UX Research & App Prototype

The research phase began with planning and designing a series of user interviews and surveys to understand how visitors interacted with the Red Buffalo Ranch website. This stage focused on identifying user needs, navigation patterns, and booking pain points while also gathering emotional feedback about the brand experience. A competitive analysis was conducted to examine how similar businesses communicated their services, streamlined reservations, and showcased their unique personalities.

The analysis process moved into organizing and synthesizing data in clear, visual formats, including journey maps, persona profiles, and task flow diagrams. This helped pinpoint areas where the digital experience could be improved, such as simplifying the booking process, making event details more visible, or enhancing mobile usability.

The final research deliverables presented clear, actionable recommendations to guide the design phase. These insights served as the blueprint for developing a prototype that would seamlessly merge the ranch’s charm with a modern, user-friendly interface.

Tools Used: Balsamiq, Zoom, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, OptimalSort
Role: UX Researcher, Interviewer, Data Analyst

The user research phase explored both the Red Buffalo Ranch website and concepts for a new mobile experience. While findings uncovered opportunities in both areas, the decision was made to move forward with the Trail Trotter app for ideation and prototyping. This choice allowed us to focus on creating a streamlined, mobile-first solution for booking rides, managing reservations, and engaging with ranch events. Guided by research insights, the design process transitioned into low-fidelity sketches, which were progressively refined into interactive prototypes. This ensured the app balanced the ranch’s personality with an intuitive, user-centered experience.

The prototype phase began with low-fidelity sketches created on a Remarkable Pro tablet, mapping out the Trail Trotter mobile app’s core features, booking a trail ride, managing reservations, and browsing event information. These early wireframes focused on layout, navigation, and button placement, aiming to create a seamless and intuitive user experience throughout.

From there, the concept evolved into a medium-fidelity interactive prototype built in Figma, complete with clickable pathways and visual hierarchy. User flows were documented in PowerPoint to clarify each step in the booking and event discovery process. Usability testing with target users revealed key refinements, including streamlined forms, clearer event calls-to-action, and the integration of calendars to enhance planning.

The final demo was produced using Camtasia and Premiere Pro, showcasing how the ranch’s personality and story could be translated into a clean, functional app. Every element, visual design, interaction, and flow was shaped to reflect the warmth of the Red Buffalo Ranch brand while delivering a user-centered experience.

Tools Used: Remarkable Pro Tablet, Figma, PowerPoint (User Flows & Ideation Report), Camtasia, Premiere Pro
Role: UX Designer, Prototype Creator, Usability Tester

The Trail Trotter app demo video showcases how Red Buffalo Ranch’s brand story and services translate into a clean, intuitive mobile experience. Viewers are guided through key features, including booking a trail ride, managing reservations, and exploring event details. Friendly visuals, clear navigation, and efficient booking flows showcase how the app strikes a balance between the ranch’s charm and user-focused functionality, offering a glimpse of the final product envisioned during the ideation and prototyping phases.

Trail Trotter App Demo: A quick look at booking rides, managing reservations, and exploring events at Red Buffalo Ranch.