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National mass messaging system for emergency alerts

Project Overview

1 UX designer, 1 Developer, 1 PM

User Testing

Methods:

Usability testing sessions

Feedback:

User testing showed that the new system's step-by-step method and clear dashboard significantly improved the ease of creating and managing messages during crises. These adjustments enhanced usability, making it simpler to navigate and efficiently handle emergency communications

Challenges & Research

Designing for emergency situations meant accounting for stress, time pressure, and zero tolerance for mistakes.

I collaborated with national emergency responders to map real world workflows, identify bottlenecks in existing tools, and understand how segmentation, approvals, and message timing impact public safety.

This research shaped a system that supports rapid decision making while preventing human error.

Key Learnings

  • Designing mission critical systems requires balancing speed with safeguards, preventing errors under pressure.

  • Clear workflows and approvals are as important as UI components when lives depend on timely communication.

  • Collaboration with emergency operators revealed hidden constraints such as data accuracy, timing rules, and message fatigue.

  • Simpler interfaces reduce cognitive load and increase operational reliability during high stress events.


Design Approach

  1. Mapped user journeys to align with distinct emergency roles.

  2. Created wireframes and prototypes, iterating based on stakeholder feedback to enhance intuitiveness.

  3. Refined the dashboard and approval process, ensuring ease of use and reliability.


Real-Time Monitoring: Dashboard tracks campaign progress, errors, and outcomes.
Recipient filters for a COVID quarantine message targeting English-speaking residents in the North district. Filters cover age groups 30-45 and 65-99 and specific areas.

Overview

A mission critical national system designed to enable emergency alerts during crisis events. I led the UX for creating this platform from the ground up, defining its purpose, workflows, and interaction model to ensure fast, reliable communication under pressure.

Scope

The system is used by emergency authorities nationwide to send targeted notifications based on geography, demographics, risk level, and device type. My work included structuring end to end flows for alert creation, segmentation, approval, and distribution, while designing safeguards to reduce errors and support rapid decision making in high stress scenarios.


Real-Time Monitoring: Dashboard tracks campaign progress, errors, and outcomes.
Campaign SMS System Interface: Users can select a district, viewing population and communication preferences. "Central" is selected, with 5 million people, 60% mobile users and 40% phone users.

Core Features

  • Targeted Messaging: Segment by age, location, religion, nationality, and device type.

  • Approval Workflow: Guarantee message appropriateness.

  • Real-Time Monitoring: Track live campaigns and adjust as needed.

  • Scheduling Flexibility: Immediate or scheduled message deployment.


Real-Time Monitoring: Dashboard tracks campaign progress, errors, and outcomes.
The alert options include natural disasters, hazardous materials, and missiles, with specified instruction areas and recipient profiles such as age groups and desk categories.
Campaign Management System Interface: A detailed overview of campaign content approval and progress tracking, displaying statuses like "In Distribution," "Suspended," and "Approved"
Campaign Management System Interface: A detailed overview of campaign content approval and progress tracking, displaying statuses like "In Distribution," "Suspended," and "Approved"

Impact

The system substantially improved emergency communication effectiveness, reducing response time, ensuring precise targeting, and enhancing administrator satisfaction.


Real-Time Monitoring: Dashboard tracks campaign progress, errors, and outcomes.
Naming and scheduling a campaign

Outcomes

  • Efficiency Gains: Faster campaign deployment with reduced message delivery errors.

  • High Satisfaction: Positive feedback from administrators on usability and clarity.

  

Conclusion

This project established an essential communication platform, elevating public safety and providing a model for future digital crisis response systems.

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