Safe & Sound

Safe

& Sound

Safe
& Sound

School search iOS app for safety minded parents across the political spectrum.

What's
The Problem?

Parents who are searching for a new school for their child need a tool that provides clarity around and emphasizes the concept of safety in order to feel a sense of control about their child’s future when picking a school to attend.

What's
The
Scope?

This MVP project was developed to test the "lens of safety" concept quickly. The initial functionality was kept minimal, focusing on core features to validate the idea and gather user feedback.

What's
The Challenge?

This MVP project was developed to test the "lens of safety" concept quickly. The initial functionality was kept minimal, focusing on core features to validate the idea and gather user feedback.

Diving Into Research

Diving Into Research

Interviews
and Data

We kicked off with a deep dive into the minds of parents. We chatted with five parents about their school selection process, pored over 12 different data streams about schools, and even ran an online survey to get a broader perspective.

Qualitative Interviews Key Findings

Emotional Decision

The process of selecting a school is deeply personal and emotional for parents, as it directly impacts their child's future. This decision is influenced by factors beyond just academic quality.

Smaller Class Sizes

The most significant concern for parents when choosing a school is often the class size. They recognize the value of individualized attention and a more conducive learning environment that smaller class sizes can offer.

Proximity Matters

The proximity of the school to the parents' residence is a common consideration. Parents appreciate the convenience of having the school close by, reducing commuting time and facilitating involvement in their child's education.

Emotional Decision

The process of selecting a school is deeply personal and emotional for parents, as it directly impacts their child's future. This decision is influenced by factors beyond just academic quality.

Smaller Class Sizes

The most significant concern for parents when choosing a school is often the class size. They recognize the value of individualized attention and a more conducive learning environment that smaller class sizes can offer.

Proximity Matters

The proximity of the school to the parents' residence is a common consideration. Parents appreciate the convenience of having the school close by, reducing commuting time and facilitating involvement in their child's education.

Emotional Decision

The process of selecting a school is deeply personal and emotional for parents, as it directly impacts their child's future. This decision is influenced by factors beyond just academic quality.

Smaller Class Sizes

The most significant concern for parents when choosing a school is often the class size. They recognize the value of individualized attention and a more conducive learning environment that smaller class sizes can offer.

Proximity Matters

The proximity of the school to the parents' residence is a common consideration. Parents appreciate the convenience of having the school close by, reducing commuting time and facilitating involvement in their child's education.

Quantitative Survey

We ran a far reaching, online survey and asked parents which category of data was the most important to them in terms of choosing a school, in order to be able to prioritize design.

Available Data

Data Categories

Classroom size Student test scores Graduation rate Subjects taught Availability of advanced courses Extracurricular activities Diversity Student safety Disability accommodations Facilities and services Access to transportation Tuition

Data Categories

Classroom size Student test scores Graduation rate Subjects taught Availability of advanced courses Extracurricular activities Diversity Student safety Disability accommodations Facilities and services Access to transportation Tuition

Data Categories

Classroom size Student test scores Graduation rate Subjects taught Availability of advanced courses Extracurricular activities Diversity Student safety Disability accommodations Facilities and services Access to transportation Tuition

Results

By far, the number one category parents wanted to know about was safety.

Safety.

This was a surprise.

What really struck us was how personal and emotional the whole process of choosing a school is for parents. It's not just about test scores or facilities; it's about finding a place where their child can thrive.

By far, the number one category parents wanted to know about was safety.

Safety.

This was a surprise.

What really struck us was how personal and emotional the whole process of choosing a school is for parents. It's not just about test scores or facilities; it's about finding a place where their child can thrive.

By far, the number one category parents wanted to know about was safety.

Safety.

This was a surprise.

What really struck us was how personal and emotional the whole process of choosing a school is for parents. It's not just about test scores or facilities; it's about finding a place where their child can thrive.

Competitive Analysis

We wanted to study three other direct school search competitors, in order to learn what worked and what didn’t from a business landscape perspective.

No other products focused or highlighted the concept of safety. Great Schools came close and was in the process of implementing school safety ratings into their product. However, the results were messy, probably due to the fact the focus of safety was "tacked on" and fade into the background of features.

Designing With Safety In Mind

Designing With
Safety In Mind

Designing With
Safety In Mind

Structuring

We knew we needed to make safety the star of the show, but in a way that acknowledged how differently people define it.


We started with the app's structure, making sure safety was woven into every part of the experience.

Key
Directions

1) Refine the information architecture flow around the concept of safety.
‍
2) Allow for customizable and transparent metrics that are easy to interpret.
‍
3) Focus on public school only, since private school choice implicitly deals with safety.

Mid-Fi
Designs

As we moved into wireframing and prototyping, we focused on creating an onboarding process that let users define what safety meant to them. We wanted the app to feel personal, like it truly understood each parent's concerns.

Applied
Research

From the qualitative research, I found that all parents valued classroom size and school distance. Thus, I highlighted this data on the school search dashboard.

User Testing

Once we had a working prototype, we invited five parents to put it through its paces.


We discovered that the topic of school safety was even more controversial than we'd anticipated. What one parent saw as a critical safety measure, another viewed as potentially harmful.

Refining Results

The biggest find was discovering just how controversial the topic of safety could be. Everyone seemed to define safety differently.


What was beneficial to one user was viewed as harmful to another user. While we refined the overall concept, we made sure to give users more transparency and agency into how safety would be and could be measured in the app.

Styling for Perceived Controversy

Styling for
Perceived Controvers

Styling for
Perceived Controversy

Cartoon Style

User testing relieved the very concept of school safety may be controversial, so we chose to lean into it, with the style of a serious cartoon.


It's an approach that acknowledges the gravity of the topic while still feeling approachable and non-threatening.

Polishing The Product

Polishing The Product

Hi-Fi

After rounds of iteration, we landed on a design we were proud of. The heart of the app is its personalized safety ratings, which are based on each user's unique priorities.

Dashboard

The key choices made on the app's dashboard all refer back to the initial stages of research. User's can see at a glance the student teacher ratio, the commute time transportation and the safety score.

MVP
Product

This is an MVP, designed to get the product out quickly. More features and data streams can be added later, making the app more robust.


But the new features will be built from the ground floor up, through the lens of safety, which resonates with everyone, in one way or another.


All in an effort to create a unique product.

Wrapping Up Safely

Wrapping Up Safely

Dreams

Even before launching our MVP, we're already thinking about what's next. We're eager to gather real-world usage data and dive back into user research.


We're exploring ways to expand the app's focus while keeping true to our unique safety angle. And of course, we're dreaming up new features like school comparison tools and favorites lists.

Personal Reflections

This project reinforced for me the power of balancing quantitative data with qualitative insights.


I saw firsthand the complexity and importance of user-centered design, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like school safety. Giving users control over their experience was key.


Perhaps the biggest lesson was the value of iterative design. Our "safety lens" concept was pretty novel, and it took several rounds of testing and refinement to get it right.