GlobalXplorer°
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Hospitality & Travel
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Mobile App
Preserving our shared human history
Experience & UI Design
Web, App & Product Engineering
Games & Gamification
Challenge.
Turn everyday people into space archaeologists — at a scale that could actually move science forward.
Dr. Sarah Parcak — the 2016 TED Prize winner — had a wish for humankind: locate and protect the millions of undiscovered archaeological sites buried all over the world. The problem was scale. No team of experts could ever review enough satellite imagery to make a meaningful dent. The only solution was to enlist a global community of volunteers — and build a platform that made complex scientific image review accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
Challenge.
Turn everyday people into space archaeologists — at a scale that could actually move science forward.
Dr. Sarah Parcak — the 2016 TED Prize winner — had a wish for humankind: locate and protect the millions of undiscovered archaeological sites buried all over the world. The problem was scale. No team of experts could ever review enough satellite imagery to make a meaningful dent. The only solution was to enlist a global community of volunteers — and build a platform that made complex scientific image review accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
Solution.
A web platform that turned 84,000+ volunteers into space archaeologists who've collectively identified 19,000+ archaeological sites.
We worked with Dr. Parcak's company, GlobalXplorer°, to design and build an online science platform where anyone could contribute to the cause. The experience needed to be distraction-free, accessible to non-experts, and designed for high-volume image review at scale. We layered in a gamification system — ranks, rewards, and community-wide progress metrics — to drive sustained participation and repeat engagement. The result was one of the most impactful citizen science platforms ever built: 16.5 million satellite images reviewed, 19,084 sites identified.
Solution.
A web platform that turned 84,000+ volunteers into space archaeologists who've collectively identified 19,000+ archaeological sites.
We worked with Dr. Parcak's company, GlobalXplorer°, to design and build an online science platform where anyone could contribute to the cause. The experience needed to be distraction-free, accessible to non-experts, and designed for high-volume image review at scale. We layered in a gamification system — ranks, rewards, and community-wide progress metrics — to drive sustained participation and repeat engagement. The result was one of the most impactful citizen science platforms ever built: 16.5 million satellite images reviewed, 19,084 sites identified.
Volunteers worldwide
Satellite images reviewed
Archaeological sites identified
Digital Expeditions
An ultra-focused interface built for non-experts doing serious work.
The core of GlobalXplorer° is simple: volunteers review satellite imagery and flag potential signs of man-made structures hidden beneath the surface. The interface had to be distraction-free, easy to learn, and accurate enough to produce data scientists could actually use — no archaeology background required.
Digital Expeditions
An ultra-focused interface built for non-experts doing serious work.
The core of GlobalXplorer° is simple: volunteers review satellite imagery and flag potential signs of man-made structures hidden beneath the surface. The interface had to be distraction-free, easy to learn, and accurate enough to produce data scientists could actually use — no archaeology background required.
Gamification
A rank and reward system that turned one-time participants into repeat contributors.
To maximize coverage, we built a gamification layer tied to individual performance and community-wide progress. Volunteers earned ranks and rewards as they reviewed more images — and could see their collective impact growing in real time. The result was sustained engagement across tens of thousands of users over an extended period.
Gamification
A rank and reward system that turned one-time participants into repeat contributors.
To maximize coverage, we built a gamification layer tied to individual performance and community-wide progress. Volunteers earned ranks and rewards as they reviewed more images — and could see their collective impact growing in real time. The result was sustained engagement across tens of thousands of users over an extended period.
Educational Content
National Geographic archaeology — built into the experience.
To give volunteers context and motivation, the platform was packed with archaeology articles provided by National Geographic. Understanding the history they were helping protect made the work feel meaningful — not just a task to complete. Education wasn't a bolt-on; it was the reason people kept coming back.
Educational Content
National Geographic archaeology — built into the experience.
To give volunteers context and motivation, the platform was packed with archaeology articles provided by National Geographic. Understanding the history they were helping protect made the work feel meaningful — not just a task to complete. Education wasn't a bolt-on; it was the reason people kept coming back.
“
Mondo Robot was the perfect collaborator. They encouraged us to think big and then showed us how to achieve our desired outcome in a practical way on budget. They were fun, professional and super responsive. 15/10. Would recommend to everyone.
Sarah Parcak, Founder & President, GlobalXplorer°
“
Mondo Robot was the perfect collaborator. They encouraged us to think big and then showed us how to achieve our desired outcome in a practical way on budget. They were fun, professional and super responsive. 15/10. Would recommend to everyone.
Sarah Parcak, Founder & President, GlobalXplorer°
