The challenge: How to make Portview easier to use in a real-world environment?
From the start, we knew Portview had to be intuitive: understandable at a glance, without endless explanations and tutorials. But when we put it to the test last summer, we identified a number of challenges that needed to be addressed if we were to truly improve the navigator's experience:
Visibility under the sunIn real conditions, reflections made it difficult to read the screen at key moments, such as arrival at the mooring.
Visual overload: Too many elements on screen generated noise and made it more difficult to find what the user needed.
Fluency of useSome users were taking too long to locate useful information, which made us rethink the organization and hierarchy of the content.
These were not mere design details. They were real obstacles that affected both the navigator and the ports. And that's why, we got down to work.
How are we solving it?
We are working right now on a new version of Portview with total focus on design, usability and connection with Pandora. Some key improvements:
Cleaner interfaceWe eliminate visual noise and leave only what is essential at any given moment.
Better visibility under the sunOptimized contrasts, more legible fonts, colors designed for outdoor use.
More intuitive navigationinspired by apps you already use, such as maps or mobility tools.
Connection with Pandora: increased data synchronization so that the port information is always up to date.
To ensure that these improvements really optimized the user experience, we worked with UX/UI specialists who helped us audit the changes and validate the evolution of the design.
"One of the main problems in the use of outdoor apps is visibility and information overload. At Portview, we are working on simplifying the visual hierarchy and optimizing contrast to improve readability in any conditions. Now, navigation is more intuitive and the flow of use is aligned with the actual user experience in the port." Portview User Experience Team.
Want a sneak preview? Here is an image as an example spoiler with part of what is coming
️ This summer you will be able to download the new version of Portviewwith all these improvements included.
Co-creating Portview with ports
We are not doing this alone. Portview is being designed in direct collaboration with a group of ports that are already part of the advisors.
Thanks to regular sessions with marine managers of different profiles, we gather real needs, operational priorities and specific improvements that land in the app in the form of useful functionalities from day one.
This collaborative way of working is what allows us to build a tool that is realistic, useful and adapted to the port's day-to-day operations. And the best part: there is still time to join us.
If your port wants to join us and help us define the future of nautical digitalization, there is still time to join our group of advisors..