Near-term fire behavior analysis and forecasting
The research revealed a central tension: users valued the scientific power of BehavePlus, but needed simpler workflows and more accessible controls.
System architecture analysis revealed that the interface mirrored the internal scientific model rather than the mental models of its users.
I mapped the existing workflows, modules, controls, and calculation dependencies to understand how the system was structured and where complexity accumulated. This analysis exposed redundant paths, overlapping controls, and opportunities to reorganize the experience around user tasks while preserving the scientific relationships behind the models.
The design system evolved through multiple iterations, with each prototype tested against the needs of the people who would actually use it.
The second prototype moved the design from assumptions to observed behavior.
Testing revealed that several interface decisions did not match how users actually interacted with the system. Two findings had the greatest impact: typography was too small for comfortable extended use, and users expected the progress indicator to function as navigation.
Testing shifted typography from a visual-system decision to an accessibility and usability requirement.
The initial type scale was too small for comfortable extended use. Testing with BehavePlus users revealed the need for greater readability among experienced professionals who often use the software for prolonged periods. The typography system was revised with larger type and improved readability to reduce visual strain during extended use.
Testing revealed that users understood the progress bar as an interactive navigation tool, not simply a status indicator.
During usability testing, participants repeatedly attempted to use the progress indicator to move between stages of the workflow. The interaction pattern was consistent enough to change the design. The component was redesigned as navigation, allowing users to understand their position in the process and move directly between completed and available stages.
The redesign reorganized BehavePlus around the way users move through a modeling task, rather than exposing the structure of the scientific system all at once.
The legacy interface required users to navigate modules, configuration options, documentation, and modeling decisions simultaneously. The redesigned experience preserves those scientific capabilities while organizing them into a clearer sequence, with persistent system tools, a focused working area, contextual guidance, and visible progress through the modeling process.
Near-term fire behavior analysis and forecasting
The research revealed a central tension: users valued the scientific power of BehavePlus, but needed simpler workflows and more accessible controls.
System architecture analysis revealed that the interface mirrored the internal scientific model rather than the mental models of its users.
I mapped the existing workflows, modules, controls, and calculation dependencies to understand how the system was structured and where complexity accumulated. This analysis exposed redundant paths, overlapping controls, and opportunities to reorganize the experience around user tasks while preserving the scientific relationships behind the models.
The design system evolved through multiple iterations, with each prototype tested against the needs of the people who would actually use it.
The second prototype moved the design from assumptions to observed behavior.
Testing revealed that several interface decisions did not match how users actually interacted with the system. Two findings had the greatest impact: typography was too small for comfortable extended use, and users expected the progress indicator to function as navigation.
Testing shifted typography from a visual-system decision to an accessibility and usability requirement.
The initial type scale was too small for comfortable extended use. Testing with BehavePlus users revealed the need for greater readability among experienced professionals who often use the software for prolonged periods. The typography system was revised with larger type and improved readability to reduce visual strain during extended use.
Testing revealed that users understood the progress bar as an interactive navigation tool, not simply a status indicator.
During usability testing, participants repeatedly attempted to use the progress indicator to move between stages of the workflow. The interaction pattern was consistent enough to change the design. The component was redesigned as navigation, allowing users to understand their position in the process and move directly between completed and available stages.
The redesign reorganized BehavePlus around the way users move through a modeling task, rather than exposing the structure of the scientific system all at once.
The legacy interface required users to navigate modules, configuration options, documentation, and modeling decisions simultaneously. The redesigned experience preserves those scientific capabilities while organizing them into a clearer sequence, with persistent system tools, a focused working area, contextual guidance, and visible progress through the modeling process.
BehavePlus 7 Style Guide. Selected specifications for color, system states, components, and workflow navigation.