Seattle Shelter Alliance

My role: UX Designer and creator

The issue and solution:

Seattle has the third-highest rate of homelessness in the country and not all of the shelters are not filled to capacity. I created a mobile-first website and app that would assess shelter occupancy rates using hotel technology. With a few clicks and a series of questions, case-workers, social workers, and volunteers can easily find and reserve a bed for someone experiencing homelessness using the app and/or the website.

Tools used: Pen & Paper, Sketch, Invision, Survey Monkey, Tableau

2022 UPDATE: This was a passion project I created while I was earning my Certification in UX Design, during the Create your Website/Portfolio class no less so yes, there were all-nighters involved! With that, I’ve updated the design system, workflow and aesthetics for a much cleaner and easy to follow user experience.

The research and discovery:

I completed extensive research on the homelessness crisis in Seattle and in other US cities such as Portland and LA. I interviewed nurses who would vaccinate tent city, social workers, and caseworkers, all of which would be the primary user of the mobile-first website and app. I discovered the problem was an inability to easily find a shelter either in a hospital or on the streets. The solution is to use hotel technology to assess shelter occupancy and find a bed.

The ideation and design:

I completed wireframes for the responsive desktop design along with journey maps and user workflow.

The testing:

I completed two rounds of usability testing, as I asked volunteers and nurses to use the Invision prototype. I learned which areas were easy to navigate and which areas needed adjustment because the workflow or the content was confusing.

Validation:

I completed the Seattle Shelter Alliance fresh from my UX Certification Program and since that time I have learned a great deal regarding navigation, design systems and process. This proposal was sent to the City of Seattle but has not yet been developed.