Jim Jeffers3, Rachel Meyer2, Mrs Julie Stanford1
1CEO, eDNA Explorer, Inc. and Lecturer, Stanford University, Mountain View, United States, 2Adjunct Associate Professor, UC Santa Cruz and CSO, eDNA Explorer, Inc, Santa Cruz, United States, 3CTO, eDNA Explorer, Inc, Lake Oswego, United States
Biography:
Julie Stanford is the CEO of eDNA Explorer, a groundbreaking platform that empowers users to monitor and analyze biodiversity using eDNA and geospatial data. With 25 years of experience as a user researcher and designer, she previously led the UX agency Sliced Bread Design in Silicon Valley. Julie also shares her expertise as a lecturer at Stanford University, where she teaches Design for Earth and Design for AI in the Computer Science department. Her passion for innovative design and environmental impact drives her work, making her a leader in both the tech and sustainability spaces.
Abstract:
The true measure of success for emerging biodiversity measurement and modeling technologies is their ability to influence real-world decision-making and drive progress. While eDNA has transformed the biodiversity measurement space, a significant gap persists between generating data and effectively communicating it in a way that is clear, shareable, and actionable for decision-makers. This gap is further complicated by the integration of AI, which, while powerful, can often add layers of complexity to data interpretation and stymie progress.
To move the needle on sustainability, it is crucial to focus not only on how we collect and analyze eDNA data but also on how we present and communicate it. Effective interfaces must make complex data understandable AND facilitate cross-group collaboration, tracking over time, and flexibility to support diverse decision making. In this talk, we will delve into the results of our extensive research and design efforts to explore interfaces that integrate mapping, statistics and visualization for decision making. Drawing from our research work with eDNA Explorer and UC Santa Cruz, we will present explorations of visualizations – highlighting not only successes but also failures, what feedback we got from users in the research, and why we made specific decisions. Then we will propose a set of design guidelines and best practices for practitioners in this space, highlighting the importance of user experience (UX) in scaling biodiversity data beyond academic circles and into actionable insights.