User-Centered Design Challenge – Executive Summary
Meghan Fagan
The focus of this mobile application is “Rain Forest Deforestation.” While forests still
cover about 30% of the land on Earth, areas the size of Panama are destroyed each year because
of deforestation ("Deforestation," n.d.). If deforestation continues to occur at its current rate, all
of the world’s rain forests could be gone within 100 years. Causes of deforestation include
agriculture, logging, and overgrazing. Not only does deforestation result in a loss of rain forests,
but it also leads to habitat loss for millions of species, climate change, and global warming. Trees
protect the Earth from global warming by absorbing many of the gases that cause it. When these
trees are destroyed, however, there is nothing to prevent these gases from entering the
atmosphere.
Completely preventing deforestation is unfeasible and unrealistic. Instead, the focus is on
sustainability, which aims to balance the number of trees destroyed with the planting of new
trees ("Deforestation," n.d.). Recycling and buying sustainable rain forest products are other
ways to prevent the permanent loss of the world’s rain forests ("Rain Forest Threats," n.d.).
This mobile application will describe what rain forest deforestation is, its causes, its
negative impacts on the planet, and solutions. It will also describe how all individuals, no matter
who they are or where they live, can help fight against deforestation. By writing clearly and
avoiding jargon, creating easy to understand content areas, incorporating interesting graphics,
and listing additional resources individuals can explore, this mobile application will be an
excellent resource for anyone to learn about rain forest deforestation and what they can do to
help
References
Deforestation. (n.d.). Retrieved August 15, 2015, from National Geographic website:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestationoverview/
Rain forest threats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 15, 2015, from National Geographic website:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rainforest-threats/