User Evaluations

The team conducted three informal user evaluations to get feedback on the revised PathShadow prototype. No single issue was repeated twice, but some incredible feedback, questions, and suggestions were given. One suggestion was after pressing help and confirming it was sent a map to the closest safe location should automatically pop up. Others were adding ability to check other’s status and the ability to auto-send a safe message when you reach your GPS destination in case you forget to do so, as we so often forget to do. Things originally missing were pointed out, such as the lack of anything to do with the settings tab and the step by step directions to nearest safe location page and other locations page. The layout for this page was unclear to the users who wanted to know if it provided a list or just the next closest place. Some good questions were asked: what happens if signal was lost, if the battery dies, or if it accidentally gets turned off, and what was the purpose of the ‘follow me’ function. The feedback was extremely insightful and will be addressed in our next prototype development stage.

User Evaluation Findings

Major Issues

Lack of Safe Location After Sending Help

User felt there should be a map directing the user to the nearest safe location when the help button is selected. This would be easily fixed by given the user the options to have a map to this. Doing this may also cause an issue for emergency personnel looking for them who have the coordinates from before the user started moving towards a safe location. Research will need to be conducted on how we can fulfill this while not making the emergency service personnel’s jobs more difficult.

Lost Signal & No Batter Power

Concerns over lost signal and no battery power were brought up by users. Phones are already designed to save 5% of their power for after their battery dies to allow the low electrical consumption accelerometer to continue tracking for up to seven days. We could increase this percentage to increase the day length, but seven days seems a reasonable amount a time. We can pull from this already tracked data to continue tracking the user. The problem is they user would not have access to directions to safe locations, the ability to call for help or to notify people they are safe. These issues we have not found a remedy for yet.

Settings Accidently Changed

A user was concerned if their child were to alter the settings how would they know. The application can send an email or text to user any time the application is disabled, put into sleep mode, ICE contact changed or EAS notifications are changed. This would ensure that the settings being accidentally changed wouldn’t go unnoticed.

What is Follow Me

There was confusion on what the Follow Me function was for. Creating the Follow Me page example and have it explain why someone may activate the follow me feature.

Lacking Step by Step Directions Page

A user wanted to know how the step-by-step page works, does it just take you to the next closest location, or does it provide a list to choose from? Does it consider disaster areas and road outages when suggesting locations? Creating the Step by Step Directions Page example would show them that it is familar Google Map within the application that gives directions. Google Maps considers any known issues when creating directions so these would automatically be added.

Does it stay in app or route to a third-party service? Create an example step-by-step directions screen. It will be in app with Google Maps displaying the directions. At the bottom of the directions there is a button to let your groups know you made it safely to your safe location.

Lacking Other Locations Page

Users wanted to know if this page just routes you to the next closest location or does it give you a selection of several close options? Creating the Other Close Safe Locations Page example would show them that it will be a list of several options to choose from, each listing the distance and time from where user is at. Once a selection is made the application would give step by step directions to the location.

Lack of Settings Page

The user wanted to know where the setting tab took the user and what it did. Will have to develop the settings page and subpages including user profile and user frequented locations page where users can assign names to their saved frequented addresses.

Minor Issues

Assign Physical Phone Buttons

A user suggested wanting the ability to assign physical phone buttons to functions of the app. We could a page to select associated buttons.

Check on other’s statuses

One user wanted the ability to check on their loved ones. A live map could be added to the application to easily connect group members and allow them to see each other’s locations.

Auto send safe message when you arrive to a specified safe GPS or address location.

One user wanted the application to automatically send an I’m safe message when a user reached a predefined address or GPS coordinates. This could be easily done by having the application ask if a user would like an automated message to be sent when they reach the safe locations.

Map of Dangerous Area

A user suggested that there should be maps of areas to avoid because they were dangerous. We could include links to radar for weather and any other hazardous areas.

Cosmetic Issue

Simple Text Buttons

Users preferred the slicker look of the text link buttons as opposed to the clunky buttons. Will change them all over to simple text buttons, allowing a uniformed look.

User Evaluation 1

After pressing help user should be directed to the map directly instead of going through the menu.
Utilize physical button (power button, Volume up/down to press help, since touchscreen might not be working during extreme weather.
Include map of dangerous area. [on EAS alert page]
There should be an option to send the user’s location directly to emergency services, since they might not be able to physically use their phone.

Feature suggestions:

Add screen for user to check family/friend’s status.
Show nearby users (after emergency alert).
Hire survival instructions related to the emergency alert.

User Evaluation 2

How do you proceed if you lost the signal?
How do your application help when the device has zero charge?
How do you keep the application respond to children or what if child accidently puts the app in sleep mode or make changes in the app?
Proposing the desired or required settings according to the threat or warning, when you send an alert will be a useful feature for this app.

User Evaluation 3

The ‘follow me is’ confusing. What is it for exactly? Why would you want it to track you?
Lack of step by step directions example page or does it take you to an external site?
Lack of other locations example page – does it just take you to the next closest, or does it provide a list to choose from? Does it consider disaster areas and road outages when suggesting locations.
Wanted to know what the settings tab in the side menu was there for.
Ascetically preferred the simple text buttons to the dark block buttons.