Downland
Connecting new and experienced farmers with land, mentorship, and generational transition support
Downland is a startup focused on facilitating generational land transfer with an emphasis on regenerative farming. Our team designed a beautiful and intuitive digital platform that connects aspiring farmers with retiring landowners, while supporting the exchange of knowledge, financing, and long-term land stewardship.
Role
UX Designer
Year
2025
Timeline
3 Weeks
Reading Time
12 Minutes
THE PROBLEM
Designing a Platform That Moves Farmers From Uncertainty to Action
Aspiring farmers need a clear, step-by-step online experience, so they can understand what it takes to start, fund, and run a farm. The current Downland website lacks the functionality and structure to support this journey, requiring a redesigned platform that offers guidance, credibility, and practical tools for aspiring farmers.
THE CONTEXT
Designing at the Intersection of Land and Regeneration
Downland is working to address two urgent and interconnected challenges. First, generational land transfer: over 70% of U.S. farmland is expected to change hands in the next 20 years, representing more than $200 billion in food production. Failing to properly address this challenge could have severe consequences for our food supply.
70%
of farmland will change hands in the next 20 years
$220B
in production is at stake
+
Downland champions regenerative agriculture—a movement focused on rebuilding soil health, increasing biodiversity, and producing food in a way that benefits people, ecosystems, and communities. In a landscape still dominated by extractive practices, Downland seeks to shift the future of farming toward long-term resilience and sustainability.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
A Fragmented Landscape
We began with a competitive analysis of agricultural and legal platforms. While no existing service fully replicates Downland’s planned offering, we examined adjacent spaces for inspiration. The opportunity lies within the gaps of current competitor offerings.
Farm-matching platforms help align farmer goals with available land but rarely provide legal or financial tools to support the actual transfer.
Estate planning services like Trust & Will offer legal guidance, but aren’t tailored to farming or land stewardship.
USER RESEARCH
A Balanced & Insightful Approach
USER RESEARCH
We knew that if we wanted to get a complete picture of the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers, we would need to interview a wide variety of people. We conducted 11 in-depth user interviews.
We wanted to understand what motivates farmers, how they educated themselves before getting into this difficult profession, and what role financing played in their journey.
We synthesized this information into an affinity map, and created I-Statements for each category:
We knew that if we wanted to get a complete picture of the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers, we would need to interview a wide variety of people. We conducted 11 in-depth user interviews, with a mixture of farmer demographics represented - from aspiring farmers, to existing retiring farmers, to farmers who have already used Downland's services.
We wanted to understand what motivates farmers, how they educated themselves before getting into this difficult profession, and what role financing played in their journey.
We synthesized this information into an affinity map, and created I-Statements for each category:
Plenty of older farmers were ready to hand things off—but didn’t know where to start legally, or how to find someone who saw farming the same way they did.
Aspiring farmers brought energy and determination, but lacked direction, support, and access to land. They needed a roadmap.
Starting a farm can feel like staring into the fog. People know the work will be tough, but the first step is often the hardest to find.
"It really feels like only luck got us this farm… and that's not great—because then how do you cookie-cutter that and help other young farmers get theirs?"
DEFINE
Narrowing in on our design targets
After meeting with our client and discussing the narrow sprint timeline, our team narrowed down our design target to one group: the aspiring farmer.
We created Chase, an aspiring farmer, to personify our users and ensure our design decisions stayed grounded in their needs and motivations.
To translate our research insights into actionable design opportunities, we created a series of “How Might We” questions. These helped us reframe user challenges as possibilities and guided our brainstorming and ideation process.
How might we balance the want to engage in regenerative agriculture practices and the need for profitability?
How might we give farmers an idea of what the whole process looks like from the start?
How might we centralize knowledge on how to run a farm and connect people with support so that they can get the assistance they need?
How might we make aspiring farmers into proficient stewards of the land AND competent business people?
How might we assist in financial planning and understanding loans?
How might we break down the complexity of starting a farm into manageable, actionable milestones?
DESIGN
Growing Insights into Interfaces
Throughout the design process, our north star was always the user. Each research insight served as an anchor point that shaped every design decision.
VISUAL DESIGN
Visual Choices with Purpose
We chose our visuals to communicate trust, stability, and hope. Our earth-toned palette speaks to those drawn to the land, while Recoleta provides a touch of personality and timelessness.
DESIGN INSIGHT 1
Aspiring farmers need to know who Downland is, and how Downland can help
Because Downland is still in its early stages, the website may be a user’s first interaction with the brand. We couldn’t assume any prior knowledge or trust—visitors needed to quickly understand what Downland is, who it’s for, why it matters, and why they should feel confident engaging with it. This challenge shaped our design approach.
ITERATION 1a. + 1b.
Sketching our Ideas
ITERATION 2
"Franken" Page
This iteration combined key ideas from our early sketches. We introduced an inspiring hero image paired with branded messaging to immediately communicate Downland’s purpose. Quick infographics offer a snapshot of who Downland is, while the layout was refined to clearly accommodate both core audiences: retiring farmers and aspiring farmers.
ITERATION 2
"Franken" Page
This iteration combined key ideas from our early sketches. We introduced an inspiring hero image paired with branded messaging to immediately communicate Downland’s purpose. Quick infographics offer a snapshot of who Downland is, while the layout was refined to clearly accommodate both core audiences: retiring farmers and aspiring farmers.
SOLUTION
Who is Downland Page
A large, visually striking hero image with a brief intro draws users in and sets the tone.
A compelling stat highlights changes in food production, helping establish Downland’s importance
Core benefits are presented clearly, giving users a quick understanding of what Downland offers
A visual breakdown of the process shows how the platform works, building trust and clarity
The clean layout limits how much detail is presented. More content or interactivity could be added without overwhelming users
DESIGN INSIGHT #2
Aspiring farmers are on the brink of something huge - but lack clarity on where and how to start
With limited access to land, little guidance, and no clear starting point, even the most motivated individuals can feel stuck. Our goal was to design an experience that meets these users where they are: curious, eager, and in need of direction.
Through the following iterations, we focused on breaking down complex ideas into simple, approachable steps that build clarity and trust.
ITERATION 1a & 1b
Sketching a Roadmap
We explored several ways to guide users and share information, testing different formats and content structures. Early on, we considered combining the roadmap and consultation intake, but found that users had different goals depending on what they were signing up for—so we kept them separate.
We also experimented with how to present curated recommendations and resources. Based on user feedback, we chose to focus this prototype on the roadmap, offering aspiring farmers a clear and actionable starting point.
We explored several ways to guide users and share information, testing different formats and content structures. We experimented with how to present curated recommendations and resources. Based on user feedback, we chose to focus this prototype on the roadmap, offering aspiring farmers a clear and actionable starting point.
ITERATION 3
Paving the Roadmap
The next iteration built on the idea of clarity by visualizing the journey as a winding road. By incorporating the curvature of an actual path, we created a layout that felt more natural and engaging. This design not only made the roadmap more interactive and easier to follow, but also allowed us to expand the amount of content without overwhelming the user.
SOLUTION
Farm Plan Roadmap
The final design introduces more color and brand elements, reinforcing Downland’s identity
The page maintains a clear, guided journey that is both visually appealing and easy to follow
The roadmap is broken into sections with associated timelines, helping users understand what to do and when to do it
Strategic CTAs throughout the page prompt users to take the next step
The visual design of the page is quite static in its current form, presenting opportunities for more interactivity in the future
SOLUTION
Farm Plan Roadmap
The final design introduces more color and brand elements, reinforcing Downland’s identity
The page maintains a clear, guided journey that is both visually appealing and easy to follow
The roadmap is broken into sections with associated timelines, helping users understand what to do and when to do it
Strategic CTAs throughout the page prompt users to take the next step
The visual design of the page is quite static in its current form, presenting opportunities for more interactivity in the future
IMPACT
A Transformative Platform
Our final prototype was met with enthusiasm from the client, who expressed strong satisfaction with both the direction and execution of our work. Downland plans to implement key elements of the design into their online platform moving forward.
"The experience working with this team helped Downland truly accelerate our product roadmap. They focus deeply on the customer first and not as an afterthought. They clearly articulated the problems to be solved and listen carefully. They carefully avoided scope creep in the process. The team delivered high definition wireframes in Figma ready for implementation."
"The experience working with this team helped Downland truly accelerate our product roadmap. They focus deeply on the customer first and not as an afterthought. They clearly articulated the problems to be solved and listen carefully. They carefully avoided scope creep in the process. The team delivered high definition wireframes in Figma ready for implementation."
-Jessi Roesch, Founder, Downland
WHAT WENT WELL
Client Satisfaction
The client was genuinely pleased with the final product, especially how clearly it communicated Downland’s purpose and how engaging the roadmap feature felt. Their positive feedback affirmed that our design met both strategic and emotional goals for the brand.
WHAT WENT WELL
Strong Team Collaboration
Our group collaborated exceptionally well throughout the project. We leaned into each team member’s strengths, and integrated those skills into a unified, thoughtful final product. Communication was smooth, and decision-making felt democratic and productive.
WHAT WENT WELL
Clear Research-to-Design Flow
From the beginning, we had a strong foundation in user research. This made it easier to stay aligned on user needs and build a design that felt purposeful and grounded. Each iteration was informed by real insights, which helped us move from ambiguity to clarity with confidence.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Mobile Responsiveness
While the desktop version of the experience was fully realized, the mobile experience remained underdeveloped. Building a mobile-responsive version would be an important next step, especially considering that many users may access the site from rural areas using smartphones.
WHAT WENT WELL
Broader User Coverage
The final prototype focused primarily on aspiring farmers, which made sense for our scope—but future versions could expand to better support additional audiences, such as retiring farmers and landowners. Addressing the full ecosystem would allow the product to reflect Downland’s broader mission more completely.
Thanks for stopping by, partner.
What’s next?
© 2025 Sam Surmon
Built in Framer
Thanks for stopping by, partner.
What’s next?
© 2025 Sam Surmon
Built in Framer
Thanks for stopping by, partner.
What’s next?
© 2025 Sam Surmon
Built in Framer
