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A Chatbot for Wildlife Sightings

Background

WildIsrael is a non-profit that runs a public participation database for wildlife sightings.

This project adds to scientific knowledge, informs conservation planning, and promotes public engagement with nature.

The Problem

WildIsrael sought to:

(1) reduce admin workload, and

(2) improve contributors' engagement and sense of community.

The Solution

After conducting competitive analysis and user interviews, I designed a bespoke WhatsApp chatbot for wildlife sightings.

  • The chatbot yields data that is easier for admins to work with, compared to reports in natural language. This reduces the admin workload.
  • The chatbot makes for a more conversational experience for contributors, compared to filling out forms.
  • Additionally, wildlife sightings can be posted to a community discussion channel (which contributes to engagement), or kept for admins’ eyes only (which some users prefer).

Research and Design Process

This presentation (in Hebrew) explains the research and design process:

ux-chatbot-presentation.pdf1977.9KB

Prototype

The prototype only works with the following input:

  1. Species: Hedgehog
  2. Where did you see it: Haifa
  3. When did you see the animal: Now
  4. In what condition was the animal: 1 (Alive)
  5. Enter 1 again (to confirm)

Client Testimonial

"It has been a privilege to work with Aviv as a UX expert on our public participation GIS dedicated to wildlife sightings. He performed a thorough examination of our project and provided excellent results: a creatively designed chatbot that is easy to use and is tailored to our association's needs. The value of his work extends well beyond the final product: Aviv helped us develop a better understanding of our contributors, which will be of great help in future projects." — Eyal Vanunu, Founder of WildIsrael