Safeway
Rethinking evacuation
Context
This project, carried out as part of a master's course, aimed to define a specific problem and design a solution in the form of a collaborative, multiplatform app. Since the problem was not defined, we had free rein to explore and experiment with something without setting ourselves any limits.
Problem
Fire evacuation in residential and office buildings has changed little over time. This project was born from a concrete situation: a person I was talking to hadn't heard their building's alarm because they were wearing noise-cancelling headphones and the alarm is only in the hallway, not directly in their apartment.
So the following question emerged: Would it be possible to create a solution to add a layer of safety and prevention to this crucial process for a building's residents?
Research method
Secondary research
Secondary research consists of analyzing existing data such as studies, reports, scientific articles, or statistics rather than collecting it yourself. Given the nature and limited time of this mandate, it was the main source of data and statistics.
Findings
75-79% of people consider audio a reliable means of alert.
Occupants don't leave automatically when the alarm sounds. This "pre-movement" delay is real and must be taken into account.
Noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones slow the reaction by about 40 to 50 seconds.
Even with a working alarm, deaths occur due to non-response or an unperceived alarm.
Design opportunity
- Reduce pre-movement time for a faster reaction as soon as the alarm goes off.
- Provide a second alert channel to ensure immediate awareness, whatever the occupant's context.
- Simplify and guide the evacuation to reduce stress and limit mistakes in an emergency.
Final solution
Safeway is a mobile app designed as a second layer of safety during a fire evacuation in a residential building. As soon as an alarm goes off, it instantly alerts residents on their phones, whatever their situation, and guides them until they are safe.
When needed, the app lets a resident quickly report that they require help or flag a problem situation, ensuring better communication between occupants during the evacuation.
Beyond emergencies, Safeway also plays a preventive role. It lets residents manage and plan maintenance tasks essential to their home's safety, such as changing the fire alarm batteries, cleaning the dryer filter, checking the extinguisher, or inspecting the condition of electrical wiring.
Navigation
During the evacuation, Safeway guides each resident to the safest exit, lets them quickly flag a need for help or a danger, then confirm they are safe.
Call for help
With a single tap, a resident can signal that they are unable to continue the evacuation and need immediate assistance.
Visual navigation
Intuitive visual cues, inspired by familiar navigation apps, guide residents to the safest exit.
Real-time reporting
During the evacuation, residents can quickly report a blocked exit, a visible fire, or a person in danger.
Voice guidance
A voice guide assists residents in real time to direct them to the safest exit.
Exit confirmation
A Face ID check lets each resident confirm they have safely evacuated the building.
Prevention
Day to day, the app plays a preventive role: it keeps residents informed of the building's status and reminds them of the maintenance tasks essential to their home's safety.
Building status
Residents are informed in real time of the building's status and know exactly when it's safe to return.
Prevention
A personalized task list reminds residents of the essential checks to perform to keep their home safe.