Team
Vera, Mahreen, Patrick, Derrick
My Role
Product Design, Visual Design, Prototyping
Tools Used
Figma, Miro, Canva
Duration + Year
15 weeks, 2022
Overview
Famguard is a product that my team and I created, researched, and designed for our Human-Computer Interaction Course at Georgia State University.
We concentrated on the escalating issue of child abductions. Through research, brainstorming, iterative design, prototyping, and testing, we developed an effective solution that we believe ideally would improve child safety.
Highlights
In 2022, we had the opportunity to present FamGuard at Demo Day over at Georgia State University. We were able to pitch our project to representatives from companies like Meta, Microsoft, and more.
Jump to Outcomes
The Problem
Every day in the United States, an alarming number of over 2,300 children go missing due to various circumstances including kidnappings, getting lost, or runaway instances. The subsequent search and rescue operations for these missing children can extend from 3 hours to 72 hours.
Current systems lack efficacy in preventing abductions.
Discovery
Before diving into the design process, we explored various topics of interest. This led to several research papers, each highlighting a unique area. Eventually, we were drawn to a team member's proposal: an app allowing parents to track their children’s location continuously, even without a mobile device.
Card Sorting
During the discovery phase, my team and I undertook a group card sorting exercise. This visual organization helped refine our collective ideas, aiming to crystallize them into core concepts guiding our project's direction.
This image shows the card sorting exercise we carried out for FamGuard, which was instrumental in shaping the direction of our project.
Audience
Our target audience is parents and guardians committed to enhancing their children's safety.
Define
User Scenario
Jennifer, a busy single mom of three and a part-time college student, juggles work and her kids' schedules. She sometimes worries about her children's whereabouts, especially when her oldest son is late coming home. After learning from a co-worker about a new app, called FamGuard, that tracks children via their phone and a location-chipped item, she decided to give it a try.
One Friday, an alert from FamGuard showed her oldest son was not home, and his phone was off. Using the app, she tracked a ring she gave him to a movie theater near his school and remembered he'd mentioned going to the movies with friends. The app's tracking feature eased her concern and gave her peace of mind, knowing her son's whereabouts.
User Personas
Jerry. Father. 42.
Jerry is a father who lives in New York with his nine-year-old daughter. They live just a few blocks away from her school, and although Jerry commutes to work downtown by train, he always walks his daughter to school in the morning before leaving for the day. Since Jerry cannot be there when his daughter gets home from school, he has given her permission to walk home and let herself into their apartment building. To ensure his daughter's safety, Jerry uses the FamGuard app, which sends him an alert as soon as his daughter arrives home from school. If his daughter were to be running late, FamGuard would notify Jerry and display the level of urgency based on how long it has been since she was scheduled to arrive home. By using FamGuard, Jerry feels much more secure and at ease knowing that he can keep an eye on his daughter's well-being even when he's not around.
Laura. Mother. 30.
Laura is a physical therapist and a newly remarried woman who now lives in a blended family with her husband and their three children. With one child of her own and two stepchildren aged four and five, keeping up with everyone's schedules can be challenging, even in the best of circumstances. That's where FamGuard comes in. Laura uses the app to track the children's locations and communicate with her husband if plans change, ensuring that everyone is safe and accounted for. Sometimes Laura has to rely on her ex-husband to pick up her daughter from school, but with FamGuard, she can communicate directly with him through the app, avoiding any confusion about schedules or locations. The app's seamless communication and tracking features provide Laura with a sense of connection and security that she finds invaluable in her busy and complex family life.
Design Requirements
Based on research and an understanding of our target audience, my team and I crafted a set of essential design requirements:
• Swift Location Tracking: Users should be able to swiftly identify the location of everyone in their circle.
• User-Controlled Location Services: Users should have the discretion to activate or deactivate location services, preserving their privacy.
• Accessible Communication: Interactions within the user's circle should be easily facilitated.
• Schedule Notifications: Users should be capable of crafting schedules and receive alerts should there be deviations from the established itinerary.
• Configurable Settings: Users should have the flexibility to adjust settings related to their account, circle, notifications, and privacy.
• Quick Access to Emergency Contacts: In the event of emergencies, users should be able to reach their emergency contacts promptly within the app.
• User-Controlled Location Services: Users should have the discretion to activate or deactivate location services, preserving their privacy.
• Accessible Communication: Interactions within the user's circle should be easily facilitated.
• Schedule Notifications: Users should be capable of crafting schedules and receive alerts should there be deviations from the established itinerary.
• Configurable Settings: Users should have the flexibility to adjust settings related to their account, circle, notifications, and privacy.
• Quick Access to Emergency Contacts: In the event of emergencies, users should be able to reach their emergency contacts promptly within the app.
How might we create an application that delivers peace of mind to parents and guardians, ensuring the safety and security of their children in a manner that's accessible and reliable?
Ideate
Brainstorming
Our brainstorming centered on potential solutions, including minute aspects like fonts and colors, while maintaining a broader perspective. Constructing FamGuard involved collective decision-making, with final choices made through team voting. Light benchmarking exercises aided in refining ideas, exploring color schemes, and developing concepts. The accompanying image depicts our brainstorming for the FamGuard logo, examining colors, typography, and styles.
The image presents our brainstorming process for the FamGuard logo, exploring various aspects like colors, typography, and styles.
Design System
After discussing, we agreed on green as FamGuard's primary color, aiming to evoke safety and nurturing. Despite considering other hues, we avoided any potential psychological harshness. Our chosen color palette and typography, Bebas Neue and Josefin Slab, resonate with our values of safety, security, reassurance, and relaxation, aligning with FamGuard’s overall aesthetic.
This image displays the design system that was crafted for FamGuard.
Prototype
Displayed here are the wireframes used to envision the product, forming the foundational stage that led to the creation of the subsequent mockups.
Shown here is a glimpse of the final product.
FamGuard Device
In addition to the mobile app, we created a conceptual prototype of the FamGuard device—a 3D-printed bracelet with interchangeable accessories. Although non-operational, the prototype acted as a proof-of-concept, showcasing the potential for everyday accessories to function as standalone locators with real-time location services, eliminating the need for a mobile device.
The FamGuard Device, a 3D-printed bracelet.
Usability Testing
Methods and Findings
During usability testing, we utilized a randomized approach with our campus community. Key insights included:
• User Understanding: Effective in-person explanations conveyed FamGuard's purpose and functionality. Yet, a challenge arose in ensuring a seamless onboarding experience for new app users.
• Security Concerns: A significant issue during testing related to security. We examined the risk of a potential kidnapper accessing the location information within the FamGuard app, prioritizing addressing this concern to ensure user safety and privacy.
• Product Appearance: Questions emerged about the FamGuard device’s appearance and customization possibilities.
• Security Concerns: A significant issue during testing related to security. We examined the risk of a potential kidnapper accessing the location information within the FamGuard app, prioritizing addressing this concern to ensure user safety and privacy.
• Product Appearance: Questions emerged about the FamGuard device’s appearance and customization possibilities.
Changing the Design
Based on feedback, we implemented several key changes to enhance FamGuard:
• An 'About' Section: To ensure better onboarding for new users, an 'About' section was added, offering a concise overview of FamGuard’s purpose and features, aligning with its existing design.
• Hide Locations Button and Mark Safe Button: Addressing security concerns from testing, these features allow the admin to conceal user locations or mark a user as safe, ensuring enhanced safety and privacy.
• Customizable 3D-Printed Wearable: A highly customizable 3D-printed wearable was developed, offering users personalization options. We plan to further expand accessory choices in future development phases.
• Hide Locations Button and Mark Safe Button: Addressing security concerns from testing, these features allow the admin to conceal user locations or mark a user as safe, ensuring enhanced safety and privacy.
• Customizable 3D-Printed Wearable: A highly customizable 3D-printed wearable was developed, offering users personalization options. We plan to further expand accessory choices in future development phases.
Outcomes
FamGuard was designed to arm parents with efficient tools to prevent child abductions. By utilizing intelligent alerts and real-time location tracking, we aim to decrease abduction rates and provide parents with peace of mind. Our mission is to create a comprehensive, reliable solution that empowers parents to safeguard their children effectively.
Interactive Prototype
Georgia State University’s Demo Day (2022)
FamGuard was showcased at Georgia State University's Demo Day in 2022, where my team and I presented to representatives at companies like Meta and Microsoft. The Demo Day event allowed Computer Science students to present and demonstrate their latest research. It was an excellent opportunity to present our work and see what other students had created.
Reflection
• Accessibility First. To ensure inclusivity, embed accessibility in the design process from the get-go instead of considering it later.
• Better Usability Testing. Improve the testing method and document results thoroughly to leverage for enhancements in future designs.
• Handle Wearable Design Challenges. Recognize and address the complexities of designing small, functional wearables early, ideally in collaboration with experts for optimal usability and aesthetics.
• Learn from Lo-Fi Frames. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of design tools like Miro is crucial for efficient workflows. Exploring alternatives or sticking to Figma can help achieve desired outcomes.
• Better Usability Testing. Improve the testing method and document results thoroughly to leverage for enhancements in future designs.
• Handle Wearable Design Challenges. Recognize and address the complexities of designing small, functional wearables early, ideally in collaboration with experts for optimal usability and aesthetics.
• Learn from Lo-Fi Frames. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of design tools like Miro is crucial for efficient workflows. Exploring alternatives or sticking to Figma can help achieve desired outcomes.
Key Takeaways
FamGuard, my inaugural UX/UI team project, was an enriching and enjoyable journey. Our collective learning and our professor's guidance in Human-Computer Interaction, broadened my understanding and boosted my growth. This project helped convert our ideas into a reality and strengthened my confidence as a UX/UI designer. It set the groundwork for my career, ignited my passion, and solidified my determination. The invaluable knowledge from this project laid the cornerstone for my future success.
