Proj_StarParty AJ

About

Empowering Astronomy Enthusiasts Through Virtual Star Parties

Imagine being passionate about astronomy, yet hindered from pursuing your interest due to logistical challenges like the pandemic or moving to a new city. For many, including myself and my close friends, accessing star parties became difficult and sometimes unsafe.

This inspired the creation of an innovative solution: an application dedicated to hosting virtual star parties. Designed to bridge the gap caused by physical limitations and lack of local networks, this app aims to empower astronomy enthusiasts worldwide.

Individual Project

Mentor

Shawn Sprokett

Skills used but not limited to:

User research, Conceptualizing and developing a new application, Creative problem-solving, Visual design decisions

Classroom Project | 5 Weeks

Problem

Star gazing enthusiasts often struggle with accessing reliable information and tools, and many face the added difficulty of traveling outside light-polluted cities, making it essential to bridge this gap and provide resources for a more accessible and rewarding experience.

Context

What is a stargazing party?

A stargazing party is a gathering of astronomy enthusiasts who come together to observe and discuss celestial objects through telescopes. These events, often held in dark-sky locations, provide opportunities for both amateur and professional astronomers to share their knowledge and enjoy the night sky.

Challenges with traditional stargazing events

Weather & Skyglow

Night-time Safety

Location & Accessibility

Research

Understanding the audience

1:1 Interviews

I conducted 8 interviews to uncover the key challenges users face while pursuing sky gazing, aiming to understand their motivations and frustrations in learning and practicing astronomy on their own.

Stargazing Party

I attended a stargazing party to observe firsthand how enthusiasts engage with the night sky.

Target audience

Key personas

Amateur Astronomer,
26 yr old

"I would want to attend star-gazing events to learn more about astronomy but I don't have easy access to a lot of events."

Background

She is a Graphic designer who enjoys stargazing as a hobby and often spends weekends observing the sky.

Goal

Learn more about astronomy through continued stargazing
attending astronomy events

Frustration

Lack of knowledge about identifying stars and constellations. Difficulty finding stargazing events and like-minded enthusiasts.

Experienced Astronomer,
50 yr old

I like meeting young enthusiasts an guiding them and want to build a community of astronomy fans."

Background

He has been learning about astronomy for 25 years. It is one of his cherished hobbies that still gives him with joy.

Goal

Share his passion and knowledge with others. Participating in or organizing stargazing events.

Frustration

Limited opportunities to connect and share his knowledge and experience.

Amateur Astronomer, 26 yr old

Experienced Astronomer, 50 yr old

"I would want to attend star-gazing events to learn more about astronomy but I don't have easy access to a lot of events."

I like meeting young enthusiasts an guiding them and want to build a community of astronomy fans."

Background

She is a Graphic designer who enjoys stargazing as a hobby and often spends weekends observing the sky.

He has been learning about astronomy for 25 years. It is one of his cherished hobbies that still gives him with joy.

Goal

Learn more about astronomy through continued stargazing
attending astronomy events

Share his passion and knowledge with others. Participating in or organizing stargazing events.

Frustration

Lack of knowledge about identifying stars and constellations. Difficulty finding stargazing events and like-minded enthusiasts.

Limited opportunities to connect and share his knowledge and experience.

Competitor Analysis

Exploring Existing Apps

Opportunity Areas

Identifying & defining opportunities

Self Learning

The enthusiasts want to start learning star-gazing and astronomy on their own.

Personalized Lessons

Users face a lack of opportunity to learn with personalized lesson based on you expertise.

Connect and collaborate

They want a place to engage with like minded enthusiasts and collaborate.

HOW MIGHT WE

Create a solution that enables amateur astronomers to learn and connect with other astronomers & experts?

Ideation

Concept explorations

Events

Virtual Star-Parties:

Host and attend virtual Star Parties to minimize the problem of accessibility.

Interactive features:

Live star-gazing events with a virtual "Follow the Host" option for participants

Interactive Learning Experience

Gamification:

Engage in a gamified and interactive learning platform designed to make astronomy learning fun.

Personalized lessons:

Experience personalized online lessons tailored to your level, ensuring an enjoyable and self-paced journey through astronomy.

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

Building an intuitive information architecture

Assessing skills to understand the level of expertise during onboarding

Getting personalized lessons based on skill level

Joining a virtual stargazing session

Solution

Introducing StarParty...

Key Features

Customized onboarding

Customized onboarding determines your current level of astronomical knowledge, ensures personalized learning experiences

Personalized Learning

An interactive learning platform for astronomy offering personalized online lessons, making self-guided learning enjoyable and engaging.

Virtual event

Live star-gazing events with a virtual "Follow the Host" option for participants

Event mode

Red mode preserves night vision and reduces light pollution for optimal stargazing.

Learnings

Transforming Physical Experiences into Virtual Solutions

By designing a solution that transformed a physical stargazing experience into a digital one, I learned how to bridge the gap between real-world activities and digital interfaces. This involved understanding user behavior in both physical and virtual environments, enhancing accessibility, creating engaging and immersive experiences, and leveraging technology to offer personalized learning.