Redesigning Brazil’s national meteorological platform to be clear, accessible, and intuitive for all—scientists, policymakers, and citizens alike.
Increase in overall traffic after redesign
Users accessing via mobile devices
Accessibility compliance (WCAG/E-MAG)
Designer Specialist
(Lead UX Designer)
12 Months
2017 to 2018
15+ collaborators, including designers, engineers, systems analysts, DBAs, climate scientists, and government stakeholders.
Before the redesign, the INMET portal was outdated, fragmented, and built for specialists only. The forecast was buried behind technical jargon and multi-click navigation. Citizens would visit once and never return, while competitors used INMET’s own data to win over users with better designs.
Our goal was to transform this complex, data-heavy platform into a citizen-friendly, mobile-first experience that could compete, all while maintaining the integrity and trust of an official data source.
Visitors returned
Clicks needed to access forecast
More traffic on competitors
One of the toughest challenges was the tension between scientists and the public. Meteorologists wanted the homepage to prioritize raw data, while the public needed a clear, simple forecast. To break the deadlock, I used competitor benchmarks and usage insights to show that a citizen-first approach was necessary to fulfill INMET’s mission as a public institution.
| Feature | INMET (Before) | Climatempo | AccuWeather | Weather.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official Data Source | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Citizen-Friendly Forecast | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Mobile-First Design | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Localized for Brazil | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Modern User Experience | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ads-Free | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
The strategy was progressive disclosure: start simple, go deeper only if needed. Citizens would see forecasts and alerts right away, while specialists could access detailed maps, datasets, and reports through secondary layers. This shift made the site usable for the public without taking value away from experts.
As the sole UX consultant, I led a multi-faceted approach. My work spanned from user research and information architecture to high-fidelity prototyping and front-end implementation.
I partnered with 15+ collaborators including climate scientists and engineers to capture diverse needs and align on a shared vision. To understand our users, I ran workshops and card sorting sessions with citizens, farmers, meteorologists, and civil defense teams. I also leveraged customer service feedback to fill the gaps left by the old portal’s lack of analytics.
We transformed static, repetitive satellite images into interactive, georeferenced maps with zoom and navigation.
replaced multi-click, text-heavy workflows with a single screen interface for switching between maps and parameters
made articles, glossary, and publications dynamic and editable, so staff could publish without coding.
We built a fully responsive design for iOS, Android, and tablets, delivering full feature parity with the desktop version.
produced a design system and manual so future designers and developers could maintain brand and UX consistency.
I used competitor benchmarks and real usage insights to shift leadership consensus toward a citizen-first homepage, while still preserving technical layers for experts.
I built trust and negotiated compromises with long-standing teams, introducing modern UX practices without alienating those maintaining the old infrastructure.
I learned the Drupal platform inside out to push its boundaries, delivering a mobile-ready, modern interface within technical limits.
I advocated for stepwise improvements to meet WCAG 2.0 and Brazilian e-MAG minimum standards, ensuring compliance was prioritized.
The redesigned INMET platform became Brazil’s primary public source for weather and climate information, used daily by citizens, farmers, journalists, and government agencies. We not only improved engagement but also re-established INMET’s authority in the digital space.
Reduced bounce rate
Accessibility compliance
Map generation clicks
Increase in overall traffic after redesign
Users accessing via mobile devices
Collaboration Matters
Partnering with Drupal specialists and the Director of Technology was key to getting approvals and building trust.
The Power of Numbers — Using usage data and competitor benchmarks turned heated debates into informed decisions.
Hi-Fi Prototypes Win
Interactive hi-fi demos made the vision tangible for non-design stakeholders and saved costly development cycles.
Design Maturity
I learned that a solution that is clear, usable, and sustainable has far greater impact than one that is only “pixel-perfect.”
The best design solves problems—it doesn’t just create beautiful visuals. Let’s connect and discuss how I can help you.
