SafeWalk App

Guiding you safely, every step of the way

Role

UX/UI Designer

Industry

Safety

Duration

3 months

Project Overview

Moving to university in a new city is exciting but scary. For many students at the University of Southampton, walking alone in the dark after 6pm was a source of anxiety and fear. I wanted to make a positive impact so I designed SafeWalk—a mobile app that puts student safety first by recommending the safest routes based on real-time data.

Project Overview

The Problem

Traditional GPS apps prioritise the fastest routes, ignoring safety factors like street lighting, CCTV coverage and foot traffic. New students to Southampton were being directed through poorly lit, deserted areas at night, making them more vulnerable.

Stats:

50% of students surveyed felt unsafe using existing GPS apps.

Student Quote:

"I was directed through a dark, deserted area with no houses—just woods. It was creepy and made me feel exposed." — Emily, first year student.

My Role and Collaboration

I was the sole product designer on this project from concept to high-fidelity prototype. While I worked alone, collaboration was key:

Students: I engaged with over 100 students for research and testing.
University Staff: I spoke to campus security and student services.
OpenStreetMap: Got access to street light location and others key information

User Research

Interviews and Surveys

To understand users and validate the problem I:

12 In-depth Interviews: Asked about personal experiences and safety concerns.
Online Survey with 150 participants: Asked about broader trends and preferences.

Persona
Persona: Emily

Age: 19
Background: First year psychology student.
Goals: To feel confident in the city, especially at night.
Frustrations: Fear of unsafe areas, anxious when walking alone.

Competitve Analysis

I looked at four popular navigation apps to find gaps and opportunities.

Insights:

None offered safety-based routing.
Limited customisation based on user safety preferences.
Opportunity to use community-sourced safety data

Persona
Persona: Emily

Age: 19
Background: First year psychology student.
Goals: To feel confident in the city, especially at night.
Frustrations: Fear of unsafe areas, anxious when walking alone.

Competitve Analysis

I looked at four popular navigation apps to find gaps and opportunities.

Insights:

None offered safety-based routing.
Limited customisation based on user safety preferences.
Opportunity to use community-sourced safety data

Ideation and Design

Brainstorming Sessions

I used Miro to do mind mapping and idea generation.

Techniques Used:

Mind Mapping: 20+ safety feature ideas.
Crazy Eights: Rapid sketching to visualise concepts.

Information Architecture

Designed user flows and sitemap to keep it simple and quick to get to safety features.

Wireframing

Low-fidelity wireframes to establish the app’s structure.

Ideation and Design

Brainstorming Sessions

I used Miro to do mind mapping and idea generation.

Techniques Used:

Mind Mapping: 20+ safety feature ideas.
Crazy Eights: Rapid sketching to visualise concepts.

Information Architecture

Designed user flows and sitemap to keep it simple and quick to get to safety features.

Wireframing

Low-fidelity wireframes to establish the app’s structure.

Prototyping

Built high-fidelity prototypes in Figma for key screens:

Route Selection
Safety Settings
Live Tracking

Prototyping

Built high-fidelity prototypes in Figma for key screens:

Route Selection
Safety Settings
Live Tracking

User Testing and Iteration

Tested with 5 students from the target audience.

Tasks:

Find a safe route to a destination.
Set up emergency contacts.
Use the live tracking feature.

Feedback:

Positive: Users liked the clear safety ratings and ability to share location.
Needs Improvement: Onboarding was too long; settings menu was not clear.

Actions:

Simplified Onboarding: Made tutorials optional and reduced initial steps.
Redesigned Settings Menu: Made it more accessible and user-friendly.

Design Features

Safe Route Suggestions

Safety Ratings: Routes scored based on lighting, CCTV and foot traffic.
Customisation: Users can adjust safety preferences.

Live Tracking

Share Live: Share location with trusted contacts.
Notifications: Alerts if user deviates from route or doesn’t arrive on time.

Saved Routes

Quick Access: Save frequently used safe routes.
Updates: Notifications about changes to saved routes.

Emergency Contacts and Quick Access

Panic Button: One tap to call emergency services.
Emergency Alerts: Send immediate alert to emergency contacts.

Community Reporting

Report Incident: Users can report safety issues or incidents.
Community Data: Aggregated to improve route safety scores.

Conclusion and Takeaways

Personal Development

Empathy-Driven Design: I can design solutions that address real user fears and needs better.
User-Centred Approach: I know the importance of involving users throughout the design process.

Key Takeaways

Iterative Design: Testing and feedback is key to refining features.
Communication: I can explain design decisions and reasoning better.