S3i Case Study
S3i Case Study
S3i
S3i
S3i
Using Augmented Reality for a Biochemical Threat Detection Mobile Application
Using Augmented Reality for a Biochemical Threat Detection Mobile Application
Using Augmented Reality for a Biochemical Threat Detection Mobile Application
Wireframing
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Due to the sensitive nature of this project, I am unable to share all specifics publicly. However, I am happy to share my work and design approach in more detail during interview settings.
Project Overview
I collaborated with a specialized team to design the interface for a mobile app aimed at enhancing security in high-risk, highly populated environments such as airports, stadiums, and government buildings. The primary goal of the app is to provide real-time alerts and preventive measures in response to potential biochemical threats, ensuring public safety through rapid detection and response.
Problem Statement
In environments where biosecurity is critical, S3i sensors embedded in walls or pillars collect aerosol data to monitor potential biological threats. To maintain security and prevent malicious actors from locating the sensors, they are not marked on physical maps or floor plans. However, this also makes it challenging for authorized personnel to find and retrieve data from S3i's sensors.
The app was designed to address this dual challenge:
Navigation: Guide authorized users to the sensors without revealing their exact locations publicly.
Data Retrieval: Facilitate secure, quick, and efficient downloads of data for further analysis.
The Design Thinking Framework
Empathize
The empathize phase involved understanding the needs of users, field operators collecting data from S3i's sensor networks.
Methods:
Stakeholder Interviews:
Participants: Security officers, field operators, and data analysts.
Objective: Identify pain points in locating sensors and retrieving data.
Key Insights:
Field operators experience frustration navigating to sensors without clear guidance.
Security concerns necessitate minimal exposure of sensor locations.
Analysts need easy access to timestamps and visuals for retrospective investigations.
Contextual Inquiry:
Observed operators during simulated deployments to understand workflows and constraints.
Findings
The current process involved trial-and-error navigation, leading to inefficiency and frustration.
Operators preferred a single, intuitive app for navigation, data downloads, and visual analysis.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Define
From the insights, we defined the core problem:
How might we create an app that securely guides operators to hidden sensors and provides actionable data for timely biosecurity interventions?
User Goals
Locate Hidden Sensors: Use augmented reality to guide users without exposing locations.
Retrieve Sensor Data: Enable seamless data download and storage for further analysis.
Analyze Data: Provide timestamped visualizations to support investigations.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Ideate
Brainstorming Solutions
Using the findings from the Empathize phase, we brainstormed potential solutions. Some ideas included:
AR arrows to guide users to sensors in real time
Secure data transfer via a physical cord to ensure no wireless interception from potential cyber threats
Visualizing data trends with a clean, timestamped graph
Prioritization
Ideas were prioritized using a feasibility vs. impact matrix, focusing on solutions that enhanced usability and security.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Prototype
Wireframes
Low-fidelity wireframes were created to outline the key user flows:
Navigation: Augmented reality feature guides users toward sensors.
Data Retrieval: A simple “Connect” button initiates the data transfer process.
Data Visualization: A dashboard displays aerosol data trends with timestamps.
Key Features of the Prototype:
AR Navigation: Overlays arrows and visual cues to guide users.
Secure Data Transfer: Incorporates a plug-and-play cord mechanism for retrieval.
User Dashboard: Graphical display of retrieved data, stored locally within the app.
Usability Testing
The mid-fidelity prototype was tested with 10 field operators in a transit environment.
Feedback
AR Navigation: Clear and effective, but distance indicator faced bug issues on 4 of the tests. Those users will still able to find all sensors using in-app arrows
Data Visualization: Easy to interpret, but some requested customization options (e.g., zooming into specific timestamps).
Flow: Overall smooth, though the onboarding process needed more clarity.
Iterations
Fixed distance indicator for AR navigation.
Enhanced the onboarding tutorial to explain sensor retrieval and visualization steps more clearly.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Initial low-fidelity wireframes
Initial low-fidelity wireframes
Test
Final Usability Testing
The refined prototype was tested with 20 operators in real-world conditions.
Results
95% of users located sensors within crucial/expected time.
Data download success rate improved to 100%.
Deployment Feedback
Post-deployment feedback highlighted the app’s efficiency and security features. Operators found the app to be a game-changer in the biosecurity workflow.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Final Design
Core Features:
Augmented Reality Navigation:
Displays directional arrows and distance to guide users securely.
Secure Data Retrieval:
Requires a physical cord to initiate download, ensuring data security.
Graphical Data Visualization:
Presents aerosol data in a clean, timestamped graph for quick analysis.
Offline Data Storage:
Retains all downloads locally, enabling operators to access historical data.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Impact
Quantifiable Outcomes:
Efficiency: Reduced sensor location time by 50%.
Usability: 98% task completion rate.
Security: Eliminated risks of unauthorized access to sensor locations.
Business Impact:
Enhanced biosecurity response times in populated environments.
Provided critical insights for retrospective investigations of bio-attacks.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
Learnings and Takeaways
User-Centered Design is Crucial: Designing with operators’ workflows and security concerns in mind was key to success.
Iterative Testing Drives Success: Regular feedback loops ensured a user-friendly and secure final product.
Augmented Reality is a Powerful Tool: AR proved to be an effective solution for guiding users to hidden, critical infrastructure.
Future Opportunities:
Integrate real-time data transfer via secure wireless methods as technology and security advances.
Stephen Mayer, a Salt Lake City native, was nurtured in the publishing world by his magazine-running father and developed a fascination for fonts upon receiving a Mac for his family. During his collegiate years, he skipped lectures and gained knowledge about typeface—and life—by working as a designer for his university newspaper.
He also worked independently as a consultant, bridging the gap between typeface creators and users, always championing the needs of both parties. Not only is he the co-founder of the web platforms, Typographica and Fonts In Use, Stephen has also penned a regular column for Print magazine and authored the acclaimed book The Anatomy of Type. In 2017, he became an integral part of the nonprofit library and museum, Letterform Archive, as an Associate Curator and Editorial Director.
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