AquaVision: Interactive Educational Web Platform

Product Designer

AquaVision is an interactive educational web platform that was developed as part of the NASA Space Apps Challenge - Arequipa, Perú. The challenge posed by NASA Space Apps was to create a visual tool to help students better understand the complete path of water across the entire Earth system and how the availability of this critical resource is affected by our changing climate. In response to this challenge

AquaVision, born out of a commitment to tackle the pressing issues of water scarcity and climate change, is an interactive educational web platform meticulously designed for high school students. Its primary objective is to make the complex topics of the water cycle and climate change accessible and engaging. This initiative aspires to empower the youth with knowledge, encouraging them to take proactive steps as responsible stewards of our planet. AquaVision delivers an immersive and informative learning experience, vividly illustrating how climate change influences water availability and quality. Furthermore, it seamlessly connects students with environmental organizations, urging them to play an active role in safeguarding our precious water resources.

Only 0.01% of the Earth's water is freshwater that can be used, and climate change poses a significant threat to the availability and quality of this precious resource. High school students often lack awareness and understanding of these critical environmental issues. There is a need for an educational tool that can effectively communicate complex concepts related to the water cycle and climate change to this specific audience.

Enhance Understanding: To help high school students gain a better understanding of the water cycle and its relationship with climate change.

Promote Environmental Awareness: To instill environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility for addressing climate issues in students from a young age.

Educational Tool: To provide educators with an effective and engaging tool to teach these concepts in a classroom or remote learning setting.

Motivate Action: To motivate students to join environmental awareness organizations and encourage them to become agents of positive change in the fight against climate change and water conservation.

Based on UNICEF Report, and Teacher Input:

AquaVision was developed as an interactive educational web platform with the primary goal of engaging high school students in an exciting and educational journey through the world of water and climate change. The design approach was influenced by storytelling elements inspired by classic video games to immerse users in an educational adventure. It simplifies complex environmental concepts, visually represents data, and encourages users to take proactive steps. The design aims to inspire students to become advocates for water conservation and climate change mitigation, equipping them with knowledge and motivation to make a difference in our world.

Purpose: An accompanying avatar, such as a water droplet, offers context and guidance throughout the journey.

Why: The avatar provides a friendly and informative presence that helps users navigate the platform, making the experience interactive and engaging.

Purpose: The striking start page is designed to grab users' attention and create immediate interest. The bold title, "Everything Starts with Water," is meant to emphasize the project's core message.

Why: The aim is to captivate users from the moment they land on the platform and encourage them to embark on an immersive educational experience.

Purpose: The 3D planet graphic displaying changing water percentages is a dynamic visual representation of water distribution on Earth. The gradual reduction of percentages highlights the scarcity of usable freshwater.

Why: This visual approach conveys complex data in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner, setting the stage for users to explore further.

Purpose: The 3D map allows users to follow the journey of water through Earth, emphasizing key geographic points.

Why: By enabling users to visualize the path of water, it enhances their understanding of water's importance and its interconnection with various regions.

Purpose: Interactive cards offer users access to additional information about marked points, including images and relevant, concise data.

Why: This feature provides users with in-depth insights into specific geographic features and helps them comprehend the significance of each location within the water cycle.

Purpose: The section illustrating the impact of climate change on water resources includes a timeline with graphical temperature data.

Why: This educates users on the environmental changes linked to climate change and water quality, making it tangible through data visualization.

Purpose: The "Time to Start" page invites users to take action. It promotes involvement in environmental organizations.

Why: Encouraging users to participate creates a call to action, motivating them to contribute to water conservation and climate change mitigation.

Purpose:The platform displays a list of environmental organizations in the user's area, providing information about their location and activities.

Why: This feature aims to connect users with local environmental groups, enabling them to participate actively in conservation and environmental cleanup initiatives. The goal is to inspire users to comprehend the significance of water and climate change and motivate them to take concrete actions to protect our water resources and the planet.