Industry
Environmental Science
Client
Tenaka
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform for Marine Conservation
A digital platform used by scientists and conservation teams to monitor underwater ecosystems. The redesign focused on improving usability, accessibility, and efficiency for researchers managing complex species data.
Overview
Challenge
The original Tenaka Science Platform was outdated and hard to navigate, making it difficult for users to analyze data and manage projects effectively.
Goal
Redesign the platform to be modern, intuitive, and accessible—allowing marine teams to monitor species data more easily and improve research workflows.
My role
As a Digital Product Designer, I redefined the platform’s structure and usability based on stakeholder feedback, focusing on accessibility, clarity, and scalability.
Process
Research
I started by analyzing the existing Tenaka Science Platform and gathering stakeholder feedback. Using Miro and FigJam, I mapped user journeys and identified pain points across the platform.
Key Findings
After conducting interviews with scientists and internal stakeholders, we organized all qualitative insights into an Affinity Map. This helped us identify what users liked, what they found confusing or missing, and what ideas they proposed.
Pain points
From our research, we identified several recurring pain points that affected usability and efficiency across the platform.
No visual difference between active and inactive items.
Not sure where to start when I open the platform.
Outdated design of a platform.
Too many steps to create a project.
Mandatory fields everywhere.
Data export doesn’t include PDF.
Can’t identify the species displayed in the charts.
Graph legends does not excist.
I often have to jump between pages just to compare data.
Frustrated by unclear steps.
No visual feedback or status indicators.
Dashboard feels like a list.
How might we…?
To reframe the challenges uncovered during research, I facilitated a “How Might We” exercise. This helped shift from problem-identification to solution-thinking and guided our ideation phase.
How might we…?
Reduce manual input and streamline data collection?
How might we…?
Make exploring underwater and species data more user-friendly?
How might we…?
Help marine scientists quickly compare coral growth across sites?
User flow
To reframe the challenges uncovered during research, I facilitated a “How Might We” exercise. This helped shift from problem-identification to solution-thinking and guided our ideation phase.
Design
Wireframes
With the problem areas and opportunities defined, I created low-fidelity wireframes to quickly explore layout options and test new workflows. This stage helped validate ideas early with stakeholders before investing in high-fidelity designs.
Guidelines & Component library
To ensure consistency and scalability, I created a reusable component library in Figma. The library included typography, color styles, and interactive components such as buttons, inputs, and states. All critical elements were tested for accessibility, meeting WCAG AA compliance for contrast and readability.
High-Fidelity Designs
We combined all insights from research, wireframes, and guidelines to deliver a platform that is clean, intuitive, and accessible. Internal feedback sessions with the Tenaka team helped validate design decisions and resolve usability issues before handoff.
Card view for quick project browsing
Projects are displayed visually with images, helping users scan and compare sites at a glance.
Table view for detailed project management
Provides structured information with sorting, filtering, and editing options for efficient workflows.
Smarter Data Visualization
Charts were redesigned to make biodiversity data easier to understand. Scientists can now see species names on hover and switch between chart and table views without exporting files.
Easier Project Creation
The project creation flow was streamlined from 7 steps to 3, with fewer mandatory fields and clearer labels. Accessibility improvements make it easier for all users to complete forms quickly and accurately.
Results
Reduced project creation time from 7 steps to 3 → faster onboarding for scientists.
Improved accessibility & usability (clearer labels, fewer mandatory fields, keyboard-friendly inputs).
Enhanced data visualization, allowing scientists to compare species and metrics directly in the platform.
Created a scalable, modern platform that supports marine conservation efforts worldwide.
Conclusion
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform allowed me to lead the full UX process—from research and workshops to high-fidelity design and developer handoff. By focusing on accessibility, simplicity, and collaboration, I transformed a complex tool into an intuitive, scalable platform that improves workflows and helps marine scientists focus on what matters most: protecting ecosystems.
Industry
Environmental Science
Client
Tenaka
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform for Marine Conservation
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform for Marine Conservation
A digital platform used by scientists and conservation teams to monitor underwater ecosystems. The redesign focused on improving usability, accessibility, and efficiency for researchers managing complex species data.
A digital platform used by scientists and conservation teams to monitor underwater ecosystems. The redesign focused on improving usability, accessibility, and efficiency for researchers managing complex species data.
Overview
Overview
Challenge
The original Tenaka Science Platform was outdated and hard to navigate, making it difficult for users to analyze data and manage projects effectively.
Goal
Redesign the platform to be modern, intuitive, and accessible—allowing marine teams to monitor species data more easily and improve research workflows.
My role
As a Digital Product Designer, I redefined the platform’s structure and usability based on stakeholder feedback, focusing on accessibility, clarity, and scalability.
Process
Research
I started by analyzing the existing Tenaka Science Platform and gathering stakeholder feedback. Using Miro and FigJam, I mapped user journeys and identified pain points across the platform.
Key Findings
After conducting interviews with scientists and internal stakeholders, we organized all qualitative insights into an Affinity Map. This helped us identify what users liked, what they found confusing or missing, and what ideas they proposed.
Pain points
From our research, we identified several recurring pain points that affected usability and efficiency across the platform.
Outdated design of a platform.
No visual difference between active and inactive items.
Not sure where to start when I open the platform.
Too many steps to create a project.
Can’t identify the species displayed in the charts.
Mandatory fields everywhere.
Data export doesn’t include PDF.
Graph legends does not excist.
No visual feedback or status indicators.
I often have to jump between pages just to compare data.
Frustrated by unclear steps.
Dashboard feels like a list.
How might we…?
To reframe the challenges uncovered during research, I facilitated a “How Might We” exercise. This helped shift from problem-identification to solution-thinking and guided our ideation phase.
How might we…?
How might we…?
Reduce manual input and streamline data collection?
How might we…?
How might we…?
Make exploring underwater and species data more user-friendly?
How might we…?
How might we…?
Help marine scientists quickly compare coral growth across sites?
User flow
To reframe the challenges uncovered during research, I facilitated a “How Might We” exercise. This helped shift from problem-identification to solution-thinking and guided our ideation phase.
Design
Design
Wireframes
With the problem areas and opportunities defined, I created low-fidelity wireframes to quickly explore layout options and test new workflows. This stage helped validate ideas early with stakeholders before investing in high-fidelity designs.
With the problem areas and opportunities defined, I created low-fidelity wireframes to quickly explore layout options and test new workflows. This stage helped validate ideas early with stakeholders before investing in high-fidelity designs.
Guidelines & Component library
To ensure consistency and scalability, I created a reusable component library in Figma. The library included typography, color styles, and interactive components such as buttons, inputs, and states. All critical elements were tested for accessibility, meeting WCAG AA compliance for contrast and readability.
High-Fidelity Designs
We combined all insights from research, wireframes, and guidelines to deliver a platform that is clean, intuitive, and accessible. Internal feedback sessions with the Tenaka team helped validate design decisions and resolve usability issues before handoff.
Card view for quick project browsing
Projects are displayed visually with images, helping users scan and compare sites at a glance.
Table view for detailed project management
Provides structured information with sorting, filtering, and editing options for efficient workflows.
Smarter Data Visualization
Charts were redesigned to make biodiversity data easier to understand. Scientists can now see species names on hover and switch between chart and table views without exporting files.
Easier Project Creation
The project creation flow was streamlined from 7 steps to 3, with fewer mandatory fields and clearer labels. Accessibility improvements make it easier for all users to complete forms quickly and accurately.
Results
Reduced project creation time from 7 steps to 3 → faster onboarding for scientists.
Improved accessibility & usability (clearer labels, fewer mandatory fields, keyboard-friendly inputs).
Enhanced data visualization, allowing scientists to compare species and metrics directly in the platform.
Created a scalable, modern platform that supports marine conservation efforts worldwide.
Conclusion
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform allowed me to lead the full UX process—from research and workshops to high-fidelity design and developer handoff. By focusing on accessibility, simplicity, and collaboration, I transformed a complex tool into an intuitive, scalable platform that improves workflows and helps marine scientists focus on what matters most: protecting ecosystems.
Redesigning the Tenaka Science Platform allowed me to lead the full UX process—from research and workshops to high-fidelity design and developer handoff. By focusing on accessibility, simplicity, and collaboration, I transformed a complex tool into an intuitive, scalable platform that improves workflows and helps marine scientists focus on what matters most: protecting ecosystems.
Amenie
Let's work together
Amenie
Let's work together