Outdoor recreation boosts physical and mental health, reducing stress and improving self-esteem. A 2021 Outdoor Foundation study shows more people are engaging, but nearly half of the U.S. population still doesn’t participate.
Research Summary
To gain insight into what demotivates beginners, we interviewed several experienced outdoor enthusiasts to learn about their journeys. This led to some surprising discoveries and revealed an intriguing opportunity. Here’s what we found:
“It makes me feel excited to try out different outdoor activities, but I just don't know how to get started, such as where to go, what to bring, or what to expect." — Newbie A
“I usually go to rental store or Amazon to find the most affordable gear when starting a new adventure but sometimes I could get very bad quality products" — Newbie B
“I love nature and outdoor activities, but sometimes it’s just hard to find someone who is also interested in them.” — Newbie C
“I’ve been snowboarding for a long time and sometimes I would love to exchange my gear with a friend in order to have a different experience.” — Enthusiast A
“My family and I live near a lake, so we’ve bought lots of water gear. After my children grew up and moved out, lots of gear haven’t been used for a long time.” — Enthusiast B
“Chatting or exchanging ideas with new friends always inspires me and reminds me why I fell in love with the ocean and surfing.” — Enthusiast C
Opportunitie
The enthusiasts have lots of gear and are hoping to meet new people and get new experience, while costly gear, lack of guidance and access to the community are barriers for newbies.
What if we
After developing an idea, we conducted a second round of interviews with original interviewees and some of our friends to understand the user journey. Given the nature of the marketplace, there are two experiences we need to consider: the renter and the lender. Due to time constraints, we prioritized the renter experience:
user Archetypes
User Journey
Renture combines "rental" and "adventure," reflecting our mission to provide curated gear and outdoor experiences, making it easier to enjoy memorable adventures."
A visual that encapsulates the different forms of adventures and directions, which are the main drivers for our brand. It stands for direction and a momentum to always move forward.
Inspired by the colors of nature, greenish ocean blue is the main color. Using the orange from sunrise and sunset as the highlight color.
To create a seamless adventure experience, we defined three principles that guide us in designing the experience:
Renture serves a diverse community of outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels. Our design should be approachable and welcoming, ensuring everyone can explore and access the tools they need.
Every feature and interaction should contribute to a seamless ecosystem where gear, experiences, and people are part of a unified adventure community. No feature should feel disconnected from the larger platform.
Our platform should feel alive and dynamic, using intuitive interactions to guide users through the process of discovering, renting, and embarking on their outdoor journeys.
Key Flow #1
Key Flow #2
Key Flow #3
Keep everyone aligned at all times. I used to believe the best way to work in a team was to divide tasks, with each member responsible for their part. But I soon realized that working without clear communication can cause confusion, leading to more time spent clarifying intentions and necessary changes.
When we began designing screens without a set of components or a design library, we quickly noticed inconsistencies across the interface. With so many screens, it was easy to forget to update others accordingly. This experience taught me the importance of establishing a design system before diving into screen design.