The journey to today's unified National Park Service (NPS) app began with a decentralized approach, where individual parks and sites developed their own mobile applications. Initially, separate apps emerged for prominent locations such as the National Mall, Boston National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park, Grand Teton National Park, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Yellowstone National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and many others.
As the project and program manager for these initial applications, I played a pivotal role in their early development. Recognizing the inefficiencies and fragmented user experience inherent in this model, I championed a strategic shift. I spearheaded the vision for a consolidated NPS app, advocating for a unified platform. This crucial initiative led to the development of a centralized backend first including a map system and a robust content management system, designed to serve all parks under a single digital umbrella. This forward-thinking approach ultimately culminated in the comprehensive NPS app we know today, offering a seamless and integrated experience for visitors across the nation's treasured parks.
