EverGIS Online

A universal geospatial platform for professionals, enthusiasts, and beginners

In the GIS market, we noticed a gap. There were two types of products:

We decided to develop a product targeting the mid-market segment: capable of handling most common geoinformation tasks while remaining easy to use.

goals:

Our first step was an in-depth market analysis. We highlighted the key pros and cons of current products, mapped out their functionality, and identified customer pain points that our solution could solve.

Next, we conducted audience research. We identified the key user groups and defined the unique value of the product for each of them

After that, we engaged with the audience:

• Distributed surveys among students at relevant universities
• Conducted face-to-face interviews with GIS professionals and industry users

These activities helped us test hypotheses about the product’s value and clarify its main features.

We then defined several core use cases, typical for most GIS tasks, and created JTBD-style descriptions for each.

Armed with user research and a clear product concept, we moved on to designing the information architecture, aiming to answer these key questions:

Many of these issues had already been solved in existing GIS platforms. Some solutions were product-specific, while others were standard practice. Our approach was to follow traditional solutions where possible to provide familiarity for experienced GIS users, while introducing our own innovations in selected areas to give the product unique advantages.

After establishing the system’s information architecture, we began designing the interface: both its structure and visual aspects. Most of the UI components were already available from the EverGIS UI project, which greatly facilitated our work.

The app features a typical GIS layout: a layers panel on the left and a spacious interactive map on the right, including the option to view objects in a table.

The app first provided essential GIS capabilities:

Over time, more advanced tools were introduced:

All of these features allowed users not only to work with existing data but also to synthesize new information from it to solve applied tasks.

Next on the list we took on branding. While the product’s positioning and value were defined during initial audience research, the visual identity, including name, logo, and color scheme, still needed to be created.

The working title was initially chosen as "EverCloud," after which I started designing the logo using combined visual associations.

The name was later changed to "EverGIS Online," but the logo concept developed for the previous name was retained, as it conveyed the desired associations and meanings.

For a successful app launch, we needed active promotion, including managing company social media profiles, posting in specialized groups, and preparing email campaigns. I handled both the creation of visual content and the day-to-day account management.

Some time after releasing the first version of EverGIS Online, we decided to check whether the product turned out the way we wanted. We wanted to see whether it solved the intended tasks, addressed users’ problems, and how convenient it was to use. To do this, we invited several people from each audience segment for UX testing.

We designed tasks for each user segment, reflecting the unique characteristics of their work process. For each segment, we prepared a separate set of tasks that reflected the specifics of that group’s work. While participants were completing the tasks, we closely monitored their actions:

At the end of the testing session, each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire using the SUS (System Usability Scale) methodology. The average score was 72.7. A score of 68 is considered the lower threshold for good usability, which means we can say that we managed to create a user‑friendly product.

As a result of the testing, we collected about 180 sticky notes, each containing information about a problem, an error, or a strong point of the product. We processed the sticky notes: classified them and accounted for duplicates (their number affects the final weight of a note).

To create a plan for product improvements, we used the RICE prioritization framework (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort). The evaluation was informed by our research results:

Throughout the year, we iteratively enhanced the application, and a subsequent SUS survey demonstrated a solid increase in usability, raising the score to 78.9

SUS score improvement after iterative, research-based enhancements

EverGIS Online continues to develop. It serves as a training tool for cartography students at MSU and other universities, and has supported the implementation of several large-scale projects in the oil & gas industry.

EverGIS Online has established Everpoint as a notable player in the GIS market for diverse users, while corporate clients have seen firsthand the company’s ability to create comprehensive, fully integrated solutions.