Weather Box

AI-driven, Real-time Weather Intelligence for Wildland Fire Operations

Problem

Identifying changing environmental conditions is a critical task for Fire Behavior Analysts (FBAN) and Incident Meteorologists (IMET). To take the necessary measurements, field observers have to hike many miles into remote locations, where traditional automated weather stations cannot be deployed.

THE SOLUTION

Turning manual observation into connected intelligence.

COLLECT->TRANSMIT -> RELAY -> VISUALIZE -> DECIDE

We designed Weather Box as an integrated system connecting:

System Overview

It is a system that includes weather data (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction) collection devices, LoRa Mesh Network to send weather data back in low signal coverage areas, a relay and two webapps for users to access data both in the field and in the office.

Functional Test

Conducted functional test to ensure technology addressed the real workflow rather than simply adding another data collection tool.

Prototype

Iterated prototype based on the feedback from usability tests.

Usability Test 1.0 & 2.0

Evaluated the proposed system through usability testings, using the results to refine the overall experience.

SME Interview

Conducted 4 SME interviews from DNR and NOAA to define the problem scope.

Secondary Research

Conducted secondary research and competitive analysis.

Approach

My biggest takeaway:

Great technical products start with understanding the mission, the people, and the problem- not the technology.

What I Bring

My role

Product Strategy

User-Centered Design

Technical Fluency

Cross-Functional Leadership

Problem definition · Requirements · Prioritization · Systems thinking

UX research · SME interviews · Usability testing · Product design

IoT · Sensors · LoRa networking · Data systems · Web applications

Connecting users, stakeholders, and technical teams to move a product from problem → prototype → solution.