App for Disaster Assist

A Design Exercise for Wipro Digital A system to connect both victims and help providers, during disaster situations.

SHUBHAM SHREYA +91 750 755 1066 shubham.graphicdesign@gmail.com

OVERVIEW During a natural calamity, humanity usually wins over any disaster. People go out of the way to help each other. On one side there are people who face life threatening challenges and on the other, there are groups of volunteers ready to help the people in need.

In the wake of recent floods, it has become crucial to come up with a better system to keep ourselves prepared and alert for emergency situations.

OPPORTUNITY IDENTIFICATION Calamities strike without biases. About 60% of landmass in India is prone to earthquakes, over 40 million hectares prone to floods, about 8% area prone to cyclones and 68% susceptible to drought.

In order to have maximum reach in disaster struck areas and to people in need, we must turn to the largest established system in our country - the government. Currently, there is the National Disaster Management Act, 2005Â in place that lays down a few processes and implementation measures in the event/anticipation of disasters.

CURRENT PROVISIONS 1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

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Coordinating response to natural/man-made disasters Capacity-building in disaster resiliency Crisis response Building guidelines

2. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

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Located at 12 different locations in the country based on the vulnerability profile Cut down the response time for their deployment Build a safer, disaster resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive, multi-disaster and technology driven strategies for disaster management.

Regular and intensive training and re-training, familiarisation exercises within the area of responsibility, carrying out mock drills and joint exercises

KEY MEASURES 1. Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster 2. Mitigation/reduction of risk of a disaster and its severity/consequences 3. Capacity-building 4. Preparedness to deal with any disaster 5. Prompt response to any disaster situation 6. Evacuation, rescue and relief

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF Creating a system supported by an app that will help in creating a more prepared country and connected community at times of calamities and disasters, integrated with government efforts.

Research

DESIGN PROCESS

User Interface (UI) Design

User Stories

Use cases

Wireframe

Information Architecture

User journeys

Task flows

RESEARCH INSIGHTS

USER INSIGHTS

Research insights were gathered by talking to a volunteer and her experiences

I spoke to a few people who were affected by the Chennai flood and recent Mumbai flood to gain better insight

• First responders are localites. Their knowledge about areas proves most useful

• Reaching a safe zone (mostly home) is top priority.

Victims want to know how much time it would take to do so in the current scenario.

• Overflow of supplies in some rehabilitation areas, while others have a lack • Many services and non-experienced help needed in most camps - but volunteers are not aware of the avenues • Theft and security issues

• Communication with others about their and own safety is essential • Getting updates on what is happening - damage as well as relief efforts

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Internal groups started forming to tackle the situation, in the case of people who were stranded at public places like offices, stations etc.

• Lot of misguided and haphazard relief efforts • Would have liked prior intimation and action from concerned authorities.

• Localites were forming isolated rescue and help parties

INTERVENTION SYSTEM-LEVEL

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Integration of govt. initiatives into school and community level programs Mandatory signing up of all organisations, educational institutes, village panchayats etc, for the disaster assist measures and app/portal People in remote areas can be put on the grid by accessing the portal via certain common meeting points like voting centres Capacity building workshops and training programs for educational institutes, organisations, societies etc Setting up of an emergency line dedicated to addressing calamity concerns Awareness and preparedness programs

DESIGN

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Creating a common portal and database Easily accessible app App will connect individuals and the system and help in being better prepared for situations - by calling for group training efforts, establishing coordinators etc Link to govt initiatives, workshops, programs Identification of operation zones. Disaster severity is categorised into the main operation zones: cold, warm and hot. This provides the basis for deployment of volunteers and rescue and helps in setting up rehabilitation centres and medical sites.

DESIGN STEP

Information Architecture • The help provider can become the help seeker and vice versa. The design is done keeping in mind that the app can be a common platform for both these situations • App uses GPS data to pin-point location in case of emergencies.

• The app sends out a push-alert to all registered users in case of imminent calamities and issues a warning - asking people to turn on the location services. This helps ascertain the locations of the responders and potential victims and the operation zones • App onboarding sensitises users towards various features and when to use them

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Push notification and alerts

• User is directed to the Find section in the app where among other information, details about various safe sites and rehabilitation camps are provided. Closest site is suggested to user based on their location.

• Push notification

• Preparedness and prompt response

• On opening the app, user may receive alert message preparing them for safety measures

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Primary action - SOS & emergency call

• Primary action buttons given maximum visual hierarchy and placed keeping in mind thumb reach.

• User receives a confirmation message after sending out the SOS (distress signal).

This action puts the user’s location on the map which makes its easier to dispatch necessary help and provide relevant information.

The message aims to notify the user that help is on its way and the estimated time of arrival

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Notifications • Users can see notifications for the weather, life updates, operation zones and rehabilitation centers/safe sites

• Users can get information about rehab centres and the various requirements for each, based on location. this can guide them in case they would like to volunteer

• Information provided quickly as cards

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Home screen and menu

Home screen

• Easy access to other critical functions

Menu

• Purpose driven personalisation • Participatory acknowledgement adds to practical and theoretical database • Integration channels

• Function priority based on severity of need - emphasis on the life saving calls to action • Easy thumb-access

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Task: Volunteering for Services

Homescreen

Volunteer- Main

Services - display

Services - details

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Task: Volunteering for Services

Services - display

Services - select

Selection details

Selection details

DESIGN STEP

Paper Wireframes Task: Volunteering Supplies Homescreen

Volunteer- Main Supplies screen

Supplies - selected

DESIGN STEP

User Interface Design

INTRODUCING

Disaster Assist

A Govt. of India initiative to connect it’s citizens and provide relief during calamities and disasters.

DESIGN STEP

Task Flow Task: Giving food to rehabilitation centre

Link to Prototype

DESIGN STEP

User Interface Design | Details

DESIGN STEP

User Interface Design | Details

Thank you SHUBHAM SHREYA +91 750 755 1066 shubham.graphicdesign@gmail.com https://www.behance.net/shubhamshreya https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhamshreya/

USER INTERFACE | USER EXPERIENCE | BRAND | MARKETING