Research：
Trust, communication, and preparedness are essential for preventing tragedies in vertical metropolitan neighborhoods.
On January 9th, 2022, the Twin Parks apartment fire in the Bronx tragically took 17 lives, including eight children, making it one of the worst fire disasters in New York City’s history.
Problem Statement: The tragic loss of life in the Twin Parks apartment fire was entirely preventable. Neglect of community concerns, mistrust in the building’s fire alarm system, and confusion around evacuation procedures all played a role. Miscommunication during the fire only made things worse, showing how crucial it is to build trust and communication within communities to prevent tragedies like this.
Neglect
Neglect in responding to community complaints, including concerns about fire safety measures, left critical issues unresolved and the community unprepared for emergencies.
Mistrust
Community mistrust in the validity of the building’s fire alarm system caused hesitation and skepticism, leading to delayed reactions and ineffective responses during the fire.
Confusion
Community confusion about evacuation navigation created chaos during the emergency, as unclear procedures and lack of preparation left residents uncertain about how to escape safely.
Semi-Structured Interviews
To better understand user needs and pain points, we conducted interviews with 6 residents of vertical neighborhoods, ages 21 to 43, from various locations across the country.
To broaden our understanding of building communities and fostering trust, we also spoke with relevant experts, including a design consultant involved in the Bronx fire, a community leader, a building manager, and the head of safety at the University of Washington.
Here is an overview of all interview data and notes. By organizing and grouping the information, we identified key patterns and insights that shaped our understanding of the problem.
Insights：
How might we foster connection within vertical neighborhoods to better facilitate community accountability
User research revealed a critical lack of trust in vertical neighborhoods, impacting both daily interactions and emergency responses. This showed us that strong community connections are essential for both everyday life and emergency preparedness. While we initially focused on emergency readiness, interviews and research highlighted that without trust and social bonds, people are less likely to support each other in crises.
We realized that building community accountability and relationships in daily life is key to fostering care during emergencies. Our goal is to create connections that lead to true community care, as emergency preparedness isn’t possible without trust.
“I wish there was more information when an alarm goes off”
Madi’s quote highlights the need for better emergency communication.
“I haven't even experienced a baseline of how an apartment building acts like a community.”
Akhila’s quote highlights the lack of connection and support in shared living spaces.
“I don’t know who would take care of me if I needed it if something happened.”
Elizabeth’s quote highlights the anxiety and confusion caused by a lack of community support and organization.
Insight 1: Eliminate misinformation & Encourage conversation
Residents need a centralized space for real-time interactions, fostering trust, reducing misinformation, and promoting collaboration during crises.
Insight 2: Minimize pressure of self-reliance & Normalize asking for help
This insight led us to focus on reducing self-reliance pressure and normalizing asking for help. Residents need a feature that fosters daily interactions, builds trust, and strengthens community bonds for better collaboration in critical moments.
Insight 3: Reduce chaos and worry & Maintain peace of mind
Residents need a sense of security, which can be achieved by fostering community accountability, keeping neighbors connected, and ensuring safety during emergencies.
Iteration:
Tested the usability and accessibility of our app to refine the user experience and better understand the user flow.
We iterated our flow and app design through at least three rounds, each tested by over three users in usability studies. Using personas and user journeys, we refined the design to focus on three key features and an optimized user flow.
Round 1: Defined the Information Architecture and framework, establishing the app’s structure and key interactions.
Round 2: Tested the user flow and action triggers to ensure smooth navigation and intuitive functionality.
Round 3: Evaluated the visual design and overall user experience, refining aesthetics and usability for clarity and engagement.
User Flow Map
This flow informed our iteration process, helping us refine how users interact with the system. Through usability testing, we improved how users navigate the app, request support, and receive timely alerts, ensuring SafeNest fosters connection, safety, and trust in vertical communities.
Final Design：
SafeNest: Bridging Gaps in Community Trust and Connection.
Building on the three key insights, we developed SafeNest, a solution that combines a mobile app and a pocket device to foster trust and connection in vertical neighborhoods.
SafeNest addresses the barriers to forming meaningful relationships by incorporating three main features, each directly tied to our insights. These features aim to eliminate misinformation, normalize asking for help, and promote community accountability, creating a stronger, more connected community both in daily life and during emergencies. The three main features are:
Insight 1: Eliminate misinformation & Encourage conversation
The Community Space provides residents with a platform to connect, ask questions, and share information. By facilitating knowledge sharing, it helps eliminate potentially dangerous misinformation while fostering meaningful conversations.
For example, if a resident is woken up by an alarm, instead of trying to figure out alone whether it’s real or not, they can simply use the Community Space to ask their neighbors and receive targeted, accurate information. In this case, they might learn that the sound was just someone testing their speakers.
This feature not only helps residents stay informed and make better decisions but also encourages interaction, building trust and forming connections within the community.
Insight 2: Minimize the pressure of self-reliance & Normalize asking for help
The Reach Out feature encourages residents to seek support from their neighbors when needed, helping to normalize asking for help and reduce the pressure of self-reliance. Building trust takes time, and this feature fosters it through small, daily interactions that accumulate into meaningful social capital.
For example, within the Community Space, residents can easily post questions, request assistance, or share community information by tapping the waving hand icon. These posts can be directed to specific buddies or shared with the entire building.
Similarly, offering help is just as simple—neighbors can respond and lend a hand with ease. By enabling these exchanges, Reach Out not only provides practical support but also strengthens connections and trust within the community, creating a more collaborative and supportive environment.
Insight 3: Reduce chaos and worry & Maintain peace of mind
The Check-In feature allows residents to assign neighbors as buddies through the SafeNest app, fostering mutual care and support during emergencies and periods of uncertainty. Buddies can reassure each other of their safety or request help if needed, ensuring no one feels isolated in critical moments.
For example, when someone sends a check-in notification, the device displays a question mark-shaped tactile node, which can be customized to braille messaging for visually impaired users. If the user feels unsafe, they can release the safety cap and press the SOS button to alert their buddies.
For those unable to use a phone, the solution includes a handheld device designed for accessibility. This device features dual visual and tactile signaling to accommodate diverse needs.
By creating small groups of mutual care, the Check-In feature not only reduces chaos and worry during emergencies but also builds trust and connection within the community. This gentle reminder of shared care fosters social capital, helping residents feel more secure and supported, both in daily life and during times of uncertainty.
Reflection：
Fostering connection leads to community care.
SafeNest fosters trust and connection within communities by encouraging meaningful relationships through shared spaces, outreach, and regular check-ins. While initially focused on emergency preparedness, we learned that building social capital and trust is essential for effective preparedness. This led us to prioritize everyday community connections, which pave the way for practicing care during emergencies.
Through the SafeNest project, I learned to prioritize inclusivity, adapt designs based on user feedback, and think systemically to connect vertical communities. These experiences highlighted the value of accessibility, flexibility, and collaboration in creating meaningful solutions.
As a next step, I plan to conduct user testing to ensure the solution is accessible to a wide range of people and explore ways to connect neighboring vertical communities for broader safety networks.
