How BC Parks set a trail for better visitor experiences

Organizations across the BC Public Service have embraced blogging as a way to share success stories and highlight the great work happening in their ministries. BC Parks is a standout example, with a blog that covers everything from inclusive camping and updates to the park reservation system, to the science of squirrels.

We’re excited to share a recent post from the Parks and Recreation design research team. Learn more about how they’re working with Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. (RSTBC) to improve the sites and trails website.

The lay of the land

Over the past year RSTBC has been listening closely to its users, interviewing campers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who have recently accessed recreation trails and sites. The goal was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their visitors, ultimately helping staff make better decisions and enhance the visitor experience.

The interviews touched on topics like trip planning and decision-making, experiences during trips and the value and impact of RSTBC. Their research uncovered that people have a lot to love about B.C.’s sites and trails, but they may have difficulty using the website – especially on a mobile device.

Building a beta

With findings in hand, the teams built a new version of the RSTBC website and opened it to the public to gather feedback, find mistakes and make improvements. The beta site will remain live until the full site is replaced later this year.

The teams made improvements to:

• The mobile device experience
• Searching for sites and trails
• Filtering for activities, facilities, districts and access
• Navigation, plain language and accessibility

They continue to work iteratively, making continuous improvements based on feedback.

Walk the trail

The full blog post covers a lot more on this ongoing work, including a wide array of insights from user interviews and ways that you can support the process. Check it out if you want to learn more about trails in B.C., the people who use them and how government is improving the site to serve visitors better.