Stargazr app maps the top nightly stargazing locations in your area based on an analysis of cloud cover, weather, light pollution, and moon phase.

Juliana created the Stargazr concept and prototype during CIID IDP's one-week Rapid GUI Prototyping Course, taught by Joshua Dickens, Kristina Varshavskaya, and Christian Palino.   Working on this project allowed Juliana to learn to design and prototype at high fidelity with Origami, while also addressing the weather-focused brief.  Her process involved iterating on the "Change the Date" interaction based on user testing, and on creating an interface that evoked the emotional experience of gazing at the night sky.

In the first iteration, tapping an animated moon button was used to navigate through future night sky forecasts. The second iteration adjusted the button location for a more comfortable thumb press. The third iteration explored alternative "Change the Date" interactions to improve clarity and usability. In the fourth iteration (featured in the video), a scroll bar was used to change the date. The moon phase animation was retained as part of the date display to add delight. Next steps for Stargazr include: iterating on the "explore location" interaction; iterating on the representation of light pollution; and adding a visual "learn more" feature to illustrates how the app is "finding" stargazing locations.