Mountain Project

A mobile app redesign to help rock climbers easily discover and plan their trip to the crag - from local boulders to overseas expeditions

Key activities

User research
Prototypes
Usability testing

Tools

Figma
Miro

Stakeholders

Outdoor climbers
OnX users

Overview

Finding true north

A crowd-sourced mobile app struggled to offer consistent map information on climbs and routes. Adding a more comprehensive map feature and UI elements enabled climbers to find and plan trips their way.

Research & Define

Conversing with climbers

Local climbers mentioned that they often had a hard time finding the trailhead in the area, or the wall itself. The nature of the crowd sourced app meant that entries submitted ranged from descriptive and thorough, to confusing and contradictory.

I suggested reorganizing the entry form for a climb or area so it was easier to scan, understand, and organize as a collective later.

“Sometimes it can be hard to locate the trails that take you to the wall”

-Suzanne

“We like to drive around and find routes on Mountain Project the day of at a particular area”

-Holly

“I check the weather forecast constantly three days before the trip”

-Bennet

Defining the present

I used a few tools to help me break down the structure of the app and focus on the core capabilities. I noted an overuse of repetitive screens and inconsistent flows to get there.

Site map

Ideate and Test

Creating and testing

Testing a search bar feature revealed a need for a cleaner UI that offered enough information to make a decision, but with options to expand on it if needed without being overwhelmed.

Deliverable