Safety Buddy
Overview
Safety Buddy, a mobile app created during my Master's program, aims to enhance personal safety. Developed over a 13-week period in Fall 2022, our team focused on addressing rising crime rates in Bloomington, crafting a solution to aid city navigation, especially for college students new to the area.
Team
Divya Pandey
Neha Goswami
Rohan Pinto
Kaustubh Salgaonkar
Nhu Luong
According to research, more than 80% of college students are highly concerned about their safety due to increased campus crimes, with close to no options for prevention available to them.
To gain insight into current student safety challenges, we analyzed available data on the subject
We started the process by conducting secondary research on the topic, gathering insights from existing data and information sources to gather insights and inform the design process.
Analysis of existing systems | Exploring safety
We discovered safety apps such as MySafetyPin, Saven, and My Keeper, designed to help users identify and avoid unsafe areas and situations, particularly those involving violence by strangers. These apps commonly include features like location-based services, personal alarms, and crowd-sourced information. Before our primary research, we investigated safety features on the widely-used iOS and Android platforms.
Exploring challenges through personal accounts
We conducted a survey and interviews with a diverse group of people in Bloomington to gather information about their commuting habits and safety concerns. We also spoke with IU students, professors, and the IU Police Department to gain a deeper understanding of the specific issues that make people feel unsafe and the measures currently in place to protect them.
Unveiling User Insights Through Affinity Mapping
By utilizing all the feedback collected from the survey and user interviews, we generated an affinity map that classified the responses into six distinct categories. This process allowed us to gain a deeper comprehension of the users' requirements, emotions, and action
Addressing Safety Concerns for Pedestrians and College Students Travelling Alone by Public Transport at Night
Help people reach a relatively safer location when feeling unsafe?
Help pedestrians communicate their emergency contact ASAP?
Increase the notion of communal safety for pedestrians?
Help people avoid unsafe situations?
Rapid Usability Testing
We crafted a basic prototype, let users engage, and evaluated its usability. This quick and cost-effective approach let us refine design concepts and enhance before diving into a high-fidelity build.Not only did usability testing assist us in refining the web app's features, but it also played a crucial role in shaping the overall conceptualization. For instance, it led to the inclusion of enhancements such as the ability to guide users to a secure location after utilizing the SOS feature.
Presenting, Safety Buddy
# 1 Access help in a dangerous situation through SOS in the most efficient manner.
# 1 Avoid walking alone at night by planning ahead.
A planner that reminds you of public transport available according to your calendar
# 1 Be in touch with your guardians or "Buddies" whenever you travel, along with a community based map that alerts you of dangers ahead.
Growth Nuggets, My Key Takeaways
Challenges
Our struggle was in narrowing our focus on the target users and core safety issues, navigating the broad scope of safety topics while innovating over existing solutions.
Critical Synthesis
Deciding who qualifies as a threat: Do we define it as someone armed, or simply perceived as dangerous? How does our design affect marginalized groups?
Future Scope
We aimed to enhance police collaboration, integrating smart systems like IoT devices such as smart light poles and speakers to ensure widespread safety across entire cities.
Designed by Divya Pandey
