SpareTheAir.org provides air quality data for the Bay Area, shares resources, and posts Spare the Air Alerts when air quality is expected to be unhealthy. The site is managed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District). Goals of the website redesign included making air quality data more readily available and easy to understand while raising awareness about actions and resources to improve air quality.
In close collaboration with the Air District, project lead Cylogy as the website developers, and lowercase productions as the website designers, our team introduced values-based messaging as the framework for creating the content strategy. This approach focused on the shared value of everyone deserving clean air as a way to motivate and connect people to Spare the Air. It provided the platform for leading with the data about air quality and positioned the website as a common tool to help achieve air quality goals together.
How to share air quality data in a way that didn’t overtake the homepage or discourage further clicks to explore the site became the central redesign question. The full project team of Cylogy, lowercase productions, and Civic Edge also worked closely with the Air District as the agency developed new types of Spare the Air notifications in response to poor air quality from wildfire smoke that challenged traditional definitions and communications. Bringing together technology, design, and content, the project team created a widget that provided a clear space for hosting air quality data, while leaving room to invite visitors further into the website. Widget features included icons and a messaging system to support incorporation of the newly developed air quality definitions and notifications.