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First Aid Buddy is a mobile app designed to provide immediate, step-by-step first aid instructions in real-time, helping users respond with confidence in emergency situations. Unlike traditional apps that focus on passive learning or offer dense, hard-to-navigate content, First Aid Buddy is built for action, guiding users through procedures clearly and calmly when it matters most.
Key Goals
Deliver simple, intuitive navigation for high-stress situations
Provide context-aware, guided instructions for common emergencies
Support users with audio and visual cues for hands-free usability
Increase preparedness through lightweight training and reminders
Analysis
I conducted a heuristic SWOT analysis of existing first aid apps to evaluate their usability, relevance, and real-time support capabilities. What became immediately clear was a significant gap: most apps either focus on training before an emergency or are too cluttered and difficult to navigate during one. In high-stress situations, users need clear, step-by-step guidance, and current solutions simply don’t deliver the speed or confidence people need “in the moment.”
User interviews further validated this pain point. A recurring theme was the strong sense of responsibility users felt—particularly as parents, caregivers, or team leaders—which fueled their desire to be prepared. Yet, despite this motivation, many lacked a tool they trusted enough to rely on under pressure.
Personas
To ground the design in real-world needs, I created user personas based on insights gathered through screener surveys and in-depth interviews. Each persona reflects common motivations, pain points, and behavioral patterns uncovered during the research phase.
User Stories
To bridge user insights into actionable design, I developed a series of user stories reflecting the real-world scenarios and motivations discovered during research. These stories informed key features and ensured the app focused on providing value where it matters most—in the moment.
Iteration
Key design changes that emerged through iteration included:
Replacing a nested menu with a simplified home screen featuring the most common emergencies
Introducing a progress bar for multi-step procedures to provide users a sense of control
Adding a toggle between visual and audio modes to increase accessibility
Wireframes
With user stories clearly defined, I moved into the wireframing phase to begin shaping the app’s structure and user flow. The focus was on simplicity, speed, and clarity—all critical in high-stress, time-sensitive scenarios.
I began with low-fidelity wireframes to explore different layouts for key flows, including emergency selection, guided instructions, and quick access to key tools (e.g. calling 911 or switching to voice mode). These early sketches helped test assumptions and visualize how users would move through the app under pressure.
After initial feedback, I iterated through multiple rounds of revisions—adjusting everything from the hierarchy of emergency options to button placement and labeling. Each iteration was tested with users or stakeholders to assess ease of navigation, readability, and cognitive load.
These wireframes laid the groundwork for the high-fidelity prototypes and ensured we were solving the right problems before investing in detailed design.
Prototype
After refining the wireframes, I moved into creating a high-fidelity prototype that captured the look, feel, and functionality of the final product. The prototype included key flows like selecting an emergency, following step-by-step instructions, switching to audio mode, and navigating to safety resources. Visual design focused on a calm, supportive aesthetic—using soft colors, bold typography, and intuitive iconography to guide users with confidence.
The prototype was tested with a small group of target users in simulated scenarios. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with users highlighting the app’s clarity, speed, and overall reassurance it provided. Usability testing also surfaced some valuable improvements, such as the need for:
A "favorites" section for quick access to frequently needed first aid techniques
Visual and audio timers for CPR or wound care steps
A simplified onboarding experience to get users comfortable with the app before an emergency
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