SafePath Wearable Safety App
Redefining safety through passive, real-time protection powered by wearables.
Role: Product Designer
Project Type: Class Project
Tools/Skills: User Research, Prototyping, User Testing
Current Safety Apps & Wearables Gap
1. Safety apps require manual action during panic, making them unreliable when danger hits.
2. Wearables detect stress and danger, but they don’t trigger any safety response.
3. Safety and wearable tech are not connected, leaving a critical protection gap.
Despite a projected $279 billion women’s safety market and a 55% surge in wearable adoption, there is still no solution that converts biometric danger signals into real-time safety action.
User Interview Findings
User Flow Diagram
Sketches
Design System
Hi-Fi Prototype
User Testing Findings
Research Overview
Method :Moderated usability testing + contextual interviews
Participants :3 Apple Watch users (ages 21–32)
Context :Walking alone during perceived unsafe moments (night, parking garages, transit)
Goal :Evaluate emotional response, clarity, and decision-making under stress
Insight 1
Observed Behavior
-
Reassurance text changed how users emotionally interpreted the experience.
-
Users explicitly referenced copy as a reason they felt safe or unpressured.
Design Implications
-
Supportive interface language is not decorative; it actively shapes emotional safety.
-
Explicit reassurance lowers abandonment and increases adoption.
"Empathetic language can function as a trust mechanism, especially in high-stress scenarios."
Insight 2
Observed Behavior
-
2 out of 3 users preferred the app to take action without confirmation.
-
Users feared freezing or being unable to respond under real stress.
Design Implications
-
Stress detection should trigger help even without user confirmation.
-
Confirmation should be optional, not required.
"Designing for safety means designing for moments when users cannot think clearly."
Insight 3
Observed Behavior
-
Users wanted to know if others were responding before navigating to help.
-
Hesitation was tied to personal safety, not lack of empathy.
Design Implications
-
Show responder count or confirmation (“2 others are heading there”).
-
Social proof increases perceived safety and participation.
"Transparency around collective action increases engagement while preserving user safety."
Final Product
Reflection & Learnings
-
Designing for safety requires designing for moments of panic, not calm decision-making.
-
Supportive interface language proved to be as critical as functional accuracy in building trust.
-
User testing revealed that automation, when communicated clearly, can feel empowering rather than controlling.
-
This project reshaped how I think about defaults, confirmations, and emotional load in high-stakes interactions.
-
In future iterations, I would further explore social confirmation features while carefully managing pressure and consent.