AirCasting is an open-source environmental data visualization platform that consists of a smartphone app and online mapping system.
In 2007, Michael Heimbinder had a clear purpose: help communities understand and improve their environmental health. His organization, HabitatMap, needed to build tools that would make environmental data accessible to everyone - from concerned citizens to schools and researchers. After a few challenging attempts with other development teams that couldn't quite bring his vision to life, Michael met our Paul at a New York Tech Meetup.
"I had gone through a couple programmers who failed to deliver," Michael recalls. "When I met the Lunar Logic team, they agreed to do some development work for free to see how it would go. After about a two-week trial, we were excited about the progress and the professional level of service I'd received."
The first project was straightforward - build planning and advocacy maps for communities. Working closely with Michael, a small Lunar Logic team created the initial version of the HabitatMap web application. Community groups and schools started using it to highlight local environmental concerns, and their feedback shaped both the product and the working relationship. Michael stayed close with users listening and gathering key insights, while the development team focused on bringing user needs to life.
As environmental awareness grew during the 2010s, so did the community's appetite for data. People wanted to measure air quality in their neighborhoods and share their findings. The AirCasting platform emerged from these needs, along with its companion hardware - the AirBeam sensor.
The mobile challenge was substantial. Users needed both iOS and Android apps that could reliably collect sensitive environmental data and, more importantly, connect to the AirBeam hardware. The team expanded, bringing in mobile developers to work alongside the web team. Soon after, users could own a handy AirBeam with a fully functional app.
By 2017, AirCasting had found its place among environmental researchers, EPA scientists, and middle school classrooms. But something wasn't clicking. Even experienced users struggled with certain features, and newcomers often needed Michael's direct guidance to get started.
It took a developer noticing users' struggles with the data filtering system to spark a larger conversation about how people actually used the platform. The team brought in design expertise for the first time, leading to some humbling discoveries. Features that made perfect sense to the development team were causing confusion among users. The AirBeam setup process, crucial for accurate data collection, was particularly tricky for newcomers.
The following redesign wasn't about adding bells and whistles but making the existing tools more intuitive. The team simplified the AirBeam setup with clear visual guides, reworked data filtering to match users' mental models, and added visual feedback so users could see their actions taking effect. The impact was clear: more people could use the platform independently, and the data they collected was more reliable. Website traffic doubled, and mobile app installations rose by 50% - driven by word of mouth from satisfied users.
In the eighteenth year, the relationship between HabitatMap and Lunar Logic goes beyond typical business collaboration. The team size has fluctuated between one and seven people as needed. Over so many years, developers have moved on, but their knowledge has stayed with the project. Both organizations focus on the shared goal: helping communities understand and improve their environment. Our goal is clear: support great founders like Micheal design, develop, and adapt to ever-changing situations, so sustainable products may support environmental change.
"Our relationship with Lunar Logic isn't typical client-vendor stuff," Michael reflects. "They've become partners in our mission. When they push back on an idea or suggest a different approach, I know it's because they care about getting it right for our users."
Today, AirCasting serves environmental advocates, researchers, and educators in ways neither team imagined in 2007. The platform continues to evolve, driven not by tech trends but by changing user needs and environmental challenges. As air quality monitoring becomes increasingly crucial for communities worldwide, having tools that people can actually use matters more than ever.
The transformation from a basic mapping tool to a comprehensive environmental monitoring platform hasn't been about chasing the next big thing. It's been about listening to users, understanding their challenges, and working together to solve real problems - one breathing space at a time.
We grew the platform thoughtfully from a Ruby on Rails application to a full-stack solution that serves thousands of users daily. Our key achievements include:
Creating reliable connections between mobile apps and external sensors is notoriously challenging. We tackled this by:
Environmental data presents unique challenges in volume and complexity. Our approach delivered:
Our flexible process adapted to project needs while maintaining quality and momentum:
All that formed technical foundation that supported HabitatMap's growth from a local initiative to a platform used by environmental researchers, EPA scientists, and schools worldwide. Our choices prioritized reliability and user needs over trending technologies, creating a sustainable solution that continues to serve its community effectively.
Finding the right development partner is crucial for long-term success. HabitatMap's experience shows how a trial period can establish trust and validate working relationships before making major commitments. The two-week trial period proved invaluable in confirming both technical capability and cultural alignment.
Michael's constant engagement with the community provided essential insights that shaped the product. Rather than guessing what users needed, direct feedback guided development priorities. This approach helped avoid building unnecessary features and ensured focus was invested in solving real user problems.
The transformation from a basic mapping tool to a comprehensive environmental platform happened gradually, driven by user needs rather than technology trends. This organic growth allowed for:
Even after a decade of success, the team remained open to challenging their assumptions. The redesign initiative showed how bringing in new expertise (design) could uncover blind spots and significantly improve user experience. The results – doubled website traffic and 50% more app installations – validated this humble approach.
The 17-year collaboration between HabitatMap and Lunar Logic demonstrates the value of long-term partnerships. Key elements include:
These lessons show that sustainable success in product development comes from building trust, staying user-focused, and nurturing long-term partnerships that extend beyond typical client-vendor relationships.
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