What’s On: A Social Network for instant event updates.

Setup

1. Install Node
2. Download the app and navigate to folder
3. npm install
4. npm install -g react-native-cli
5. react-native run-android

Refer to this page for OS based instructions.

Brief


People rely on different sources for urgent news. In any event, the usage of microblogging applications such as Twitter & Facebook have facilitated rescue & relief missions. This app presents a platform that links between authorities and subscribers, while enabling users to use it as a microblogging application.

Research

Our question is: How can we build a social media platform so that we would enable active decision making for a safer future?

Process

Because the problem space is undefined by a certain location or lifestyle, and due to the sporadic nature of urgent news, methods like ethnographies did not fit our research process. We chose to first have interviews on two stakeholders (an authority, and an active social media user), and secondly distrbute a questionnaire to understand the nature between social media usage and urgent event awareness.

Note: full videos of the interviews and usability tests are available.

1 - Interviews

Our first interview is a mix between an interview & a contextual inquiry in the metropolitian fire brigade station near Queensberry street. Questions asked were:

1- Throughout your career, what sort of events could have led to lesser casualties if communication was enhanced?

2- Can you describe the process of relaying an urgent message to the masses of a recent event? Even if through facilitators.

3- How effective is the current alert system?

4- What sort of technology would you wish for to facilitate mass communication?

-- Our second interview is for an accountant named Daisy who describes herself as an active social media user.

0- What is your occupation? 1- Have you ever been harmed by an event such as a natural disaster or a building fire, that could have been evaded?
2- What sort of events are you afraid might happen to you, or your properties?
3- If existing, can you relate an emergency situation that happened nearby you and describe how did you first learn of it?
4- Describe your social media life/usage.
5- How do you usually learn of urgent local news that are safety related? (Such as fires and traffic incidents)?
6- What sort of technology would you wish for to be up to date with all urgent local news?

--

2 - Questionnaire

The questionnaire was answered by 31 random respondants. The questions were as follows:

What is your age?

Younger than 18

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 to 74

75 or older

In a typical day, how likely are you to use microblogging applications such as Twitter and Snapchat?
Extremely likely

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not so likely

Not at all likely

When you're on social networking websites, about how much of your time do you spend posting about recent events?

All of it

Most of it

About half of it

Some of it

None of it

Have you ever been harmed by an event such as a natural disaster or a building fire?

Yes

No

How do you usually learn of urgent local news that are safety related?

Family or friends.

Radio chanels.

News via a search engine.

Social media.

State emergency broadcasters.

Other (please specify)

Where do you find updates about any urgent local news?

Family or friends.

Radio chanels.

News via a search engine.

Social media.

State emergency broadcasters.

Other (please specify)

What sort of technology would you wish for to be up to date with all urgent local news?

Resolution

A pattern emerged in the research manifested in the need for a unified social media platform for localized events.

Usability Testing

Participant 1: Mitchell — "All Stars" Comic Store owner

Main insights:

1. Describes self as not tech savvy.
2. Finds the applications very user friendly.
3. As a business owner, identifies an opportunity to advertise for instore events.
4. Will use it to keep up to date with local news, to avoid clashes in event times with other businesses.

Participant 2: Alisa — Communications' Student

Main insights:

1. Describes self as an active poster on social media.
2. Finds the applications very easy and self explanatory.
3. Would very likely use this as a platform.
4. Has been asking around about a marathon that was happening, and thought it would have been cool to have such an application to ask around.
5. Overall felt very positive about it.

Participant 3: Jemima — Student | Active social media user

Main insights:

1. Describes self as an active poster on social media.
2. Finds the application very easy and self explanatory.
3. Would use it as a platform for posting and sharing.
4. Would very likely report an event using it.
5. Would probably use the application for updates rather than scattered news sources.

Participant 4: Mona — PhD Student | Mother of 2

Main insights:

1. Found the navigation and UI to be very self explanatory.
2. Did not need to ask to navigate.
3. Suggests that search should not be by name, but by location (e.g. search authorities/users within 100km from me).

Participant 5: Mohammed – Banker

Main insights:

1. Describes self as an active viewer on social media.
2. Finds it very easy to use.
3. Thinks having push notifications is a pivotal feature.