OurReef
OurReef
OurReef

OurReef

OurReef

Rethinking Manual AI for a Sustainable future.

Rethinking Manual AI for a Sustainable future.

Rethinking Manual AI for a Sustainable future.

Background

OurReef was a result of an intense, 24-hour design sprint that challenged students to create a solution that ensures a sustainable pathway for the future. Our team's approach focused on reef restoration, combined with the recent advancements of AI within scientific technology at the time. I conducted the initial research that explored the implementation of a children’s educative IOS app into an existing reef monitoring system, ReefOS.

OurReef was a result of an intense, 24-hour design sprint that challenged students to create a solution that ensures a sustainable pathway for the future.

I conducted the initial research that explored the implementation of a children’s educative IOS app into an existing reef monitoring system, ReefOS.

CBS Sports approached SCADPro with the proposition to acquire select students for the highest profile SCAD collaboration to date. The result of our project would be displayed through CBS Sport's Superbowl LVIII for millions of viewers to witness.

I lead the primary and secondary research for our final deliverables as well as the overall art direction of the project's Las Vegas imagery.

Roles

Roles

UX Research

Data Visualization

Prototyping

Graphic Design

Timeline

Timeline

24 Hours

24 Hours

Type

Type

Design Challenge

Design Challenge

Teammates

Teammates

Lucilla Fell,

Suji Kim

Tools

Tools

Figma,

Miro,

Adobe AE

Figma, Miro,

After Effects

An aerial shot of a city shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max.
An aerial shot of a city shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max.
A close-up photo of bistro chairs stacked together, shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max.
A close-up photo of bistro chairs stacked together, shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max.

We won first place!

We won first place!

For my first collaborative UX project,

I felt nervous to jump straight into a design challenge, facing off against those who have been in the field for years. However, despite only a 24-hour competition, I learned a lot of personal skills and perspectives I still carry with me into my work today.

For my first UX challenge,

I felt nervous to jump straight into a design challenge, facing off against those who have been in the field for years. However, despite only a 24-hour competition, I learned a lot of personal skills and perspectives I still carry with me into my work today.

Research

Photo taken from Unsplash.

If there is no interaction,

there is no connection

If there is no interaction,

there is no connection

If there is no interaction,

there is no connection

In American curriculums between ages 5-18, while environmental students are taught, students are unable to apply or associate environmental and sustainable topics to every day life.


Lacking understanding of our environment, generations risk the chance to learn, empathize, and apply environmentally sustainable practices.

In American curriculums between ages 5-18, while environmental students are taught, students are unable to apply or associate environmental and sustainable topics to every day life.


Lacking understanding of our environment, generations risk the chance to learn, empathize, and apply environmentally sustainable practices.

But why is this a problem?

Some of our most crucial ecosystems are at danger due to a large lack of movement, care, and knowledge.


Currently, reef ecosystems are one of the fastest declining marine biomes we know to date. If there is no protective measures, reefs will fall to endangerment by 2025.

Some of our most crucial ecosystems are at danger due to a large lack of movement, care, and knowledge.


Currently, reef ecosystems are one of the fastest declining marine biomes we know to date. If there is no protective measures, reefs will fall to endangerment by 2025.

The Problem

Target Audience

Target Audience

The Approach

The Approach

The Solution

The Solution

The Design

The Design

The Impact

Reflection

Reflection

More Projects

How Might We…

How Might We…

Promote reef restoration through immersive engagement within primary-education (5-10+)?

Promote reef restoration through immersive engagement within primary-education (5-10+)?

Why focus on an early age group (5-10+)?

Why focus on an early age group (5-10+)?

Why focus on an early age group

(5-10+)?

Better long-term responsiveness to hands-on-learning than 18y+

Better long-term responsiveness to hands-on-learning than 18y+

Easier to implement practices early on

Easier to implement practices early on

Introduced to early STEM principles within classroom

Introduced to early STEM principles within classroom

Utilizing AI within education

Utilizing AI within education

ReefOS, an AI developed by Coral Gardeners, monitors reefs, collects data, and creates predictions. The AI's data is especially useful when identifying predictive native and invasive fish or coral species. Using human-in-the-loop data refinement, it refines its predictions based on set parameters to better understand a reef's ecosystem and its own health over time.


Leveraging ReefOS's refinement process, we proposed an opportunity to reapply it in an early-learning, educational context. In other words, we would be giving the task of data refinement to children.

ReefOS, an AI developed by Coral Gardeners, monitors reefs, collects data, and creates predictions. The AI's data is especially useful when identifying predictive native and invasive fish or coral species. Using human-in-the-loop data refinement, it refines its predictions based on set parameters to better understand a reef's ecosystem and its own health over time.


Leveraging ReefOS's refinement process, we proposed an opportunity to reapply it in an early-learning, educational context. In other words, we would be giving the task of data refinement to children.

Finding a mutual connection

Finding a mutual connection

When ReefOS consistently captures and sends data, single-human input becomes less efficient as more data piles up. Aversely, consensus-input gathers an array of people to tackle multiple pieces of data, with the addition of a more affirmative identification. (Fig. 1.0)

When ReefOS consistently captures and sends data, single-human input becomes less efficient as more data piles up. Aversely, consensus-input gathers an array of people to tackle multiple pieces of data, with the addition of a more affirmative identification. (Fig. 1.0)

Show Discovery

Figure 1.0: comparatively, consensus input provides more efficient feedback when handling lots of data.

Show Discovery

Figure 1.0: comparatively, consensus input provides more efficient feedback when handling lots of data.

Ideation

From corals to the classroom: OurReef

From corals to the classroom: OurReef

Our team broke down the process of how the Coral Gardener’s partnering ReefOS AI system will send its data over to OurReef, our mobile application, and then to our users for data correction. From here, we began developing a visualized flow of how our AI feature would look. (Fig. 2.0)

Our team broke down the process of how the Coral Gardener’s partnering ReefOS AI system will send its data over to OurReef, our mobile application, and then to our users for data correction. From here, we began developing a visualized flow of how our AI feature would look. (Fig. 2.0)

Figure 2.0: comparatively, consensus input provides more efficient feedback when handling lots of data.

Gamifying reef restoration

Gamifying reef restoration

To encourage long-term engagement with OurReef, we applied gamification to expand the app into something much more: a chance to adopt and raise your own coral reef. (Fig. 2.1)


This was established by reimagining Coral Gardner's "adopt-a-coral" program into a fully immersive experience.

To encourage long-term engagement with OurReef, we applied gamification to expand the app into something much more: a chance to adopt and raise your own coral reef. (Fig. 2.1)


This was established by reimagining Coral Gardner's "adopt-a-coral" program into a fully immersive experience.

Identify live coral and fish species

Collect algae with each identified species

Use algae to grow your reef!

Design

Figure 3.0: OurReef's IOS information architecture.

Raise and Monitor Corals

Kids can adopt and raise virtual corals from one of Coral Gardner's real sanctuaries and watch them grow both virtually and in real-time.

Expand Your Reef

By donating for corals or helping OurReef's ReefOS Scientists, algae points are awarded for kids to add fish, decor, and even other coral clusters to expand the reef!

Monitor Real Reef Sites

With ReefOS's 24/7 live cam footage, the whole family can have a chance to watch over multiple reef sites from all over the French Polynesia.

Participate in Live Science

Kids can learn early STEM and AI research skills by contributing to live identification science and help marine scientists improve ReefOS's advancing technologies.

Impact

Through OurReef, children will be able to…

Through OurReef, children will be able to…

Apply early STEM and critical-thinking principles

Apply early STEM and critical-thinking principles

Improve technology to advance marine research studies

Improve technology to advance marine research studies

Establish intuitive connections to marine ecosystems

Establish intuitive connections to marine ecosystems

Reflections & Takeaways.

Design is only a fraction of the puzzle.

Comparing myself to other teams, I worried for our project based on the design alone. But from the judges feedback, I realized the equal, if not greater, importance research and strategy has on the success of an idea. From that, I found a deeper passion within UX research.

Storytelling is everything

When I reached out to my peers, I was given feedback to convey my research visuals as if they were in a children's book. While I didn't perfect my storytelling abilities within a day, I worked from that point forward to craft my research into stories that better resonate with an audience.

Superbloom

Website Redesign

Superbloom

Website Redesign

Superbloom

Website Redesign

CBS Sports x SCADpro

AR Graphics for Super Bowl LVIII

CBS Sports x SCADpro

AR Graphics for Super Bowl LVIII

CBS Sports x SCADpro

AR Graphics for Super Bowl LVIII

All projects

Raise and monitor live corals

Adopt a coral and collect algae to grow your coral into a cluster!

Grow your reef

Add fish, rocks, and even other coral clusters to expand your reef

Watch over real reefs

Monitor live reefs with ReefOS and take snapshots of the ecosystem

Participate in live science

Identify fish and coral species to help marine scientists improve advanced technologies!

Raise and monitor live corals

Adopt a coral and collect algae to grow your coral into a cluster!

Grow your reef

Add fish, rocks, and even other coral clusters to expand your reef

Watch over real reefs

Monitor live reefs with ReefOS and take snapshots of the ecosystem

Participate in live science

Identify fish and coral species to help marine scientists improve advanced technologies!