Work  /  Trailblazer

Trailblazer

A product story

Designing confidence, built for adventure.

Project
Self-initiated app redesign
Disciplines
Product Design · UX Research · UI
Deliverable
Mobile app & component system
Role
Lead Product Designer / UX Researcher
Started as
UI/UX bootcamp MVP
Screens
9 → 20+
Design principles
5
Plates
14 + 1 live prototype

The work

The Trailblazer mountain mark on deep green beside a phone showing the Emerald Lake trail map, set against a misty alpine lake and pines

DISCOVER MORE. PLAN BETTER. ADVENTURE FURTHER.

The all-in-one platform for discovering, planning, and navigating outdoor adventures.

MY ROLE

DURATION

TOOLS

PROJECT TYPE

Product Designer

6 Weeks

Figma | FigJam | Photoshop

Concept Product

Designed By NATV

01 The Vision
A lone hiker crossing a dark mountain ridge beneath a pale, misted sky

Chapter One The Invitation

Designing confidence,
built for adventure.

Every adventure begins with a decision. Where to go, what to bring, whether you're
prepared enough to keep moving. Trailblazer was redesigned around one simple
belief: every interaction should reduce uncertainty and replace it with confidence.

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

02 The Invitation
The original bootcamp design: a purple onboarding screen above a row of eight early app screens

Chapter Two The Foundation

The First Summit

Where it Started

“Every designer has a starting point. This one became my
opportunity to measure how far I’d come.”

The original MVP included 9 core screens.
Each one solved a piece of the journey,
but the adventure was just beginning.

This is Trailblazer in all its original bootcamp glory. Looking back, the initial MVP
demonstrated solid core thinking and an eye for aesthetics, but it was built when
my definition of design stopped at "good UI."

This wasn't redesigned because the foundational concepts were outdated. It was
redesigned because my understanding of product design fundamentally shifted.
My design philosophy had fundamentally evolved. I no longer wanted to build
beautiful screens—I wanted to create scalable, thoughtful products worthy of a
real-world application.

Where I started

Looking back, I don’t see
outdated screens. I see the first
evidence of how I solve problems.

See how these foundational designs inspired a redesign and full product strategy:
2B Anatomy of a Redesign

fig. 01 | Original Onboarding

fig.02 | Profile

fig. 03 | Discover

fig. 04 | Explore

fig. 05 | Site Details

fig. 06 | Plan

fig. 07 | Chat

fig. 08 | Reservation

fig. 09 | Confirmation

Archive 01 | Original UI/UX Bootcamp Concept

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

03 The Foundation
A mountain peak with a glowing trail climbing through five stages to the summit

Chapter Three Design Philosophy

05
reflect

Encourage reflection andconnection-turning everyadventure into lastingmemories.

04
achieve

Every Feature,
Built for the Journey.

Celebrate progress andmilestones that motivate andinspire future adventures.

Trailblazer isn’t just a collection of features—it’s a connected ecosystem designed
to support every stage of the outdoor journey.

From the spark of discovery to the satisfaction of achievement, every experience
is intentionally designed to reduce friction, build confidence, and inspire a deeper
connection with nature.

03
navigate

Provide clear guidance andreal-time support so userscan stay focused on theexperience.

02
prepare

Our Philosophy in Action

Give adventurers theinformation and toolsthey need to feel readyfor what’s ahead.

“Every decision. Every detail.
All in service of the adventure.”

01
discover

Spark curiosity and makeexploration feel excitingand approachable.

The goal isn't to add more to
the journey. It's to remove
anything that gets in the way.

"

"

Archive 02 | A New Perspective

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

04 Design Philosophy
The redesigned Discover screen in a phone, ringed by magnified callouts of its components

Chapter Four The Transformation

04 | Smart Discovery

Filters, search, and sorting worktogether to surface relevanttrails faster and adapt to userintent.

Design Decisions

Every redesign decision answered one qu estion:

”How can we make expl oration feel effortless?”

I didn’t just update the interface—I reimagined the entire experience around clarity,
consistency, and purpose. Every element was designed to help adventurers
discover, plan, and navigate their journey with confidence.

05 | Cohesive Visual System

A unified color palette, iconography,and imagery create a premium,trustworthy brand that inspiresconfidence outdoors.

Key transformations

01 | Unified Navigation

Persistent bottom navigation menu keeps users oriented
and reduces friction across every part of their journey.

02 | Information Hierarchy

Clear visual priority guides users to what matters most—
discovery, navigation, planning, and next steps.

03 | Scalable Components

03 | Scalable Components

Modular trail cards are designedto flex across different contenttypes and data variations.

A flexible component system ensures consistency and
speed across 20+ screens.

02 | Information Hierarchy

04 | Smart Discovery

Strong topographic scale, contrast,and spacing guide attention to themost important elements first.

Filters and search adapt to user intent, making it easy to
find the right adventure.

01 | Unified Navigation

05 | Cohesive Visual System

Outdoor users frequently switch betweendiscovery, planning, navigation, andachievements. A persistent navigationmodel eliminates dead ends and reducescognitive load throughout the journey.

A refined color, type, and icon system creates a premium,
trustworthy outdoor brand.

Archive 03 | Anatomy of a Product Redesign

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

05 The Transformation
A compass rose circled by eight app module icons above a misty hillside trail

Chapter Five System Thinking

discover

Find Inspiration

Built to Grow

Saved

Explore

Bookmark + Go

Go Deeper

“A great product isn't defined by the screens it contains. It's
defined by the relationships between them.”

Trailblazer was designed as a connected system where every module supports the
next step in the journey—helping users move seamlessly from inspiration to
adventure and back again.

Each part of the ecosystem has a clear purpose. Together, they create a cohesive
experience that’s flexible, scalable, and built to evolve with the user.

plan

navigate

Build Your Trip

Stay on Course

Profile

sites

Your Journey

Experience More

ACHIEVE

Track + Celebrate

FIELD NOTE 04

Every trail is made up of small decisions. Likewise, every
interaction in Trailblazer should naturally guide users toward
their next destination without requiring them to think about
the interface.

Archive 04 | Built to Grow

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

06 System Thinking
A greyscale wireframe beside the redesigned Discover screen, over a misty pine forest

Chapter Six Discover

Designing for Discovery

From Content to Curiosity.

Key Design Decisions

The original Discover experience presented users with long,
category-based lists that required them to browse before they
could envision an adventure. The redesign shifts discovery
toward a destination-first experience—using hierarchy,
imagery, and progressive filtering to reduce decision fatigue
and inspire exploration from the very first interaction.

01 | Search Leads the Journey

Search becomes the primary entry point, encouraging
destination-first exploration.

02 | Progressive Filters

Filters support exploration rather than interrupt it,
appearing only after curiosity has been established.

03 | Editorial Hero

Strategic Shifts

Featured destinations use immersive imagery to encourage
emotional connection before comparison.

Destination First

04 | One Decision at a Time

People naturally choose places before activities. The
redesigned hierarchy encourages exploration through
destinations first, with filters supporting refinement later.

Consistent card layout makes it easy to scan and compare
trails, sites + parks at a glance.

Less Browsing

05 | Persistent Orientation

A modular card system supports new parks, campsites, and
experiences without redesigning the interface.

Global navigation keeps users connected to the broader
experience without losing context.

Inspire Before Inform

Large editorial imagery creates emotional engagement
before users begin evaluating trail details.

Built to Scale

A modular card system supports new parks, campsites, and
experiences without redesigning the interface.

Archive 05 | Discovery

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

07 Discover
Trail and campsite detail screens beside a brass compass, a polaroid of Emerald Lake and a group chat card, on grid paper

Chapter Seven Planning with Confidence

Confidence Starts,
Before the Trail.

Planning an outdoor adventure shouldn't feel like assembling
information from five different places. Trailblazer brings
reservations, conditions, maps, weather, and preparation into
one cohesive planning experience so users can spend less
time organizing—and more time exploring.

Design Principles

01 | Reduce Uncertainty

02 | Surface critical information early

03 | Prepare without overwhelming

04 | Support decisions at a glance

05 | Plan together

FIELD NOTE 05

fig. 01 | Discover a Destination

Trailblazer keeps recommendations, reservations, and
conversations in one shared space so groups can make
decisions without switching between apps.

fig. 02 | Choose Your Basecamp

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

Archive 06 | Plan

Plan together. All in one place.

Emerald Lake

08 Planning with Confidence
A camping permit tag and the booking confirmation screen, with a tent pitched among desert boulders

Chapter Eight Commit to the Journey

Adventure Reserved.

FIELD NOTE 06

A Commitment to the Journey.

Booking should feel like the natural
conclusion to planning your next big
adventure.

Trailblazer keeps campsite details, availability, and reservation
decisions in one continuous flow—turning exploration into a
confirmed plan without forcing users to leave the experience.

2025 CAMPING PERMIT

“Confidence isn’t created by information alone.
It’s created by certainty”

RESERVATION

#TB-20847

PARK

Rocky Mountain
Nati onal Park, CO.

CAMPGROUND

Emerald Lake Park &
Campground

SITE

T #2

CHECK- IN

CHECK-OUT

JULY 11, 2025

JULY 14, 2025

# OF NIGHTS

# OF GUESTS

3

2

LEAVE NO TRACE

ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURE

Archive 07 | Adventure Reserved

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

09 Commit to the Journey
The live navigation screen with a glowing route, beside a hiker on a foggy forest path

Chapter Nine Confidence in Motion

03 | Contextual Guidance

Confidence in Motion,
Designed to Disappear.

Timely alerts and insights help you
make informed decisions.

04 | Stay Connected

Once the journey begins, the interface should require as little
attention as possible—surfacing only the information that
matters in the moment— keeping explorers oriented,
informed, and connected without pulling focus from the
journey ahead.

Real-time updates and group progress
keep everyone in sync.

FIELD NOTE 06

02 | Live Progress

Focus on the trail ahead!

Distance, elevation, and ETA update
naturally as you move forward.

01 | Stay Oriented

Clear positioning and intuitive mapping
remove uncertainty at every turn.

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

Archive 08 | Navigate

10 Confidence in Motion
The Trail Complete screen beside a hiker in a yellow jacket looking across a mountain lake

Chapter Ten The Destination

Destination.

A Good Product Knows
When to Step Aside.

Trailblazer wasn’t designed to compete with the landscape. It was
designed to help people reach it. When the destination finally comes
into view, the interface fades into the background—allowing the
experience itself to become the reward.

FIELD NOTE 06

Immerse yourself in the journey and let
everything else fade into the backdrop.

Archive 09 | Destination

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

11 The Destination
The Achievements screen beside a polaroid of a turquoise mountain lake, trail sketches and passport stamps on grid paper

Chapter Eleven Every Mile Leaves a Mark

Turning Effort,
into Momentum.

Every completed trail contributes to a larger story. Trailblazer
transforms distance, elevation, consistency, and exploration
into a visible progression system—helping users recognize
what they have accomplished and understand what comes
next.

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

Archive 10 | Achieve

Remember this: the best view comes after the hardest climbs.

The trail starts… here!

Emerald Lake — May 12, 2025

Reward meaningful behavior: achievements reflect real milestones rather than arbitrary activity.

Show the next step: progress indicators make future goals feel attainable.

Build identity over time: badges, history and cumulative stats turn hikes into your story.

Scale with the user: the system grows with you without changing its core structure.

12 Every Mile Leaves a Mark
The complete set of Trailblazer screens, grouped into onboarding, discovery, experience and memory

Chapter Twelve Designing Every Step

Onboard

A smooth start gets
adventurers ready to
explore.

Designing
Every Step.

01 | Splash

02 | Sign In

03 | Sign Up

04 | Authenticate

A Complete System
Built for the Journey

Discover

Inspiring exploration
with the right
information at your
fingertips.

Trailblazer is more than the screens
you’ve seen throughout this journey. It’s
a connected ecosystem of experiences
—designed to work together seamlessly
from inspiration to achievement and
back again.

05 | Discover

06 | Trails

07 | Camp

08 | Availability

09 | Booking

10 | Confirmation

11 | Chat

Every screen. Every interaction. Every
detail. All intentionally crafted to help
adventurers go further with
confidence.

Experience

Memory

Guiding every step of
the journey in real
time.

Celebrating progress
and building out
Trailblazers.

12 | Chat

13 | Navigate

14 | Completed

15 | Achieve

16 | Saved

17 | Profile

Archive 11 | A Complete Ecosystem

Latitude: 45.66696, Longitude: 106.79507

13 Designing Every Step

Live Prototype Book It. Hike It.

Take the Trail.

Book a campsite and hit the trail: pick your dates, add guests, check out, then head out. The glowing ring marks the next tap, or use the steps.

Discover screen with Emerald Lake as the featured campsite

14 Prototype — booking flow
A lone figure on a cliff edge above layered mountain ridges at dusk

Every journey begins with curiosity.

Every destination becomes a story worth remembering.

15 Reflection