EATON EMERGENCY NETWORK
MY ROLES
DESIGNED desktop and mobile interactions based on human factors research of emergency scenarios
CONDUCTED USER INTERVIEWS with disaster survivors, urban planners, and local utility managers
DESIGNED desktop and mobile interactions based on human factors research of emergency scenarios
CONDUCTED USER INTERVIEWS with disaster survivors, urban planners, and local utility managers
SYNTHESIZED USER RESEARCH from prototype usability testing and ethnographic research
TEAM
ProductAishwarya Dwivedi - Product Manager
Cameron Erdogan - Engineer
Deepika Mittal - UX Designer
Emily Osborne - UX Researcher
- Role
- UX Designer
ProductAishwarya Dwivedi - Product Manager
Cameron Erdogan - Engineer
Deepika Mittal - UX Designer
Emily Osborne - UX Researcher
① BRIEF
Natural disasters affect over 157 million people every year, worsened by urban overpopulation and climate change.
Eaton tasked my team with designing a product or service that would allow them to enter the disaster management space. Our challenge was to find a way to leverage existing Eaton produts to help people in disaster situations.
Eaton tasked my team with designing a product or service that would allow them to enter the disaster management space. Our challenge was to find a way to leverage existing Eaton produts to help people in disaster situations.
② INTERACTIONS
1. CONNECT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
A mesh network is provided by self-powered street lights or disaster resilient buildings. Disaster survivors can access this network from any mobile device.
We designed the wi-fi connection to be simple and easy to understand. Branding provides confidence that this network is in affiliation with the local government. The language and use of a captive portal hints to users that the scope of this connection is limited to critical functions.
A mesh network is provided by self-powered street lights or disaster resilient buildings. Disaster survivors can access this network from any mobile device.
We designed the wi-fi connection to be simple and easy to understand. Branding provides confidence that this network is in affiliation with the local government. The language and use of a captive portal hints to users that the scope of this connection is limited to critical functions.
2. REPORT WHAT IS NEEDED
Once connected to wi-fi, disaster survivors can request food and water, medical supplies, or home goods. Survivors can also message friends and family members to tell them they're safe.
Questions are simple so that users can answer them quickly in a stressful situation. A few of the questions can be customized to more accurately reflect the needs of local people.
Once connected to wi-fi, disaster survivors can request food and water, medical supplies, or home goods. Survivors can also message friends and family members to tell them they're safe.
Questions are simple so that users can answer them quickly in a stressful situation. A few of the questions can be customized to more accurately reflect the needs of local people.
3. SEND HELP WHERE IT MATTERS MOST
Data from the mesh network is collected via drone transfer in areas hardest hit by disaster damage. First responders, local governments, and utility companies can quickly visualize what supplies are needed, and where. The first response platform is designed to be a basic information source that can be printed, or exported to other data visualization software.
Data from the mesh network is collected via drone transfer in areas hardest hit by disaster damage. First responders, local governments, and utility companies can quickly visualize what supplies are needed, and where. The first response platform is designed to be a basic information source that can be printed, or exported to other data visualization software.
4. MAKE SURE LOVED ONES ARE SAFE
When data is collected from drone pickups, messages from disaster survivors are forwarded to their friends and family. Loved ones can receive messages as emails or SMS messages that launch a secure portal. Once they receive a message, users can respond and link all phone numbers and emails to one account.
When data is collected from drone pickups, messages from disaster survivors are forwarded to their friends and family. Loved ones can receive messages as emails or SMS messages that launch a secure portal. Once they receive a message, users can respond and link all phone numbers and emails to one account.
③ RESEARCH
Why does disaster response fail?
INTERVIEWS AND CO-DESIGN
We spoke to first responders, NGOs, professors of disaster management, and alternative energy experts about the challenges of natural disasters. We also traveled to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, interviewing people on the street about their experiences living months without power.
While in Puerto Rico, we had the opportunity to hold a co-design session with members of ACUDE, a local disaster readiness NGO.
We spoke to first responders, NGOs, professors of disaster management, and alternative energy experts about the challenges of natural disasters. We also traveled to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, interviewing people on the street about their experiences living months without power.
While in Puerto Rico, we had the opportunity to hold a co-design session with members of ACUDE, a local disaster readiness NGO.
PERSONAS AND JOURNEY MAPS
We created personas and user journeys based on actual people we interviewed in Puerto Rico. These informed the direction of our design solutions.
We created personas and user journeys based on actual people we interviewed in Puerto Rico. These informed the direction of our design solutions.
INSIGHT
The most important issue for survivors was not the lack of electricity, but the inability to communicate with loved ones and first responders.
The most important issue for survivors was not the lack of electricity, but the inability to communicate with loved ones and first responders.
When government aid was unreliable, survivors relied on friends and neighbors to share supplies and information.
Alternative energy sources would have lessened the damage from the hurricane, and would have taken less time to repair.
First responders and utility companies lacked data needed to prioritize aid and repairs after the hurricane.
OPPORTUNITY
1. Make communication a priority.
1. Make communication a priority.
2. Focus on allowing survivors to help themselves and their communities.
3. Whatever technology we used could not rely on the traditional power grid.
4. Provide a clear way for survivors to assess what they need first hand, and make that information transparent to those providing aid.
④ DESIGN
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
We used the Google Sprint method to generate dozens of design ideas, including drone mapping, social networking, and alternative forms of energy.
We used the Google Sprint method to generate dozens of design ideas, including drone mapping, social networking, and alternative forms of energy.
STORYBOARDS
We created five storyboards from our initial concepts, to reflect potential solutions for disaster situations. We speed-dated the concepts with our contacts in Puerto Rico, Red Cross employees, and Eaton engineers to see if the scenarios shown resonated with our stakeholders.
We created five storyboards from our initial concepts, to reflect potential solutions for disaster situations. We speed-dated the concepts with our contacts in Puerto Rico, Red Cross employees, and Eaton engineers to see if the scenarios shown resonated with our stakeholders.
WIREFRAMES AND USER TESTING
Our design concept began to take shape around an emergency Internet portal that could be accessed via mobile phone. We iterated several prototypes for gathering information from disaster survivors, often under stressful conditions.
We found that printing Balsamiq wireframes on paper allowed us to user test the screens so that they felt like a physical artifact, and we could create distractions like those experienced by someone in a disaster situation.
Our design concept began to take shape around an emergency Internet portal that could be accessed via mobile phone. We iterated several prototypes for gathering information from disaster survivors, often under stressful conditions.
We found that printing Balsamiq wireframes on paper allowed us to user test the screens so that they felt like a physical artifact, and we could create distractions like those experienced by someone in a disaster situation.
⑤ LESSONS LEARNED
1. YOU DON’T ALWAYS BUILD WHAT YOU EXPECT
Eaton is first and foremost an electric and power manufacturing company, so we naturally assumed we would build a service that centered around power. However, user research lead us down the unexpected path of mesh networking and data management.
Eaton is first and foremost an electric and power manufacturing company, so we naturally assumed we would build a service that centered around power. However, user research lead us down the unexpected path of mesh networking and data management.