Open Space Sandbox (OPSS)
Open Space Sandbox is a software startup bringing urban design into the 21st century. The OPSS interface seamlessly aligns practitioner design, community design, and revenue analysis to ensure a highly-collaborative and iterative design strategy.
As the Product Designer, I worked on the OPSS interface from early stage research up to MVP launch.
Role
Product Designer
Co-founder
Project
Product Design
Visual Identity
Timeline
8 weeks
Team
1 Designer
1 Developer
1 PM
problem identification
problem identification
The current open space planning system is overly-complicated.
The current open space planning system is overly-complicated.
The current planning process is an overly complicated system full of inefficiencies. What should be a linear process often ends up flowing in multiple, unnecessary directions and/or incorporating components that are not truly needed. As a result, transparency and collaboration among the various parties (urban planners, landscape architects, community engagement specialists, etc) is both tedious and limited.
Flow diagram of the current open space planning process.
problem
problem
We identified 4 key pain points within the current landscape...
We identified 4 key pain points within the current landscape...
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
problem
problem
Audited industry-standard GIS services currently on the market...
Audited industry-standard GIS services currently on the market...
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Audit of existing GIS (Geographic information system) platforms.
problem
problem
And noted what worked well and what didn't.
And noted what worked well and what didn't.
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Notes on existing GIS (Geographic information system) platforms' features.
Ideation & Process
Ideation & Process
What if there was a more intuitive way to align these processes?
What if there was a more intuitive way to align these processes?
The goal for this project was to develop a pipeline that emphasizes community-backed, real-time collaboration across internal & external stakeholders as well as the general public, ultimately reducing planning timelines and budgets.
To begin translating features into visuals, we conducted a series of team brainstorming sessions, producing the low-fidelity wireframes above.
The first round of high-fidelity mockups followed. Through feedback from users and an advisory board, these designs went through several rounds of iteration and improvement.
Final Product
Final Product
A synthesized design & consultation process for open space planning.
A synthesized design & consultation process for open space planning.
Initial Design & Data
The practitioner reviews the existing conditions maps and creates the high-level design outline.
Community Design
The community uses the tool's collaborative live-link to provide their design and programming ideas.
Finalization & Analysis
The practitioner finalizes the design using the community alignment score and inputting revenue data.
The OPSS platform merges several of the traditionally disjointed urban planning stages shown above: namely G, H, L, as well as A, C, and D, empowering planners with a streamlined design and consultation process (Infographic from UN Habitat).
problem
problem
A single place to manage, co-design, and gather feedback on your urban planning projects.
A single place to manage, co-design, and gather feedback on your urban planning projects.
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Admin Projects Dashboard
problem
problem
An interface that enables clients to understand the surrounding context and community needs while designing data-driven parks with revenue insights
An interface that enables clients to understand the surrounding context and community needs while designing data-driven parks with revenue insights
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Admin Project Workspace
problem
problem
An interface that enables clients to publish projects as community surveys and effectively consult residents through interactive design & location tagging.
An interface that enables clients to publish projects as community surveys and effectively consult residents through interactive design & location tagging.
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Admin Community-Engagement Survey Creation
problem
problem
A public-facing interface that elevates community voices and makes urban planning education tangible.
A public-facing interface that elevates community voices and makes urban planning education tangible.
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
Community Engagement Survey Onboarding
Community Engagement Survey Workspace (isometric icons will represent different buildings/structures that can be placed on the map via drag and drop)
problem
problem
A mobile-friendly design, making it quick & easy for community members to share their thoughts.
A mobile-friendly design, making it quick & easy for community members to share their thoughts.
Underserved Public
Underutilized Spaces
Costly Design Processes
Limited Revenue Capabilities
The community engagement survey allows community members to provide suggestions for location placement, programming, and events. It also allows for open-ended geo-located comments.
Visual Identity
Visual Identity
Playful, dynamic, & refreshing.
Playful, dynamic, & refreshing.
The OPSS visual identity introduces a playful elegance that resonates with its vision of fostering vibrant and lively spaces. Incorporating bright blues and greens, the OPSS color palette is reminiscent of city skylines and green spaces.
Inter Bold
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Inter Regular
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Isometric icons designed as brand assets.
