Hello! We are students working on a project to reduce missing people in national/state parks. We are developing an early-stage navigation tool and would appreciate input from park rangers and park staff. If you are willing, we would appreciate your thoughts on the questions.
Background
- What is your role in the park?
- How do visitors usually navigate trails here (maps, phones, signage, memory, ranger guidance)?
- About how often do visitors get lost or disoriented each year?
Current Challenges
- What does your park currently do to prevent people from getting lost?
- What do you see as the main reasons visitors lose their way?
- When someone is reported missing, what does the response typically look like?
Prototype Concept
We are exploring a simple handheld device that uses GPS to find a user’s location and point them toward the nearest trail using LED lights.
- What is your initial reaction to this idea?
- Would this kind of light-based direction be clear for visitors?
- What concerns or limitations do you see with a device like this?
Use & Value
- In what situations or environments might this be most or least useful?
- Who do you think would benefit most from something like this?
- From your perspective, how realistic would it be for a park service to test or adopt a tool like this?
u/Savings_Wing_1118 — 6 days ago