Map Dashboard
Safer Route Choice
Danger Area Detail
Safe Route & Crime Alert
Walk Guard will guide users to a safer route avoiding the danger areas, also alerting users.
Safety Map
Area Detail
Safety House Directionn
Danger Area & Safety House
Verified safety house in the community will be listed on Map. Dangerous Areas will be Specified. People can go to nearby safety house to seek for help when facing danger.
Notification & Emergency
Users will be notified when there’s a danger nearby. When user is using Google map, she/he can report danger on app clip.
Report Danger
APP Clip (while walking)
Danger Notification
Walk Guard
Goals and Motivations
We understand the pervasive fear of potential dangers that accompanies independent living for women.
The desire to empower individuals to feel confident and secure in their living environments.
Foster community collaboration to create a supportive, safe environment.
Overview
Ethnographic Study
Cultural Probes
UX Research
Ethnographic Study
Cultural Probes
Methodologies
This method involved a quick and immersive approach to understanding the target user group, their experiences, and their needs within their natural environment. The study is effective in the context of addressing the concerns of individuals, particularly college women, who live alone and preventing potential harassment and harm. It allows us to quickly gather rich qualitative data, fostering a deep understanding of the users' perspectives and behaviors.
Overview
Research Insights:
Studies reveal specific challenges women face when living alone, including increased vulnerability to safety risks and social isolation.
Research underscores the significant impact of neighborhood environments on women's perceptions of safety and their overall well-being.
Investigations into loneliness among university students highlight emotional vulnerabilities during transitional life stages.
Safety concerns on college campuses are a focal point, addressing issues such as campus lighting, security patrols, and emergency response systems.
Young women in urban settings employ various safety strategies, including avoiding certain areas, using safety apps, and participating in community watch programs.
Research Goals
Our goal is to explore and mitigate safety challenges faced by women, especially college students living alone off-campus. The project seeks to uncover insights into their experiences, perceptions, and safety behaviors to create strategies that promote safer living environments.
Background
Street Lights
Encounters
Side Walks
Location
Experience/Emotions
Transportation
Affinity Diagram
They walk faster in areas off-campus at night
Participants are specifically aware of areas without street lights, feeling wary of them
Findings
They will choose to walk home during the day time but feel less safe at night to do so
Affinity Diagram
User Personas
Independent
Passive
Have safety conscious
Dependent
Active
Don’t have safety conscious
Busy
Time rich
Timid
Bold
Introvert
Extrovert
Personality
“Walking alone after 12am is natural”
20
Information Science
Junior
Asian
Introverted
Mary is a junior who lives alone in college town. She often goes back at midnight because she needs to practice in her dance club, breakfree and loko. Mary used to take bus to her apartment, but due to the construction in Collegetown, she has to walk, and sometimes needs to change her route because of construction. She feels the path back home is safe because it’s close to campus and have street light all night.
Bio
Independent
Passive
Have safety conscious
Dependent
Active
Don’t have safety conscious
Busy
Time rich
Timid
Bold
Introvert
Extrovert
Personality
Amanda
“Lab work means no estimate time of
going back”
20
Pre-med
Sophomore
Asian
Extroverted, enthusiastic
Amanda is a sophomore who lives alone in Ithaca Downtown. She often goes back at 9pm-10pm for her lab work. She often stops by college town for food and then Uber home. Her transportation includes bus and Uber. Sometimes she will text her friend the Uber plate number just to be safe. Amanda chose to live alone this year because she wanted more personal space, and she found Ithaca downtown is a relatively unsafe place after living there for a year.
Bio
Independent
Passive
Have safety conscious
Dependent
Active
Don’t have safety conscious
Busy
Time rich
Timid
Bold
Introvert
Extrovert
Personality
Claire
“Fifth year at Cornell but first year
living alone”
22
InfoSci MPS
First year master
Asian
Shy
Claire is a fifth year student at Cornell, she studies AEM. It’s her first year living alone because her roommate graduated last year. She is an introverted and shy girl who doesn’t have a lot of friends around. She always called her boyfriends if anything happened, who currently studies in CMU. Claire one got threatened by a stranger, by drawing smiley face on her door, and she became more concerned about safety since then. She bought a door knob but haven’t used it. She wished there can be more street lights in Downtown Ithaca.
Bio
WALK GUARD
Mary
UX Design
Prioritization
Project Goals
Information Architecture
User Flow
UI Design
Overview
Safety Rating Card
10 cards featuring images of various streets and areas in Ithaca were rated based on perceived safety on a scale of 1-5
Scenarios related to safety concerns that female college students may encounter were presented with a questionnaire
Crisis Simulation
Safety Mapping
Participants used an Ithaca Map to mark areas where street lights are necessary, surveillance systems are needed, and their route
Findings
Users believe certain streets and areas in College town and Ithaca Downtown need street lights or a surveillance system
Areas that are dimly-lit, have fewer people, quieter, and without car routes were perceived as most unsafe
Users will take alternative paths if they notice suspicious people on their route
Only when they feel they are in serious danger will they call CUPD
Users resort to items like pepper spray or their keys as self defense gears
Safety preferences
& concerns
Self-protection
measures
Need for better
surveillance systems
User’s daily route
Environmental
factors
Need for more
street lights
Safety preferences
& concerns
Self-protection
measures
Need for better
surveillance systems
User’s daily route
Environmental
factors
Need for more
street lights
UX RESEARCH
UX DESIGN
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UI DESIGN
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WALK GUARD
Google Map
Safety Feature
Share Location
Report to Police
Report Danger
Danger Notification
Safety House
Danger Area
Specification
nk549@cornell.edu