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About Mt. Near
This is a Graphic Design MFA Thesis Project created by Fannie Ko at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA.
Read more about the development of this project
Hi there!
I'm Fannie and
I love the outdoors!
Design Problem
Design problem
I love hiking, camping, and backpacking. So, my thesis started as a project on the outdoors. I studied books, films, and documentaries surrounding the problem of barriers to the wilderness. I conducted extensive research on the outdoor industry by focus groups, surveys, and interviews with experts, competitors, and stakeholders in the field. I was able to define the specific design problem and the target audience. Through the research, I yielded insights and strategies, and developed and designed deliverables that solved for the design problem.
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How can we make the outdoors more accessible to people from urban areas?
Insights and Strategies
INSIGHT 1
There is a lack of transportation options to outdoor spaces.
STRATEGY 1
Provide access to transportation.
INSIGHT 2
Many barriers to wilderness access are a result of misconceptions.
STRATEGY 2
Provide accurate and realistic information and guides.
INSIGHT 3
People who grew up in urban areas are less likely to know how to plan for outdoor activities.
STRATEGY 3
Provide an immersive outdoor learning experience.
Research lead me to insights, which generated strategies. Effective design solutions are based on strategies. The matrix below is an outline of the design deliverables that I developed based on the strategies above. Each deliverable aimed to solve for one or more of the strategies. Together, the goal of Mt. Near was to create a system that generates a community of outdoors people from urban areas.
Deliverables
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