Overview

Drought periods, heatwaves, and insect infestations are just a few examples of challenges facing our forests. How private forest owners respond to these events can play a crucial role in preserving the forest. Sustainable forest management is becoming increasingly important in this context. Against this background, the question arises of how private forest owners can be effectively motivated to implement forest conversion measures to make their stands resilient for the future. This master’s thesis examines the extent to which a user-centered, digital UX approach is suile to address these challenges.

Problem

Forests are vital for ecological balance, but their future depends on responsible, long-term management. Events like the bark beetle infestation show their vulnerability to climate stress. Forest owners must be encouraged to strengthen resilience and ensure multifunctional use through targeted forest conversion. While the effectiveness of such measures is well studied, motivating private owners and promoting user-oriented participation remain open questions. This work adds a user-centred perspective to the research through a concrete design process.

Process

The design process followed the iterative principle of design thinking and combined user-centred design methods with forestry science findings. After extensive research and expert interviews, the needs of private forest owners were analysed and translated into personas and user journeys. Based on this, initial wireframes and functional prototypes were created, which were evaluated and improved in several test phases. This user-centred approach enabled the development of a digital concept that makes complex forestry content understandable and accessible.

Solution Approach

The solution is based on a web-based application that supports forest owners in analysing their forest plots, forecasting climatic risks and recommending suitable measures. The high-fidelity prototype combines intuitive operation with technically sound information and motivates users through visual presentation and clear recommendations for action with accessible storytelling. The aim is to close knowledge gaps, promote participation and facilitate climate-resilient decisions, making a practical contribution to digital transformation in forestry.