Outcomes
56,388
22%
95%
20,000+
Defining the Problem Space
Fragmented and manual data collection made it hard for the Forest Service to standardize, analyze, and act on collected data.
Without complete and accurate data, it became difficult to demonstrate the full scope of work required to accurately maintain our nation's trails.
Mapping the landscape
The trails ecosystem supports a layered network of internal and external users.
Mapping the trails ecosystem was essential to understand how information flowed between field staff, national leadership, and external partners. Key insights were:
- Multiple entry points, no unified process - Data collection workflows differed across regions, forests, and districts. This fragmentation made quality control difficult and further eroded trust in the data.
- Data flowed upward, but rarely downward - Field crews saw little benefit from collecting data because there was no visibility into how it informed planning or funding decisions.
Seeing past the surface
User research revealed a core disconnect: reporting requirements for leadership did not align with the day-to-day needs of field crews.
We conducted interviews with 24 staff members across the entire trails ecosystem to deeply understand workflows, constraints, and priorities. This surfaced a critical insight: crews were skipping data entry altogether because the systems didn’t reflect how they worked. They needed a lightweight, flexible tool that was intuitive in the field, not one that forced them to navigate rigid, abstract categories designed for reporting.
What feels important on the ground is not what we have traditionally been tracking
Regional Manager
Designing from the field up
To address this disconnect, we designed two streamlined survey prototypes with different information architectures—one organized by trail feature type, the other by action needed.
In both versions, we dramatically reduced the number of fields, removing complexity upfront and using backend logic to auto-fill where possible. This brought the form down from thousands of possible combinations to only what was necessary for trails staff to log meaningful, actionable work.
We also made key design decisions to support use in challenging field conditions:
- The ability to mark the user's location with a pin during logging
- Pre-populating trail data to reduce cognitive load & redundant entry
- Minimal text input to allow for quick logging in poor weather
- Offline capability for use in remote backcountry areas
Field tested & REFINED
We tested the prototypes with 4 trail techs and 2 managers to find which organizational method worked best.
User feedback showed a preference for the action-oriented prototype, aligning with actual work processes. We identified several additional user needs that were crucial for improving the tool's effectiveness:
- Enhanced high-contrast interface for better visibility in bright sunlight
- Image and file upload options to provide context
- Broader, more intuitive feature categories that mirrored how they thought about trail elements
Supporting the full ecosystem
In addition to the survey, we built additional tools to support the entire trails network.
- A web map that serves as a central platform for visualizing, reviewing, and managing field-collected data
- A QA/QC dashboard that allows managers to oversee data synchronization with the database
- A survey tailored for external partners to ensure consistent data collection beyond agency personnel
Further usability testing was conducted to meticulously refine the iconography, legends, and interaction patterns of these tools. This guarantees we delivered a holistic solution that meets the needs of the Forest Service.
Delivering what works
The MVP was deployed to power users in December 2023 and expanded agency-wide by March 2024.
As feedback came in, we quickly introduced new features like accomplishment tracking, sustainability ratings, and trail preloading to further streamline workflows.
Expanding Impact Through Iteration
We established continuous feedback loops to ensure our solution evolved with user needs across the trials ecosystem.
Post-launch, we added features based directly on user input:
- Accomplishment tracking to align field work with reporting
- Trail sustainability ratings for better long-term planning
- Ability to annotate directly on photos and attachments
- A route tracking feature to accurately document assessed trail sections
Lessons Learned
Align Tools with Real Workflows
Our early interviews and usability testing revealed a core tension: the mandated data for congressional reporting didn’t match what trail crews needed to do their jobs. Understanding this disconnect helped us shift the focus from compliance-driven design to user-centered solutions.
Simplify to Scale
Reducing complexity in the form and automating backend logic helped standardize data while easing the burden on field users.
Build for the Full Ecosystem
Designing tools for managers, field crews, and partners ensured stronger collaboration and more complete data capture.
