Inspiration

Everyone deserves to be able to experience the outdoors, whether its from the sea to the mountains, in the summer or the winter. Especially in Vancouver, we are blessed with the natural beauty of BC and it is a privilege to have mountains and forests so close to us to explore. Unfortunately, so many people are unable to experience the outdoors as they should, being held back by costs, inexperience, lack of companions, limited access, or little amount of opportunities. We wanted to create a solution where outdoor adventures can be more inclusive and accessible, empowering people from all backgrounds to connect, build communities, and embrace the natural world around them

With Arc’Link, our goal is to help people find and connect with others who have similar experiences and interests. We want to assist groups of minority to gain a passion for the outdoors and create opportunities for a wide range of diverse communities.

What it does

Arc’Link is designed to assist adventure seeking individuals to find expeditions hosted and funded by organizations from the No Wasted Days Grant Program. Organizations post events they are hosting with the dates and description. Through this website, users have an account can check out all the events they would be interested in. Gear can be quite expensive therefore we added a page in Arc’Link called ReEquip, where users share their gear online to offer and lend to others who are in need of equipment.

How we built it

Working together, our group brainstormed ideas, writing down every key note and every idea that we had. We created low-fidelity prototypes using an iPad to draw out possible layouts and functions. Using a combination of different development softwares such as Figma and VS Code, we were able to form high-fidelity prototype Arc’Link, and to code some key features of our website using HTML, style CSS and Java script languages. Our prototype on Figma showcases the view of a granted organization, run by a user, Jane Doe.

Challenges we ran into

While developing our website, we faced several challenges, particularly with collaboration tools like Figma and version control systems. Initially, it was difficult to troubleshoot issues with syncing and maintaining consistency across team members. However, these challenges helped us learn how to effectively use Git for source control and Figma for live team updates. Another challenge was dealing with local fonts. Some team members couldn't access or edit certain fonts, which slowed down the graphic design process. That being said, we figured out a strategy where everyone focused on layout and content first, and then the team member who had the correct fonts would go back and update the designs accordingly, maintaining the design progress and consistent visuals.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One accomplishment that we are most proud of is our collaboration through brainstorming and forming creative ideas to find our unique identity as a team with the gear sharing system called ReEquip. Everyone in our group had little to no experience using UX/UI design softwares such as Figma. Learning to use the software within the span of 24 hours, was challenging but we worked hard to create visuals that not only represent what Arc’Link is, but also designing a high-fidelity prototype that showcases what the final product will look like.

What we learned

Through the whole process of creating Arc’Link, from our beginning research, to the final touches of our website, we were constantly learning and improving our skills. Each member of our group tried something they’ve never done before such as using softwares like Figma and VS Code. Most importantly, through our research on the case, we learned how difficult it is for some people to go out on nature adventures because of the lack of resources they have. We explored and expanded our knowledge on the importance of community and community building to create a solution for this problem.

What's next for Arc'teryx Case

We hope to expand Arc’Link to reach a wider range of subcultures and communities who are passionate about living an active lifestyle. This includes making Arc’Link accessible for indoor sports like basketball and volleyball. We also aim to collaborate with student-led organizations by allowing them to post events for students to participate in. By doing so, we plan to grow beyond outdoor activities and build even more communities that include both indoor and outdoor activities for an even wider range of people.

Password for Figma Prototype: arclink