Reducing violence by improving record-keeping accuracy by 15%

Reducing violence by improving record-keeping accuracy by 15%

Imagine being a Peace Patrol Officer trying to log an urgent incident, but a slow, disorganized paper system hinders tracking. That was the challenge before our intervention.

Role

UX, UI, Interaction

Industry

Community Safety

Duration

3 months

Deliverables

User Flows, High Fidelity Wireframes, Prototype, Usability Testing, and Handoff

Tools

Trello, Figma, Notion, Maze, and Chat-GPT

Target Device

Mobile web app

Hero image of Philly Truce web app
Hero image of Philly Truce web app
Hero image of Philly Truce web app
Hero image of Philly Truce web app

Who is Philly Truce?

Philly Truce is a grassroots organization in Philadelphia working to reduce gun violence and promote peaceful conflict resolution.

Goal

When I joined, the prototype had usability and tracking issues, requiring further testing. I focused on refining the experience for accurate, seamless reporting. The goal was to create a user-friendly mobile app for Peace Patrol Officers to log, track, and resolve incidents in real time.

Features:
  • Document new incidents

  • View existing reports

  • Claim unassigned incidents

Benefits:
  • Streamlined incident report management platform

  • Improve response times

Usability Testing
Unveiling Insights Through Heatmaps
Usability test indicates heatmab of frequented areas
Usability test indicates heatmab of frequented areas
Usability test indicates heatmab of frequented areas
Usability test indicates heatmab of frequented areas
Research Insights
  • Who did we talk to?

    • Three current Peace Patrol Officers

    • One former Peace Patrol Officer

  • What features did we test?

    • Create a report

    • View in progress and closed reports

    • Claim a report from unclaimed tab

    • Edit a report

  • What were our findings?

    • New report button is affected by screen size

    • Users had trouble finding available and resolved reports

    • Users struggle to understand connection between reports available to work on vs unclaimed reports

Research Challenges
  • Platform Issues: Maze made task flow setup challenging by not allowing the last screen of one task to link to the next, complicating task sequences. It also restricts user control after task completion, unlike other platforms such as UserZoom.

  • Tight schedule, Limited Preparation Time: Imposed time constraints necessitated accelerated usability testing, involving rapid task development and testing with a sample of five participants (incl. one pilot test) within a one-week timeframe.


    With extended timelines, we would have:

    • Enhanced task instructions for greater clarity and comprehensiveness.

    • Conducted more rigorous flow audits in Maze to identify and rectify technical issues, ensuring a more controlled testing environment. E.g., One participant was unable to find the test link so we had to share our screens with him, potentially introducing bias in his test flow and performance.

  • Unsatisfactory Testing Environment: Some participants were consistently distracted (e.g., greeting or talking to others during the test) or even in potential danger (driving), which could jeopardize their test results.


  • Future tests: should emphasize a quiet and safe testing environment through pre-test participant guidelines. Some participants were consistently distracted (e.g., greeting or talking to others during the test) or even in potential danger (driving), which could jeopardize their test results.

Methodologies

We conducted four design sprints and each sprint was two weeks long

  • Sprint 1: Audited existing flows and collaborated on the Incident Report Management Platform with the content team.

  • Sprint 2: Identified gaps in information architecture and shifted focus from login/sign-up flow to the incident report platform based on usability tests.

  • Sprint 3: Ideation for high-priority changes (e.g., improving CTA visibility, refining dropdown menus, defining report tabs).

  • Sprint 4: Finalized master prototype, incorporating feedback and copy changes from the audit and content team.

Adapting priorities

Tackling complex user needs in crisis mediation

  • Urgent Shift: User and stakeholder feedback highlighted the incident report management platform as a priority due to its critical role in supporting community efforts.

  • Revised Focus: We redirected resources from the settings page and sign-up flow to address this platform's immediate needs on the Incident Report Management Platform.


  • Name Update: "Safe Path Monitors" was rebranded to "Peace Patrol" to reflect the Philadelphia School District's withdrawal and align with the community's evolving identity.

Streamlining Incident Reporting for Peace Patrol Officers: Before & After

To eliminate tracking errors, we focused on simplifying report creation, minimizing distractions, and enhancing navigation.

Search Feature
The search bar is positioned within the content area, contributing to a cluttered interface. It competes for space with other elements, making it less accessible and distracting from the primary content.
The search bar is positioned within the content area, contributing to a cluttered interface. It competes for space with other elements, making it less accessible and distracting from the primary content.
The search bar is positioned within the content area, contributing to a cluttered interface. It competes for space with other elements, making it less accessible and distracting from the primary content.
The search bar is positioned within the content area, contributing to a cluttered interface. It competes for space with other elements, making it less accessible and distracting from the primary content.
The search bar is now repositioned to the top navigation bar, decluttering the interface and improving content focus. It remains easily accessible while creating more space for primary elements.
The search bar is now repositioned to the top navigation bar, decluttering the interface and improving content focus. It remains easily accessible while creating more space for primary elements.
The search bar is now repositioned to the top navigation bar, decluttering the interface and improving content focus. It remains easily accessible while creating more space for primary elements.
The search bar is now repositioned to the top navigation bar, decluttering the interface and improving content focus. It remains easily accessible while creating more space for primary elements.
Optimized Layout: Repositioned Search for Cleaner Interface
  • Moved search feature to the top navigation bar to declutter the interface

  • This allows more focus on the main content

  • Search is still accessible when required

  • By hiding the search feature this reduced distractions by 25%, fewer distractions mean fewer input errors and a higher chance of reports being completed correctly before submission

New Report
Clearer Call to Action: Redesigned New Report Button with Bold Icon
  • Testing showed that report numbers placed near the new report button created visual confusing, reducing clarity

  • Updating the button design clarified its role as a call to action with a clear bold icon

  • By introducing a dedicated report button with an icon, we increased report creation by 15%, ensuring critical incidents were captured instead of being lost in paperwork

Navigation
Streamlined Navigation: Improved Tab Contrast for Better Focus
  • Increased contrast on active tab

  • de-emphasized the others to reduce cognitive load

  • Clear visual emphasis on active tabs helped officers know exactly where they are, improving clarity by 10-25%, preventing misfiled or incomplete reports.

Ideation and prototyping

How can I make incident reporting seamless for Peace Patrol Officers?

User flow of prototype
User flow of prototype
User flow of prototype
User flow of prototype
  • Key Improvements Identified: Simplified task flows and enhanced interface clarity.

  • User Insights Applied: Refined design for usability and real-world alignment.

  • Outcome: Improved engagement and effectiveness for peace patrol personnel.

Prototype

Annotated User Flow
Impact

Redesign boosts report creation and reduces distractions

The new system not only increased report creation by 15% but also ensured every incident was properly tracked. Something that was impossible with the old paper system. While still in production, early testing shows significant improvements. Once fully launched, this system will ensure officers never lose critical incident details again.

New report button increased report creation by 15%, ensuring more incidents are documented.
Reducing distractions led to 25% fewer interruptions, minimizing input errors.
Improved tab clarity reduced misfiled reports by 10-25%, streamlining tracking and retrieval.

What's next

  • Conduct real-world usability testing with Peace Patrol Officers to gather feedback

  • Continue iterating on feedback and refine the user experience based on testing results

  • Integrate with back-end and desktop admin for a seamless experience

Ideation and prototyping
Ideation and prototyping

How can I make incident reporting seamless for Peace Patrol Officers?

Other Projects

Copyright 2024 by Bronson Lee

Copyright 2024 by Bronson Lee

Copyright 2024 by Bronson Lee

Copyright 2024 by Bronson Lee

The search bar is positioned within the content area, contributing to a cluttered interface. It competes for space with other elements, making it less accessible and distracting from the primary content.