UW Fall 23 Final Project
Halo: Enabling Safe Commuting from Campus for UW Students
Halo: Enabling Safe Commuting from Campus for UW Students
As part of my Human Centered Design class final project, I designed Halo, a reliable and user-friendly app that provides real-time guidance and connects students with walking buddies.
The goal was to empower students to commute confidently and securely from school, making their campus journeys safer and more worry-free.
As part of my Human Centered Design class final project, I designed Halo, a reliable and user-friendly app that provides real-time guidance and connects students with walking buddies.
The goal was to empower students to commute confidently and securely from school, making their campus journeys safer and more worry-free.
Project type
Project type
Case Study
Case Study
Skills
Skills
UX Design, UX Research
UX Design, UX Research
Location
Location
Seattle, WA
Seattle, WA
Involvement
Involvement
Primary Research, Mobile Interface Design, Prototyping
Primary Research, Mobile Interface Design, Prototyping
Role
Role
Product Designer
Product Designer
Timeline
Timeline
3 months
3 months
Background
Background
Students feel anxiety over traveling alone in incident prone areas
Students feel anxiety over traveling alone in incident prone areas
The Problem
While UW provides safe transportation methods such as the ‘Night Ride’ bus system, students still feel anxiety over walking alone to or from the stops in incident prone areas.
Students also have to take multiple safety measures when walking alone in incident-prone areas.
While UW provides safe transportation methods such as the ‘Night Ride’ bus system, students still feel anxiety over walking alone to or from the stops in incident prone areas.
Students also have to take multiple safety measures when walking alone in incident-prone areas.
Insights
To quickly gather data about students’ commuting experiences and safety concerns, I conducted a user survey. I then conducted eight user interviews with UW students to dig deeper into main issues and their overall personal experiences in commuting to and from campus.
To quickly gather data about students’ commuting experiences and safety concerns, I conducted a user survey. I then conducted eight user interviews with UW students to dig deeper into main issues and their overall personal experiences in commuting to and from campus.
How Might We…
How Might We…
Help students feel safer while commuting to and from campus?
Help students feel safer while commuting to and from campus?
Ideation
Ideation
Designed a concept to match students with walking buddies
Designed a concept to match students with walking buddies
The user research showed that while students knew many safety measures they could carry out on their own, the ones that actually helped them feel safe involved being in touch with others. However, they did not want to inconvenience others especially at night time to reach out for help.
The user research showed that while students knew many safety measures they could carry out on their own, the ones that actually helped them feel safe involved being in touch with others. However, they did not want to inconvenience others especially at night time to reach out for help.
To address this issue, I decided to design a commuting app that would match UW students with other students around them to walk together and notify each other when they safely reach their destinations. After exploring various platforms such as a map, dashboard, and match-making page, I decided to utilize a map to easily identify students close by, and add additional features regarding safety information.
To address this issue, I decided to design a commuting app that would match UW students with other students around them to walk together and notify each other when they safely reach their destinations. After exploring various platforms such as a map, dashboard, and match-making page, I decided to utilize a map to easily identify students close by, and add additional features regarding safety information.
Sketching
Sketching
Building a navigation system for intuitiveness, consistency, and user-control
Building a navigation system for intuitiveness, consistency, and user-control
Research also showed that students were willing to spend a few extra minutes going home if it was a safer path. They wanted more control over the type of routes that they were being provided. Based on these insights, I executed our initial sketching of the app through focusing on three key design goals: intuitive, consistent, and user-control.
To help structure the mid-fidelity wireframes, I created a user flow that focused on finding a more suitable route, finding a buddy to commute together, and adding and viewing incidents in the area. I also integrated a UW login stage where only UW students could access the data for location data privacy.
Research also showed that students were willing to spend a few extra minutes going home if it was a safer path. They wanted more control over the type of routes that they were being provided. Based on these insights, I executed our initial sketching of the app through focusing on three key design goals: intuitive, consistent, and user-control.
To help structure the mid-fidelity wireframes, I created a user flow that focused on finding a more suitable route, finding a buddy to commute together, and adding and viewing incidents in the area. I also integrated a UW login stage where only UW students could access the data for location data privacy.
Concept Testing
Concept Testing
The buddy system resonated with students, but was difficult to activate…
The buddy system resonated with students, but was difficult to activate…
I did concept testing to assess users’ ability to complete basic in-app tasks. While testing initial designs, students gave positive feedback that the buddy system enabled quick discovery of people to commute with as well as give them a chance to make new social connections. However, they encountered some difficulties navigating the buddy system.
I did concept testing to assess users’ ability to complete basic in-app tasks. While testing initial designs, students gave positive feedback that the buddy system enabled quick discovery of people to commute with as well as give them a chance to make new social connections. However, they encountered some difficulties navigating the buddy system.
Iterations
Iterations
Resolving critical issues on completing a seamless journey
Resolving critical issues on completing a seamless journey
01 Selecting a Well-lit Path
Trouble activating buddy-seeking toggle button and understanding buddy icons on the map.
Solutions:
→ Provide clear indicators for the toggle button by adding description text.
→ Improve visual icons on the map by adding bitmoji icons for friends.
→ Clarify buddy seeking card regarding buddy location.
Trouble activating buddy-seeking toggle button and understanding buddy icons on the map.
Solutions:
→ Provide clear indicators for the toggle button by adding description text.
→ Improve visual icons on the map by adding bitmoji icons for friends.
→ Clarify buddy seeking card regarding buddy location.
02 Finding Walking Buddies
Trouble activating buddy-seeking toggle button and understanding buddy icons on the map.
Solutions:
→ Provide clear indicators for the toggle button by adding description text.
→ Improve visual icons on the map by adding bitmoji icons for friends.
→ Clarify buddy seeking card regarding buddy location.
Trouble activating buddy-seeking toggle button and understanding buddy icons on the map.
Solutions:
→ Provide clear indicators for the toggle button by adding description text.
→ Improve visual icons on the map by adding bitmoji icons for friends.
→ Clarify buddy seeking card regarding buddy location.
03 Completing a Walking Journey
Confused about the purpose of the ‘Check-in’ button and the ‘Met Buddy’ button.
Solutions:
→ Clarify text on starting and ending journey after meeting with buddy.
→ Add a ‘send message’ button for better communication.
→ Add a message whether user would like to track buddy.
Confused about the purpose of the ‘Check-in’ button and the ‘Met Buddy’ button.
Solutions:
→ Clarify text on starting and ending journey after meeting with buddy.
→ Add a ‘send message’ button for better communication.
→ Add a message whether user would like to track buddy.
Final Solution
Scenario 1
Scenario 1
Student wants to find buddies near them to walk together when they feel unsafe
Student wants to find buddies near them to walk together when they feel unsafe
Set departure time and destination to discover friends and anonymous strangers heading in a similar direction.
Track your buddy until safe journey completion to encourage a safe and caring community.
Set departure time and destination to discover friends and anonymous strangers heading in a similar direction.
Track your buddy until safe journey completion to encourage a safe and caring community.
Scenario 2
Scenario 2
Student wants to adjust route option to find a well-lit path
Student wants to adjust route option to find a well-lit path
Provides 3 route options (well-lit, populated, and fast) based on open sources enabling flexibility upon specific commuting contexts.
Quickly alter between routes through filter tags
Provides 3 route options (well-lit, populated, and fast) based on open sources enabling flexibility upon specific commuting contexts.
Quickly alter between routes through filter tags
Scenario 3
Scenario 3
Student wants to view real-time incidents around their way home
Student wants to view real-time incidents around their way home
Crowdsourced alert system provides real-time, safety information to offer insights specific to routes and areas.
Users can share safety information in the area, and build a mutual assistance network to help make informed decisions about their commute.
Crowdsourced alert system provides real-time, safety information to offer insights specific to routes and areas.
Users can share safety information in the area, and build a mutual assistance network to help make informed decisions about their commute.
Future Opportunities
Future Opportunities
01 Implementing automated stalker detection to enhance security and peace of mind for users
01 Implementing automated stalker detection to enhance security and peace of mind for users
If I had more time, I would explore adding an automated stalker detection feature using the GPS and map function to detect any suspicious following activities during a user’s commute.
By utilizing real-time location data and behavioral analytics, the feature would detect and notify users of potential stalking incidents, providing an additional layer of security as well as concerns related to misuse of data.
If I had more time, I would explore adding an automated stalker detection feature using the GPS and map function to detect any suspicious following activities during a user’s commute.
By utilizing real-time location data and behavioral analytics, the feature would detect and notify users of potential stalking incidents, providing an additional layer of security as well as concerns related to misuse of data.
02 Adding voice-activated SOS alerts for emergency situations
02 Adding voice-activated SOS alerts for emergency situations
Another feature I would add would be an easy and accessible way to activate SOS alerts. I would focus on using the user’s voice, providing a quick and discreet way to call for help in potentially threatening situations. By incorporating voice activation, the app would cater to scenarios where users may be unable to use their hands, such as during an emergency or when feeling unsafe.
Another feature I would add would be an easy and accessible way to activate SOS alerts. I would focus on using the user’s voice, providing a quick and discreet way to call for help in potentially threatening situations. By incorporating voice activation, the app would cater to scenarios where users may be unable to use their hands, such as during an emergency or when feeling unsafe.
What I Learned
What I Learned
Speaking through the user’s language and using nonverbal elements are important
Speaking through the user’s language and using nonverbal elements are important
Through concept and usability testing, I learned the importance of speaking through the user’s language. Reinstating CTA with nonverbal elements like icons and using user-oriented dialogue helped improve the intuitively of the app.
I also learned to effectively communicate between designers and researchers to navigate through potential usability challenges. All-in-all, this project allowed me to practice the end-to-end UX design process in a team setting, allowing me to develop my collaboration and participatory design skills for a highly usable app.
Although there were some initial concerns on ensuring safety when providing users’ locations, we successfully overcame them by integrating safety measures such as a UW login stage and ‘opting-in/out’ for user control. We got a lot of positive feedback about the app that it was a good way to make new connections and get immediate assistance.