Background:
Thought of by a retired Chief of Police, this non-emergency reporting mobile app is born from a deep understanding of public safety needs. It's designed to empower communities by providing a simple, accessible, and secure platform for reporting non-urgent incidents.
objective:
Since the original design of the app was not achieving the goals they were hoping for, I was tasked with redesigning the mobile app to help improve engagement and motivate police agencies to launch a pilot in their communities. The solution must encompass a user-centric approach, streamlined reporting processes, and a seamless interaction between the community and law enforcement.
my role:
Responsible for redesign, discovery and ideation, user research, interaction design and prototype
timeline:
September 2021-December 2021
RESEARCH
User interviews:
To better understand people's attitudes about the current state of reporting crimes, we interviewed 20 participants and received 40 survey responses. We learned the many obstacles that deter people from calling police and reporting incidents. The disconnect between the public and law enforcements can lead to delayed response times, underreported incidents, and an overall compromise in community safety.
88% of Participants Expressed That They Would Prefer Reporting Incidents Via Mobile App versus Calling Directly.
Over 60% of Responses Rated Their Level of Comfortability when Interacting with Police Officers Directly Between 'Very Uncomfortable' and 'Neutral'.
Competitive analysis:
In the evaluation of three prominent safety mobile apps - Citizen App, Noonlight, and SaferWatch - several key strengths and weaknesses emerge, providing valuable insights into the competitive landscape of this market. Accessibility remains a common challenge across all three apps, highlighting a key area of improvement.
Citizen App stands out with its strong funding and marketing efforts, aesthetic website design, and media recognition, despite its issues with customer reviews and reliability. Users expressed that there was an overwhelming amount of irrelevant information that is highlighted in the feed, with complaints about false reporting.
Noonlight's strength lies in its life-saving panic button feature but is limited in functionality.
SaferWatch, while focusing on a specific geographic area, lags behind in terms of design and utility.
INSIGHTS
CHALLENGES + PAIN POINTS:
The research findings allowed us to understand user motivations, pain points and expectations. We discovered several design principles and features that should be incorporated into the design:
IDEATE
Next, I assembled the insights into a visual framework to better understand the users and to ensure a clear and consistent experience.
USER JOURNEY MAP:
Most users expressed that at times, it can be distressing to interact with law enforcement during an incident. I wanted to visualize and map out user's emotions, needs, and pain points at each stage, helping to identify opportunities for improvement. Ultimately, the goal is to design a mobile reporting system that not only meets functional requirements but also prioritizes the user's safety, trust, and confidence in law enforcement services.
REPORTING ECOSYSTEM
When a person calls the police to report a crime or incident, their call is typically received by a trained dispatcher at a centralized emergency call center. The dispatcher's role is to collect essential information, such as the location, type of incident, and any available details about suspects or victims.
What isn't collected during this crucial conversation is physical evidence that the person calling may have. Currently, there is not an easy way to easily submit photo or video evidence to police. Evidence from the witness is collected after dispatch decides the priority level of the incident, and after that info is relayed to on-duty officer.
LO-FI WIREFRAMES:
After collecting a wealth of information, I had enough to start with wireframes to outline the structure and user flow, while incorporating user feedback.
DESIGN
SOLUTION 1 - ACCESSIBILITY
The target audience for this solution spans various age groups and backgrounds, making it probable that they are likely to have some level of familiarity with popular social media platforms. The goal was to mirror some of the behaviors of these popular sites, with clear visual hierarchy and patterns.
This inclusivity ensures that a broader range of people can use the app, regardless of their tech-savviness or prior experience with reporting incidents to the police.
SOLUTION 2 - TRANSPARENCY
Two-way communication enables the public to receive real-time updates on the status of their reported incidents. This transparency keeps users informed about the progress of their reports, reducing anxiety and uncertainty during critical situations.
The goal with this design decision is to foster an environment where citizens feel heard, valued, and actively involved in ensuring public safety, ultimately contributing to greater trust in law enforcement agencies.
SOLUTION 3 - ENGAGEMENT
By sourcing crime updates directly from the police CAD system, it prioritizes safety-related information, eliminating the noise of non-critical or irrelevant content. Users can access updates that directly impact their safety and well-being, improving the app's utility.
SOLUTION #4: REAL-TIME UPDATES
Real-time updates fosters trust between users and the app's services, making it a vital component in the overall effectiveness of the platform. Tracking the arrival of a security professional, and receiving live location updates is a vital component in the overall effectiveness of the platform in addressing personal security needs.
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Handoff:
In addition to the visual UI elements, we included detailed notes about the user experience and interactions throughout the figma file for the developer to use. We presented the app for review to the client and the feedback was positive and was approved for development.
CHALLENGES:
