Village Shelter Locator App Design

Overview

What i did

Duration: 1 Month

Village is an American organization focused on connecting resources to unhoused people and families. The organization needs a tool that helps people locate shelters quickly and efficiently. Village’s primary target users include unhoused youth and young families who often find resources through mobile devices.

I designed app that locates shelters, and incorporated it into a responsive web design.

Responsibilities

Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, iterating on designs, determining information architecture, and responsive design.

The Problem

In 2020, it was reported that there were more than 58,000 unhoused people in the United States¹. The strategy identified by Village is to reduce ambiguity about shelter options by providing a shelter locator application.

The Goal

Design an app that will improve users’ ability to connect with shelters that fit the individual’s shelter needs.

User Research

I used The National Alliance to End Homelessness data on homelessness in the United States, as well as, my personal experiences with unhoused communities, to develop interview questions, which were then used to conduct user interviews. Most interview participants reported feeling embarrassed by their experiences as unhoused, but they actively wanted to improve accessibility to resources. The feedback received through research made it very clear that users would be open and willing to use a discreet app to locate shelters and resources. An audit of a few competitors’ products provided direction on gaps and opportunities to address with the Village app.

Design/Low-Fidelity Prototype

I did a quick ideation exercise to come up with ideas for how to address gaps identified in the competitive audit. My focus was specifically on a filterable search option for shelters near the user. I also included a vacancy indicator.

To prepare for usability testing, I created a low-fidelity prototype that connected the user flow of logging in or creating an account. The flow results in a filterable list of shelters, and some information and resources.

Usability Research

I performed an unmoderated, remote usability study with five participants. The study confirmed that the participants would like to have access to an app that easily finds shelters, and gives useful information about each shelter. It also made me aware of key features that the app lacked.

Refine/High-Fidelity Mockup

I began refining the low-fidelity prototype based on usability study findings and began creating high-fidelity mockups in Adobe XD. I utilized components, character styles, and colors to ensure consistency in the design system.

Final App and Responsive Web Design

Using the design system set up during the app, I created a responsive website for Village. The website provides more resources and education than the app. It also contains fundraising, volunteering, and social work aspects.

VILLAGE SHELTER LOCATOR APP PROTOTYPE:

Conclusion

Impact

Users shared that the app made searching for a shelter seem like something they could actually do. One quote from user feedback was that “the quick hide button would really come in handy for DV (domestic violence) cases.”.

What I Learned

I learned that searching for shelter is trialing. While someone is already in a major trial, the easier we can make the process the better. Exploring different features that could be useful to a variety of people’s needs, I learned that the problem is complex and requires much more than simply shelter availability.

State of Homelessness: 2021 edition. National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2021, August 16). Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-2020.