Mission:
Socian Technologies assigned my team and I to design a futuristic graphical user interface for an AI-powered 911 operator drone they are currently developing.
Contribution:
During this project, I visited the Lafayette police department headquarters for observations and interviews, as well as designed the interface that the operator views.
Purdue University Sponsored Class Project
Understanding a 911 operators workflow
Methods Used:
- User Interviews: Interviewewd 911 operators from a variety of different cities across the United States
- Observations: Observed a 911 call center
- Youtube and Reddit Dives: Watched 911 operators in action, and read about their experiences on the job
Location is the most important [piece of information during a call] because we might not know the situation, but if we have [their] location, we are still able to send someone."
- 911 Operator
Persona
We created a user persona for ourselves after speaking to and researching 911 operators to reference findings while we designed.
911 operator user persona based on our research findings
How Will The Drone Work?
To better understand what we are designing, we created a user story.
User story of the AI powered drone the operator will be viewing
Design, Iterate, Repeat
We started creating interfaces for the drone. During this time we stayed in contact with 911 operators for feedback and iterated to fit their needs and desires.
Stage 1: Wireframing Requirements
- Drone Cameras
- Drone Detections
- Drone Info (Location, Battery, Transcript, Serial Number etc.)
Stage 2: Wireframe Post 1st Concept Test
- Enlarged Main Camera
- Added Camera Directions
- Combined Suspect, Victim, and Bystander to display in said order
- Added Tags to Individuals
- Added Drone Map Location
- Adjusted Drone Info Hierarchy
Stage 3: MidFi After Sponsor Review
- Added Socan Identifier
- Created Futuristic Aesthetic
- Added Nest Location
- Added Drone Altitude
- Visualized Drone Info
Stage 4: HiFi After Sponsor Review
- Improved Futuristic Aesthetic
- Added Day, Night, and Thermal Camera Options
- Added Drone Selection
- Added Plate Reading
- Added ability to pause and rewind drone footage
- Added Map toggle to save real estate
Stage 5: HiFi Post Concept Test #2 and Observational Interview
- Added Detection Notifications
- Emphasized Detection Colors
- Added Detection Times
- Added Locations
Stage 6 [Final]: HiFi Post Task-Based Usability Testing
- Improved Information Architecture and Hierarchy
- Removed Socian Identifier for added real estate
- Changed Rewind Buttons to Scroll to improve user speed
- Added Live Footage Signifier
- Ability to add custom tags to subjects
- Ability to view past drone recordings
- Added Past Drone Activities
- ReAdded Static Map
- Added Compas to improve situational awareness
Reflecting on the Experience
This was the second company-sponsored project that I completed during my time at Purdue University. Working in a team of seven other designers taught me project and team management skills. Leading a trip to the Lafayette police department for observations and interviews was intimidating at first, nevertheless, I performed well and got the insights my team needed to progress the project forward. I learned to not get too attached to a design, as it will change during testing.