Marae March

A Digital Path to Kaitiakitanga for Hikers

An app that allows hikers to report issues while they encounter them on a hike, so the problems can be addressed promptly to the proper departments for resolution. Aggregates real-time track conditions to help other hikers prepare for hazards. Invite everyone to become part of the guardianship of Aotearoa's native bush.

Time
2 Weeks
Team Size
4 Members
My role
Product Designer
Tools
Figma, Illustrator

OVERVIEW

Background

Marae March is a mobile application designed to foster kaitiakitanga—the Māori principle of guardianship and stewardship of the environment—by encouraging hikers to engage in conservation efforts across Aotearoa (New Zealand). The app aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on climate action, life on land, and sustainable communities, by integrating Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) to create an interactive, culturally respectful, and environmentally conscious experience.

Design Process

  1. Discover

    • Primary Research
    • Territory Scoping

  2. Define

    • Problem Framing

  3. Design

    • Ideations
    • User Flow
    • Wireframing
    • Prototyping

  4. Future Steps

    • User Testing
    • Iterations

The Team & My Role

Members

My Role

Lyn Ling

Lead – Low-fidelity and High-fidelity UI design, Prototyping, Poster, Design System

Kari Wang

Support – Research & Analysis

Isabella Fetineiai

Savannah Boulle

RESEARCH

we explored the principles of Kaitiakitanga alongside the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to identify an impactful direction for our project. After a thorough analysis, we chose to focus on SDG Goal 15: Life on Land, integrating it with Kaitiakitanga to develop a solution that fosters environmental stewardship and sustainable land conservation

Kaitiakitanga

A kai tiaki is a guardian.

+

tanga:(noun)circumstance, time or place of striking.

  1. A kaitiaki is a guardian. This can be a person or group that cares for an area such as a lake or forest. They are given that role by the local iwi.
  2. Kaitiakitanga is a type of guardian that is based on circumstance.
  3. It applies ideas about preservation, conservation, repair and utlisation of environments for the present and future generations.

Sustainable Development

Goal 15 -Life on land

  1. 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.
  2. Forests are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants, and insects.
  3. 2.6 billion people depend directly on agriculture for their living.
  4. 33% – Nature-based climate solutions can contribute a third of CO₂ reductions by 2030.
  5. The value of ecosystems to human livelihoods and well-being is USD $125 trillion per year
Goal 15 — Life on Land poster: protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems

CHALLENGE & GOAL

Problem Reframing

How might we get people involved in the conservation of Aotearoa through an interactive and engaging experience by increasing awareness on how to inform people on New Zealand's native bush in a mana enhancing way?

USER FLOW

User Flow

Marae March app user flow diagram

STYLE GUIDE

Color

  • #E1E4E7
  • #AFBCCD
  • #708D98
  • #183450
  • #7B9862
  • #5F7220
  • #4A5817
  • #303F0E
  • #D3A786
  • #B78E5B
  • #76261B
  • #60372E
  • #FFFFFF
  • #EDEDED
  • #D9D9D9
  • #979797
  • #302D2C

Fonts

Helvetica type specimen — regular, bold and italic uppercase and lowercase

Texture

Grayscale scratch texture Grayscale organic leaf texture

HIGH-FIDELITY & PROTOTYPING

We have divided the project into five sections, each designed separately. I am primarily responsible for the design of the trail map and buttons. Once all sections are completed, I integrated them and finalize the prototyping.

High-Fidelity

Marae March high-fidelity app screen architecture diagram

Trail Mapping

Trail mapping is the main section I designed, primarily focusing on displaying the user's current location, along with trail introductions and recommendations.

User Location
Around Trails
Recommendations
Trails Information

REFLECTION

Future Steps

  1. Conduct user testing to gather feedback for continuous iteration
  2. Form partnership with DOCs and I-Sites to promote Marae March
  3. Form partnership with local councils and work out a streamlined process for hazard resolutions
  4. Design and develop iwi end product

Takeaways

Marae March was a crash course in blending culture, sustainability, and UX. Leading the prototype, I turned Kaitiakitanga principles into a seamless user experience, proving design is more than just usability—it's storytelling, responsibility, and impact. Working with a diverse team sharpened my communication and problem-solving skills, and what started as a challenge in cultural integration became a creative breakthrough. This project left me not just a better designer, but a more thoughtful one.