Website Application Design of Evac-Ability
Evac-Ability is a website application to help disabled evacuees access shelter and resources that was initially developed during a 3 day Global Hackathon event organized by TH.0 to assist disabled Ukrainian evacuees. Our team was the third place winner. The website was launched in March, 2022.
Role
I was responsible for creating the roadmap for the product through UX research, design methodologies, and best UI practices while keeping in mind to create something that could be built and easily implemented by the developer team in a short amount of time.
Methods Used
Affinity Mapping, Competitive & Comparative Analysis, Persona, Sketching, Mood Boarding, Wireframing, Prototyping & Iteration
The Problem
15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability.
In the event of a crisis or disaster, people with disabilities are more likely to be left behind.
Some people are have difficulty accessing essential resources because of their disability.
People with disabilities and their caregivers need reliable and easily accessible resources and assistance during emergencies because they often experience barriers when evacuating.
How Might We..
How might we create a solution that can be accessed by those with varying abilities and their caregivers, and provide resources and assistance during emergency evacuations?
The Solution: Evac-Ability
A website application to help disabled evacuees and their caregivers access shelter and resources during emergencies.
Analyzing the competition
Access Now:
Strengths:
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Explores accessible places
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Different ways to get involved
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Gives accurate location details
Weaknesses:
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No delivery option
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Unclear call to action buttons
Care.com:
Strengths:
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Disability-specific care
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Variety of care options including pet care
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Safety features including criminal background check
Weaknesses:
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Disability-specific care is not clearly displayed on the home page
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Limited to USA
Soothe:
Strengths:
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Connects clients with personal care providers
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Ease of navigation
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Professional services delivered at home
Weaknesses:
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Help Center: text-heavy, poor spacing, lack of visual aids
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Does not list information or accommodations for disabilities
Understanding the User
Who are we designing for?
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Mood Board
What could be done with more time?
Increase the scope of functions and testing
Test the prototype and product with users to get feedback
Incorporate GPS to find accessible locations
Find the closest accessible evacuation routes
Partner with a network of mobile caregivers
Contact a local hospital to send a health professional to your location
Emergency Calming Techniques
Clear a panicked mind with research-based stress relief techniques to re-regulate your body