Vicky Gourgouri

Navigating the wild with Art of the Trek's all-in-one adventure planning platform.

Art of the trek screenshot

Designed with the outdoor community in mind, the platform simplifies trip planning by offering comprehensive tools & resources, helping users into safe, well-prepared adventures.

Stage

Mature-stage

Outcomes

- Branding
- Graphic design
- Web App
- Bootstrap

Industry

- outdoor recreation
- adventure planning
- geospatial mapping
- community-driven

Branding
AOTT wall sign

Initially rooted in green and brown, the palette was modernized with blue and aquamarine, blending a fresh connection to nature with the beauty of the night sky.

Art of the trek logoArt of the trek logo

Muted and flat colours used to reduce visual fatigue, keeping the interface easy on the eyes during extended use, and ensure that map details and key elements stand out effectively.

Art of the trek colour palette

User Research

Challenge

Hikers often face fragmented tools for trip planning, requiring multiple apps for navigation, trail details, safety preparation, and group collaboration. This disjointed experience leads to inefficiencies, a lack of personalized recommendations, and potential safety risks.

Solution

Art of the Trek streamlined the outdoor planning process with an all-in-one platform. It offered collaborative trip planning, tailored trail suggestions for less-traveled paths, tools to check land-use permissions, and safety features like emergency plans—all designed to empower hikers with a seamless, community-driven approach to exploring the outdoors.

A man looking at his device, during the night, between two tents.

Why it matters?

- Planning outdoor adventures is time-consuming and often overwhelming, especially for beginners.
- Poor planning or inadequate data can lead to safety risks or negative outdoor experiences.
- By simplifying planning and ensuring access to accurate information, the app promotes safe and enjoyable outdoor experiences, encouraging more people to explore nature.

Who needs it?

Users: Professional hikers, Route guide planners and outdoor enthusiasts of all levels who needed a unified platform for trip planning.

Stakeholders: Art of the Trek's founders, who envisioned creating an ecosystem to address these gaps and enhance outdoor recreation experiences.

User Pain Points

Lack of confidence in route selection due to insufficient contextual information.

Fear of failure stemming from unclear or overly complex planning tools.

Users often abandon planning tools midway due to frustration (high drop-off rates).

Research methods

Surveys

Tool Used

Typeform

Purpose

Gather quantitative and qualitative insights about personalised adventure planning preferences and desired features.

Focus Areas

Preferences on hiking destinations and activities. Preferences on trip features.

Competitor Analysis

Purpose

Understand the strengths and weaknesses of other outdoor planning platforms to identify opportunities for differentiation.

Focus Areas

- User interface (UI) design.
- Core functionality.
- Pain points from user reviews of competing apps.

Early Prototypes Feedback

Method

Usability testing with small groups of target users.

Goal

Test design concepts and interactions to validate assumptions and refine the user experience.

Competitor Analysis

AOTT differentiated itself from competitors like AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Hiking Project, and Outdoor Project through its unique approach to community-driven trip planning and a focus on personalized, collaborative mapping features.

competitors logos

Collaborative Planning and Safety Focus

AOTT

Allowed users to share and co-edit trip details with their hiking group. It also incorporated safety features, such as the ability to share emergency plans with trusted contacts.

AllTrails
Gaia GPS

Offered excellent trail databases and navigation but didn't prioritize group collaboration and emergency preparedness as core features

Tailored Trail Recommendations

AOTT

Aimed to deliver hyper-local and tailored recommendations for lesser-known trails. This was especially appealing to users seeking off-the-beaten-path adventures not covered extensively in more popular apps​

All Trails
Hiking Project

Extensive trail databases and user reviews without recommendations or inclusion of less known paths.

Land Use and
Permissions

AOTT

Included tools for checking land use permissions to help users ensure they were hiking legally and responsibly.

Outdoor Project
Gaia GPS

Provided information on trail difficulty and geography but didn't prioritize land-use checks to the same extent​.

Focus on Comprehensive Data

AOTT

Combined curated trail recommendations with weather forecasts, water sources, and campsite availability, which were integrated into planning tools.

Gaia GPS

Excelled at advanced navigation and detailed maps but no combination of features aimed to streamline trip preparation for casual hikers and backpackers alike.

Research-Driven Innovations: What Makes AOTT Stand Out

One key feature that makes Art of the Trek stand out is offering personalized routes based on user interests.

Expression of Interest from a user

A second key feature is a seamless platform that combines navigation, logistical planning, and safety for a complete, user-friendly trip planning experience.

Art of the trek screenshot

User Interface

Tiny Sample of a Continuous Iterative Design Process
Refining Through Multiple Rounds

wireframe sketches

Enhancing the route page experience by integrating cognitive biases.

Hick's Law

We made trip planning easier by breaking it into smaller, clear steps.
This keeps users focused and helps them make decisions faster.

Anchoring Bias

We provide pre-filled routes lists as suggestions to guide users right away.
This reduces stress and makes planning feel simple.

Cognitive Fluency

Breaking down detailed route information into digestible sections (e.g., route type, optimized for, feature guides) reduces cognitive load and keeps users engaged.

digestible sections in route planning

Contrast Effect

We show each route’s pros and cons.
This helps users make balanced and informed decisions.

contrast effect

Social Proof

We added a feature where users can invite friends to plan trips together.
Seeing others join builds confidence in the choices.

invite friends - social bias

Authority Bias

We highlight the expert's bio that prepared the specific route.
This builds trust and helps users feel confident about their decisions.

Route expert advice

The app launches with a map that automatically zooms to the user's location, enabling them to create personalized routes.

Art of the trek screenshot

A second option is provided on the menu (micro-animations) to view a list of preset routes near the area or have the user interact immediately with a convenient trailhead on the map.

menu interaction

Some of the engaging cognitive biases involved on a map-based design

IKEA Effect

Users place more value on something they’ve built themselves.
Creating their own route gives them a sense of ownership and pride in their plan.

Freedom of
Choice Bias

The app also provides the choice to view set routes on a list.
Users feel empowered when given control over their decisions. The DIY option satisfies their desire for autonomy and personalization.

Effort
Justification Bias

If users spend time and effort crafting a route, they are more likely to believe the route is superior to pre-made ones.

Status Quo
Bias

Some users might prefer familiar options (pre-made routes) over building their own route, fearing the effort or uncertainty of using the map tool.

A user-friendly plus button enables hikers to effortlessly add POIs to the map, contributing valuable insights to the community.

Art of the trek screenshot

The app employs centered popups to capture attention and minimize distractions, effectively leveraging cognitive biases such as:

Salience Bias

Centered popups dominate the screen and focus the user’s attention on a specific piece of information.

Framing Effect

Centered popups provide a controlled framing of details, allowing you to steer user perception.

Recency Effect

Popups leave a lasting impression because they’re the last thing users see before making a choice or performing an action.

Visual Hierarchy
Bias

Centered popups naturally place key content (e.g., trail stats or decision buttons) at the highest priority on the screen.

Commitment
Bias

A popup prompting users to "Add this waypoint" nudges them into making micro-commitments, increasing their likelihood of sticking with the route.

Zeigarnik Effect

When the popup provides partial information or teases a next step (e.g., “Add this route to finish planning”), users are more likely to follow through.

Hick’s Law

Centered popups can help reduce cognitive load by narrowing user focus to fewer, clearer choices.

The route list page categorizes trails by type—out-and-back, circuit, and one-way, etc—and is curated by our community's professional hikers for expert recommendations.

Screenshot of Art of the Trek

The route list automatically shows nearby trails based on your location, displaying key details like distance from you, completion time, difficulty level, pet allowances, vehicle access, public transport options, and permit requirements, all within a clean, user-friendly interface.

Choice overload

Implementation of filters and shorting options as well as 'feature trails' is coming soon, in order to avoid overwhelming users and lead to indecision and dissatisfaction.

Categorization
Bias

People prefer structured information that is grouped into meaningful categories.

Ending route guide form

Major challenges and solutions throughout the project

Challenge

Throughout the Art of the Trek project, challenges arise in maintaining data accuracy and consistency across various platforms, given the app's reliance on crowdsourced information. For example, discrepancies in trail details could cause confusion for users.

Solution

Introduction of data validation process, involving community moderators and automated tools to cross-verify entries and flag inconsistencies. For more known trails a structured team of Trail Analysts has been introduced that is curating and verifying trail information in order users to feel more confident in their planning,

Challenge

Difficulty familiarizing users with the platform’s full capabilities, especially for route guide planners.

Solution

Introduction of interactive courses (The Art of the Trek Academy) and simplified UI to guide first-time users.

Key Cognitive Biases to engage in the future

Anchoring Bias

Pre-fill routes with a "default best option" (editable) to guide users even more.

Anchoring Bias +
Scarcity Effect

An AI personalized route coaching assistant that:
- Suggests optimal routes based on the user’s skill level, gear, and location.
- Sends time-sensitive recommendations, such as “This route has perfect weather conditions this weekend” (Scarcity Effect).
- Provides real-time route validation

Peak-End Rule

Ensure the final trip screen is visually pleasing and ends on a positive note to leave a lasting impression.

Zeigarnik Effect

Usage of progress bars to encourage users to complete their plans by emphasizing incomplete tasks.

Gamification +
Zeigarnik Effect +
Variable Reward

Introduce a gamification system to get users feel compelled to return to the app for their next adventure.

- Badges + levels
- Discounts from local shops
- Log miles or adventures completed

Authority Bias

Showcase success stories from experienced hikers using the app to plan multi-day adventures.

Trust Bias

Offer a “Trust Indicator” score for each route, with safety metrics like emergency exit points.

a hiker overlooking a tall mountain in sketch style

Bootstrap development

The app’s code meets W3C standards for reliability and quality. Accessibility, especially for hikers with visual challenges, is one of the next priorities to make the platform inclusive for all users.

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