Overview

Inspired by recent allegations of gender-based violence at Western University, I spent 48 hours creating omw (on my way!)—a real-time navigation tool that enables users to safely commute to their destination with greater peace of mind.

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Problem Statement

After numerous team discussions, we arrived at the following problem statement:

How can we enable users to feel safe when walking alone?

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Research

To validate that travelling independently was, in fact, an uncomfortable process for some, I sent out a quick google survey (screenshots of key results provided below). Although the sample size was small (23 responses) and consisted of mostly females, the results were revealing. Nearly 65% of respondents have been in a situation where they felt unsafe on campus.

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User Personas

Based on the insights gleaned from our user research, I came up with two user personas, each representing one facet of the multi-sided platform:

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Execution

I began by brainstorming user flows for each persona, understanding that the needs of each segment were uniquely distinct:

I then conducted usability tests on the low-fidelity wireframes before designing the high-fidelity versions. The design process was highly iterative in nature, as the team often went back-and-forth considering varying layouts and functionalities before settling on the final design.

‍Solution

Our solution consisted of 3 main features:

1. Route Optimization: The app identifies the safest route from point A to point B by avoiding areas where a substantial number of gender-based violence cases have occurred. The route is displayed in an easy-to-understand, visual format, and users simply follow the step-by-step directions.
2. Heat Map Visualization: The app creates a heat map based on which areas are most dangerous. Users can browse this map to learn more about their surrounding environment and make informed decisions about their travel.‍
3. Peer Notification System: Users can input emergency contacts with whom their respective journeys will be shared. This contact will be able to view the user’s whereabouts/journey progress and will be notified upon safe arrival.

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