UX Y’all
UX Y’all 2024: Blueprints
Using Citizen Science & Design to Better Measure the Sun: A Blueprint for Collaborative Research
This September 2024 presentation was a case study on SunSketcher. Available on iOS and Android devices, SunSketcher is a free app designed to take pictures of total solar eclipses. Widespread use of the app generates a database of images that, when analyzed together, can allow scientists to map the shape of the Sun. SunSketcher is supported by NASA and produced by a transdisciplinary team of 20+ instructors and students.
First used during the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse, the team is now counting down to the next total solar eclipse on August 12th, 2026. The April 8th solar eclipse was wildly successful, with 40,000 downloads and over 150,000 images generated.
While SunSketcher is foundationally a science project, it’s much more. SunSketcher is about taking a complex, obscure kind of project, making it perform and look better, and transforming it into an engaging, accessible experience for the public. This is a testament to the transformative relationship between UX design and citizen science.
The opportunities and challenges presented by SunSketcher are likely relatable to many people who practice and teach UX:
- How do we show the value of design?
- How do we explain UX?
- How do you work with a team of more than 20 people from diverse backgrounds?
- How can we manage imposter syndrome?
This conference is organized by the Triangle UXPA, the North Carolina Chapter of the User Experience Professionals Association.