks like updating forestry plans, checking timber prices, and using maps.
These issues make managing forests unnecessarily time-consuming and inefficient.
THE
GOAL
The goal of this project was to redesign SkogApp to address these challenges and create a seamless, accessible experience for forest owners. Specifically, I focused on:
Simplifying navigation to help users complete tasks with ease.
Enhancing accessibility by optimizing layouts and text for both desktop and mobile screens.
Improving efficiency through faster data retrieval and streamlined workflows.
By tackling these areas, the new SkogApp empowers forest owners to manage their forests more effectively, reducing frustration and saving valuable time.
D E S I G N
P R O C E S S
I used a 5-stages Design Thinking model:
Empathise . Define . Ideate . Prototype . Test
RESEARCH METHOS
User Interviews
Surveys
Competitor Analysis
INTERVIEWS
3 face-to-face interviews with foresters to uncover their challenges and workflows.
Key Objectives
Identify pain points in managing forests.
Understand the tools and workflows they currently use.
Some of the Questions Asked:
How important is it to have a tool that lets multiple people collaborate?
What features would be beneficial to have in the app?
What challenges do you face as a forest owner?
How do you currently calculate timber prices?
Interview Findings:
Foresters value the ability to enable multiple users on the same platform.
Monthly summaries are not a priority; detailed, real-time data is preferred.
Tasks like clearing debris and managing maintenance schedules are key frustrations.
Users need tools that help calculate timber prices accurately and efficiently.
S U R V E Y S
To validate insights from the interviews, we conducted surveys in Norwegian and English.
Key Questions Asked:
How long have you managed your forest?
What device do you primarily use for forestry management?
What is the biggest challenge you face?
Survey Findings:
50%+ of respondents have owned forests for over 10 years, highlighting their experience.
GIS integration (Geographic Information Systems) is a critical feature need.
Devices: Laptops and smartphones are the most commonly used tools for forestry tasks.
Challenges: Registering accurate, location-specific data remains a major pain point.
C O M P E T I T O R A N A L Y S I S
I analyzed two of the largest competitors (Allma and Din Skog) in the forestry management app space to better understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Strengths
The only web-based option available in the market.
Offers a big variety of forestry-related information.
Includes proposed measurements for forest management.
Supports offline functionality.
Weaknesses
Difficult user interface, making navigation challenging with heavy data.
Missing advanced features for map usage.
Needs better menus for handling map layers.
Slow performance in offline mode.
Adding notes to polygons missing
Not optimized for managing age spectrum for different trees in different polygons
Limited language accessibility (supports only Norwegian).
Strengths
Provides educational resources for users.
Includes proposed measurements for forest management.
Includes strategic forest management guides to maximize platform use.
Supports offline functionality.
Weaknesses
Difficult user interface, making navigation challenging with heavy data.
Limited information available about direct technical support.
Limited language accessibility (supports only Norwegian).
E M P A T H Y M A P
Who are we empathizing with?
We are empathizing with foresters, primarily men over the age of 50, who come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds.
A F F I N I T Y M A P
Collaboration and Shared Access Motivation to enable multiple users to collaborate on forestry tasks.
Accurate Decision-Making Users seek reliable tools for real-time data and location-specific insights.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Practices A desire to adopt tools that support sustainability and responsible forest management.
Track and Monitor Forestry Operations Monitor stock levels, maintenance schedules, and long-term forestry plans.
Access Real-Time and Location-Specific Data Use GIS, environmental data, and live updates to make timely decisions.
Simplify Task and Resource Management Get an overview of tasks and manage debris clearing, multi-age forestry practices, and stock tracking.
Data Challenges
Lack of real-time updates for decision-making.
Difficulty accessing accurate, location-specific data.
Collaboration Limitations
Struggles in managing tasks across multiple users and devices.
Complex Tools
Overwhelming or unintuitive interfaces hinder productivity.
Pain points
Goals
Motivation
P E R S O N A
I created two personas: Adam and John. John's persona can be viewed in this PDF.
Bio
My name is Adam Anderson. I am 62 years old. I live in Oslo and work as an Electrician
Adam has owned a forest for 20 years and lives close by. He enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, picking berries, and fishing. He loves to read and often combines this with his passion for nature, enjoying books in the peaceful setting of his forest.
His preferred channels are Smartphone, Laptop and E-mail.
Motivation
Planning and management.
Regulatory compliance and updates.
Better GIS.
Features that provide updated information on forestry regulations, subsidies, and tax incentives.
Personailty
Introvert
Down-to-Earth
Punctual
Goals
Location–correct data registered in one place.
Continuous overview of what should be done in the forest.
Weather predictions–information about how much snow is in my forest.
Have a financial planning tool.
Updates on the latest forestry research.
Frustrations
The current app I use is very confusing.
Need clearing forest debris from logging.
Slow in offline mode.
Missing route planning for harvesting equipment.
HOW MIGHT WE?
Based on the findings of the research, we can narrow down the feature priorities.
HMW allow multiple people to work together easily on forest tasks?
HMW make the tool work well on both phones and laptops?
HMW ensure the app works offline for areas with no internet?
HMW help users manage forests with trees of different ages?
HMW make it easy to calculate fair wood prices?
I N F O R M A T I O N
A R C H I T E C T U R E
U S E R F L O W
Starting by mapping out the key tasks forest owners need to accomplish:
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Collaborate with multiple users.
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Access and update forest data.
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Calculate timber prices accurately.
The user flow helped design a streamlined experience across platforms.
F I R S T S K E T C H E S
I created early sketches to visualize the core features of the platform:
Sign-up: Easy steps for adding name, email, and password or with Google login.
Password Reset: Quick process to reset and confirm passwords.
Find Forest Input: Clear input for your forest IDs.
Data Tables: Different layouts to easily view and manage forest data.
Low-Fidelity Wireframe
We developed low-fidelity wireframes for both desktop and mobile versions to test basic functionality:
Desktop Version:
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Clear navigation for core tasks.
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Easy access to tools like timber price calculators and forest plans.
Mobile Version:
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Optimized layout for small screens.
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Improved button sizes and touch targets for usability.
U S A B I L I T Y
T E S T I N G
We tested the desktop and mobile prototypes with 4 participants to identify areas for improvement.
These findings guided the next phase of design improvements.
Findings (Desktop):
Font Sizes: Text was too small in some areas, making it hard to read.
Button Sizes: Buttons were too small for precise interactions.
Labels & Tooltips: Users needed clearer labels for key actions.
Navigation Flow: Suggested adding breadcrumb trails for better navigation.
Findings (Mobile):
Tap Targets: Buttons were hard to tap on small screens.
Spacing: Text blocks were too crowded; improved spacing was needed.
Visual Hierarchy: Users struggled to differentiate between primary and secondary actions.
L O O K & F E E L
Kommune and Matrikkel Number Page
Each property in Norway has a unique komunenummer+matrikkelnummer. Users are required to enter their komunenummer and matrikkelnummer before proceeding to the landing page. These numbers are automatically saved, but can be updated at any time. A link is available to assist with finding the property unique numbers if needed.
Forest Overview Screen
After the AI analysis is done, users land on this page. Here, they can view different types of data about their forest and access essential forest management tools. The mobile version offers the same features, optimized for easy navigation on smaller screens.
Filter and Calculator
This screen allows users to filter and calculate timber prices based on their own inputs. Users can add their numbers, and SkogApp provides a clear breakdown of costs. Based on the entered numbers, the forest financial models updates in real-time and use can see the new calculated values by clicking on the desired polygon.
HK4/5 Selected
Here, users have pre-defined filters, like HK5, which will show all the polygons with the maturity level 4/5 that are ready to be cut. The sidebar shows key insights to help with decision-making.
Multi select page
SkogApp provides data displayed in color-coded tables (the colors are coded based on the level of maturity of the selected polygons. This is helpful because users are familiar with the colors, and they can see the maturity level only by seeing the color rather of having to read the text). In this menu, foresters can see multiple selected polygons and compare their characteristics against each other to make a better informed decision and create a strategy on where to deforest/reforest.
Topographic Layers Panel
This screen allows users to toggle between different map layers, offering various views of their forest.
C O N C L U S I O N
General thoughts and learnings
The process of understanding user needs and observing how they interact with solutions taught me to actively listen and empathize with their challenges.
I learned the importance of being patient and fully immersing myself in the problem to truly grasp the user’s perspective. Asking the right questions and carefully listening to their responses helped uncover deeper insights.
It became clear that involving users throughout the design process results in a more intuitive and goal-driven product. Designing prototypes with the personas and user goals in mind made the solutions not only functional but also meaningful to the people using them.