Emergency Assist

A subscription service that provides 24/7 protection for the entire family at home and on the go. 

My Role
Lead UX Designer

Devices
Web, Mobile, Echo Devices, Email

Year
2023

Team
Family Safety

The Problem

Emergencies are unpredictable, occurring at any moment and in any location. As traditional landlines become obsolete in contemporary households, children and older adults are increasingly exposed to risk when a crisis arises.

The Opportunity

Saying “Alexa, I need help” lets users call emergency services hands-free, without a phone. The device can hear someone from across the room and quickly get them help. An Echo device can be used by anyone in a home, and Alexa can be accessed on any mobile phone as well.

  • A speech bubble that says "Alexa, call for help" floats over a device showing a call to Urgent Response

    In an emergency, users simply say “Alexa, call for help” and are instantly connected to the helpline.

  • A phone displays various input fields where a user can add important information

    Users can add crucial information, like allergies, that will get passed on to first responders.

  • Three phones show three different interfaces, one of the list of emergency contacts, one of a notification on a lock screen, and one an interface showing someone has called Urgent Response

    A user can add up to 25 emergency contacts, who get notified when a helpline call is made.

  • Two phones show how a customer controls their Smart Alerts for Emergency Assist

    Alexa can also detect alarm and glass break sounds and notify the customer.

My Role

I was the lead UX designer and responsible for core feature design. My design work covered the Emergency Contacts, Critical Information, Emergency Notifications, and more user experiences for the subscription's initial launch. Additionally, before starting maternity leave, I created the initial wireframes for the On The Go emergency calling feature, which were used by developers to build out the experience. In my leadership role, I also ensured efficient workflow among the other UX designers, and coordination with product and development, that resulted in an on time delivery of designs.

I was responsible for:

  • Agile Design Project Management. Led two-week design sprints, conducting regular office hours and review sessions to ensure project timelines and on-time delivery.

  • Rapid Prototyping and User Testing. Quickly conducted user testing on working prototypes to resolve issues within accelerated project timelines.

  • Figma Optimization. Maximized Figma's functionality for design, review, and handoff. Established robust file organization and version control systems.

  • Spec Creation and Delivery. Developed spec documentation templates for team use and introduced standardized handoff best practices

  • Designer Mentorship. Guided junior designers on best practices for rapid iteration and effective stakeholder management.

Challenges Faced

Designing for High-Stakes Scenarios

In critical situations where user concentration is compromised, I prioritized clarity and minimized potential for confusion or error. This required me to maintain extremely strict standards for both copy and layout and, at times, push back on product and engineering decisions that would have increased user effort or risk of mistakes.

Balancing Innovation with Function

I managed the inherent tension between the product team's desire for innovative, unique brand experiences and the critical need for a simple, familiar UX essential in emergency contexts. To find the optimal middle ground, I developed a prototype and conducted user testing, grounding the design in actual user input.

Rapid Delivery

I led my team in a demanding two-month timeline to launch this product. This involved simultaneously designing, reviewing, iterating on, and spec-ing the product while the engineering team was actively building, ensuring the project stayed on track for an accelerated delivery.

Results

Met our first year subscriber goal by 115%

Alexa Emergency Assist is rated 4.4 stars with over 1300 five-star ratings

Customer Reviews

  • Amazon review

    I was at the emergency vet and forgot that I left a pot on the stove. At the vet’s office, I start getting alerts from Alexa on my phone that my smoke detectors were going off. It asked if I wanted to hear them.

  • Amazon Review

    I am disabled and every so often I need help if I get myself in trouble. I have used this service three times so far, and every time it saved me. For $6 a month, it is definitely worth the peace of mind. Cheaper and more convenient than wearing something around your neck or wrist.

  • Amazon Review

    Gratefully, I've not had to use it but, given I like alone, knowing it is there is a huge sense of relief. My emergency contacts are used to getting the text about the tests and have let me know they think it's great I am being proactive. You never know when the just in case can become a reality.

There’s more to this story

This overview only scratches the surface of my work on this project. I can provide the full story from problem to solution, including iterations, strategy, and research, one-on-one.

In the meantime, you can learn more about Alexa Emergency Assist here.