Project Overview
Darwin's Ark is the largest citizen science pet project in the world. The website lets ordinary citizens become scientific partners. It combines genetics and behavior to advance the understanding of complex diseases. A revolutionary, collaborative scientific initiative, it brings together the best minds in genetics, medicine and behavior – including pet owners.
Scientists, academics and pet owners are working in collaboration to understand the interaction of genetics and environment, and work toward bettering the lives of people and pets.
Project Commissioner
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Project Creator
Team
Ronnie Peters, Rich Pasqua, Joe Lee, Josh Beckerman
Project Brief
Design an appealing brand and website to attract and retain pet owners to interact with scientists and become a part of the largest citizen science project in the world. To develop a website for pet owners to enroll themselves and their dogs to participate in genome sequencing of the animal, and to engage in behavioral questionnaires for the lifetime of the dog. The brand and site need to look and be engaging, easy to use and community building.
Project Need
To use crowd sourcing and citizen science along with the most cutting edge genomic sequencing, technology and research to explore some of the biggest questions in science. The result of which will be the discovery of new ways to treat diseases for people and their pets and to live healthier, happier lives.
User Experience
This is the merging of advanced science and everyday citizens, non other than pet owners from around the US and the world, and some of the most advanced science at the Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard. The UX needs to be engaging, simple and understandable to dog owners. Behind the scenes is the most advanced genome sequencing technology and behavioral science research. The site needs to appeal to dog owners and be easy to use and engaging, at the same time as it is probing behavioral, trait and characteristic questions that will advance the scientific knowledge of mankind.
Project Marketing
The project is marketed through word of mouth, social media, email, and the appearance of the leading research scientists at conferences and across all media channels.
Project Privacy
The project is open to all dog owners and participation is encouraged globally.
Digital - Expanded Service or Application
Open to apps in all categories with updates and developments that truly enhance the user experience and take your app or service to another level.
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