Timelapses

Spatial Placement via Z-Axis and Navigation: Due to previously confusing relationships between data and time due to the app's information architecture and screen layout, we designed the new historic data screens to be in a completely different, yet related space within the app—using the screen's z-dimension through scrolling up and down in order to visualize past, current, and future time. Pulling down on the weather information screen pushes the user into a timeline where they can pick through past days. Two variations were created for what was technically feasible within our project timeline (see screen 1) and what can be created later (see 2). Users can also pan from day to previous day and vice versa using the arrows found near the top of the timelapse data screen or swiping left and right, giving users an quick way to change dates without returning to the timelapse list each time (see 3).

Historic Data Detail: To address the dissatisfaction customers had with the detail of historic data provided (i.e. previously only temperature and time), despite the station's capability to measure and capture the information, we designed a timelapse design that shows the video (created by all the snapshots taken within the day) alongside all the data that a BloomSky weather station can capture (see 3).

Video Scrubbing and Time Context: The user would be able to scrub the video and data at their own pace or play it automatically and forward or rewind by 2 hours to keep the video's time increments aligned with the video's weather time data (see 3). The fowarding and rewinding were labeled with hours to correspond with hour of the day instead of seconds and minutes to correspond with video length because, previously, when the videos had used video length, users were unsure how much to pan to get to a specific time since the videos did not start and end at consistent times due to sunlight changes throughout the year. By aligning with user expectations, we aimed help decrease frustration from needing the video to load multiple times at multiple points of panning.

Summary Data: Below the video area, the users can view average and summary data information from that day including high and low temperatures, condition, pollen, temperature, temperature context and difference, wind, rain, UV, humidity, and pressure. This gives weather station owners access to more captured data and users in general a broader view of the day, which could be used to see overarching weather trends (see 3).

Optional Timelapse Notifications: On the user's first visit to the timelapse data screen, the user will be prompted to turn on notifications for daily timelapse availability for their locations. This was designed to create awareness of the existence of this option as well as avoid notification noise if the user would not find the notifications useful (see 4).

Options Access: The user can access video options by tapping on the more icon to reveal a menu for saving and sharing or by tapping and holding on the video for access via the common and expected gesture (see 5).