A tool to help the earthquake victims and helpers to communicate and tackle a disaster.
#earthquakevictims
Overview
Role
Prompt
User Experience and Interaction Designer
Team
Individual Project
Client
Nutanix
Pick your scariest natural disaster scenario in the city of San Francisco. Think about the basic needs of the people affected. Think about what they will need at a time like this. Design a website or an app that helps them endure through this disaster.
Identify the pressing needs of the people residing in San Francisco and devising a mobile application to protect themselves and their near and dear ones during a disaster.
Goal
Tools
Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe XD, Customer interviews, Prototype testing
Duration
February 2019 (13/02/2020- 20/02/2020)
Solution
The mobile application designed is for earthquake victims and helpers.
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Natural Disasters occurring in San Francisco?
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of waves created by a sudden, significant displacement of the ocean floor. They can be generated by an underwater earthquake or landslide.
Storms
Severe storms can cause landslides, coastal flooding, and stormwater ponding in San Francisco.
A tsunami is a series of waves created by a sudden, significant displacement of the ocean floor. They can be generated by an underwater earthquake or landslide.
Earthquake
Fire
Uncontrolled fires spread across large distances can create a lot of issues. Extreme heat is harmful because it can push the human body beyond its limits.
Why did I consider earthquake as the most severe?
The ‘big one’ is predicted
There are many predictions regarding ‘The Big One’ (earthquake) to hit San Francisco yet again in the near future
The majority suffer during the earthquake
Catastrophic
02
01
03
Causes fire, tsunami
Uncontrolled fire can be caused by earthquakes
Research Process
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
Research
Interview
Persona
Ideation
Functionality
User Testing
Prototyping
Background research about both online and offline competitors
Conducted an online survey along with 6 user interviews and in order to form various solutions
Primary, secondary and anti- personas were developed
User flow diagrams along with a detailed road map produced
Several sketch mockups along with wireframes developed
A low fidelity prototype was produced for user testing after consolidating all the functional needs
A medium fidelity prototype was produced for user testing after consolidating all the functional needs
How does earthquake impact built structures?
How severe is the earthquake issue in San Francisco?
Levels Of Earthquake
The situation can be managed with the state resources.
The situation can be managed with the state resources with extra helping force.
The situation can not be handled with the state resources.
Current building scenario in San Francisco
San Francisco lives with the certainty that the Big One will come. But the city is also putting up taller and taller buildings clustered closer and closer together because of the state’s severe housing shortage.
​
“Ten percent of buildings will collapse,” Lucy Jones
“Enough buildings will be so badly damaged that people are going to find it too hard to live in L.A. or San Francisco.” Lucy Jones
How is the earthquake issue being tackled currently?
Technical resources such as real time video learning (YouTube, News, Instagram, Live videos)
Accessible E-learning which engages various types of users while narrating real time scenarios
Spontaneous updates and reactions by people actually involved in the situation; phone calls, text messages.
Mobile applications such as Fema, Red Cross, Facebbok and Live360. In addition there are various websites like Quora, Reddit
Offline resources such as meetups, drills, social gathering events, info sessions and networking events
What did I learn from the competitive analysis study?
STRENGTHS
1. Receive verified alerts
2. Get safety reminders
3. Locate open shelters
4. Upload and share photos
1. Fails to report disasters in lesser known areas
2. Maps are blurry often times
3. No voice notification
4. Takes a lot of time to update
WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS
1. Preparation tips
2. Geo targeted notifications
3. In app notifications without using wifi
4. Hospitals and medical care information
WEAKNESSES
1. No option to turn off unwanted push notifications
2. Lacks any real usable advice
3. Visually not appealing
4. Sponsored content at times misleading
STRENGTHS
1.Can work without internet
2.Chat on groups and personal chats
3.Automated call upon accident notification
4.Track people
WEAKNESSES
1.No preparing tips
2.Technical glitches
3.No firsthand information detail
4.Does not inform about the real situation
Key takeaways from the background research
Users affected by earthquake and the rescuers who are not able to reach them
No application can resolve all the needs of the victims
Current technologies are not providing on the door step delivery during disaster
San Francisco is undergoing massive construction which may lead to catastrophic disaster when a high magnitude earthquake strikes
THE PROBLEM
DISTRIBUTED HELP
DELIVERY
BUILT
Who did I interview and why?
Before starting my design I wanted to reach out to my potential users in order to get to the depth of their painpoints. I conducted a survey before, so that I could get a summary of the different types of audience and further selected my users for interview based on that. I conducted a survey including 30 people and further I interviewed 6 participants. 3 of them were people who have faced an earthquake and 3 who have helped during an earthquake. In addition as the scope of the problem was wide and incorporated users that I did not have immediate access to, I conducted user research of 2 interviews of disastrous earthquake survivors.
‘35 surveys + 6 interviews + 2 Interviews Research’
3 users who have faced an earthquake
3 users who have helped during an earthquake
2 user interview research, who survived disastrous earthquake
What did I ask them?
Questions earthquake survivors were asked
Questions earthquake rescuers were asked
1.When did you realize it was an earthquake?
2.What was your first reaction?
3.How did others around you react?
4.Were you able to locate the exit points from the building?
5.Was their any damage of life and property?
6.How did you inform your near & dear ones that you are safe?
7.Do you think the entire situation could be better?
8.As an earthquake survivor, what changes would you like to propose to help improve the situation?
1. How many times have you been able to help earthquake victims?
2. How do you get to know about the location of the people?
3. Is there any common thread among the victims from various earthquake disasters?
4. What communication technique did you use? How could it be improved?
5. How much time did it take to rescue all the survivors? Were there any causalities? What in your opinion, causes unexpected causalities?
6. What are the biggest issues that the rescue team is undergoing currently?
7. Are there any situations in which you would disobey a direct order? If so, when and why?
8. If there was an earthquake in your hometown, how would you design the evacuation plan?
What did real survivors say?
1.https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7399854/indonesia-earthquake-tsunami-survivors-death-toll-latest/
2.https://www.npr.org/2018/10/07/655345679/survivors-recall-deadly-earthquake-and-tsunami-in-indonesia
3.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-man-who-survived-two-tsunamis-i-feel-as-if-my-family-is-being-chased-2246330.html
4.https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-mexico-earthquake-survivors-20170928-story.html
What are the 3 major user needs based on my research?
VICTIM
RESCUER
All the victims shall be aware about the escape routes and the techniques needed to be well prepared before an earthquake
The victim should be able to inform the emergency contact holders as well as the near and dear ones immediately
Rehabilitation and recovery of themselves and the family
Instead of wasting time to locate the victim, a tool that helps locate the exact position of the victim
Enough resources in terms of budget and helping staff to be able to reach the victim and help them
Help the victim connect them to their family and rehabilitate them
Find the victim
Provide Food and Shelter
Calm the victim
Communicate Well
Recover
Be Prepared
Defining the problem and the constraints
WHAT
Create a mobile application that will be available to the earthquake victims and rescuers of San Francisco to maintain safety and privacy.
WHO
The mobile application will target two categories, the earthquake victims and the experienced rescuers. ​
WHY
Defining the problem set and the constraints will provide a concise framework to tackle the problem efficiently.
HOW
Enable willing people to connect and guide. The application will utilize the floor plans of each building the people are staying in and will let them send push notifications during panic attacks.
WHEN
The application can be used before, during and after the disaster.
Why do I want to create a mobile application?
Digital broadcasting
GPS/ Navigation
Easy Access
What assumptions have I chosen?
Own a smart phone
All the users will own a smart phone which has enough memory to download an application
Access to internet
Either mobile data or wifi will be accessible to all the users
Users living in San Francisco
Both the earthquake victims and the rescuers are locally based of San Francisco
Technology literate
All the users have been using a smart phone for the past 6 months on a daily basis
A drone delivery can reach the victim with all the needed things where a human cannot reach
Active drone delivery technology
Basic user flows
VICTIM
Basic User Flow
First time user
RESCUER
Basic User Flow
First time user
Considerations for the rescuer
The affect component describes the emotions that individuals experience during an emergency. The behavior component presents different possible behaviors during an emergency, that is, what people do. The cognitive component presents the decision-making process that people execute during an emergency.
Detailed user flow diagram
Detailed user flow diagram of Victim’s landing page
The landing page of the rescuer is similar, the only difference is that they will be providing information for all the subcategories .
Solution sketching
Wireframing
The user is asked to sign in order to maintain credibility and safety of all the users attached to the application, however incase of severe conditions the user can straight away push the notify button to help reach the emergency helpline. However the user cannot send personal texts to special numbers before signing in.
The user is greeted with a welcome screen where they have to choose 1 of 2 paths — Victim / Rescuer. The next screen prompts the user to input the details of their request including a description of the request and selection of relevant categories such as food delivery, transport, medicines etc. that helps in filtering & sorting through requests.
Inferences from 5 User Tests
The user tests provided me with the following feedback:
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I earlier had the most high level intensity earthquake colored as green. However people thought that was the minimum intensity
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Due to less screens the back and forth was confusing
Final Design Decisions
01: PREPAREDNESS
Prepares the user for the earthquake
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Reminds the user of their knowledge level
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Prepare through quiz/ courses
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Buy toolkits
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Plan everything ahead
02: EMERGENCY
Connects you with the important
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Upon pressing the ‘HELP ME’ button all the family contacts will be sent an alert and the phone will automatically go under battery save mode
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The user can update the contacts as and when required
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Call the contact directly
03: NOTIFICATIONS
Warns the users beforehand
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The red/yellow/ green color stand for the intensity of the earthquake
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Notifications can be sorted in order to list the needed ones
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Automatic bookmark
04: ESCAPE WALL
Bridge the gap between the digital and the physical
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The user can scan the escape route and the system will automatically create a 3D of the building which will be easier for finding the escape route rather than the 2D image.
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Locate shelters and other victims
05: ORDER BASICS
Let's the victim survive by getting the essentials quickly
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When a user is under extreme conditions, they can order food, water and battery for survival.
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If the Drone detects the location then the items will be delivered to them.
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The victim can reach the helper as well.
06: TOOLKIT
SETTINGS
The settings button lets the user, donate (money, blood), set search radius, change password etc.
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TOOLKIT
For the ease of the user the toolkit helps the user reach their immediate needs.
Reflection
TAKEAWAY
Scope & Demarcation
This helped me test my potential.
User Tests
I was able to incorporate so many user suggestions and iterate my prototype
Real & Honest
It's important to keep the prototype as real as possible while testing to receive honest feedback
Small Interventions
A good design solution is one that eventually solves the user problem.The smallest design interventions are the greatest
FUTURE
User Tests
In the future the testing could be increased to gain more feedback and suggestions and incorporate
Learn More Screen
Create more screens and prototypes to know more about the building
Add Notes
Add notes to the important things directly and bookmark them
Virtual Chatbot
Currently the app lets users interact and learn, in the future a virtual chatbot can be incorporated that can help the victims initial simple questions and link other websites like Reddit, Quora