Centennial College Safety
Duration
4 months
Project Type
UX Research and Content Strategy
Contribution
Content Strategist
Tools Used
Miro, Canva
Overview
The Centennial College Safety project focused on redesigning the Safety & Security webpage and mobile app to increase engagement and ensure students could quickly and easily access essential resources during times of distress. By developing a human-centric content strategy, we sought to make safety information like emergency contacts, incident reporting tools, and mental health services more accessible, empathetic, and supportive. This project emphasized the importance of tone and consistency to enhance user trust and ensure a smooth experience across all platforms.
The previous content was disjointed and difficult to navigate, leaving students struggling to find the support they needed. Our solution involved restructuring and simplifying the content, focusing on the user's emotional state during stressful situations and delivering a cohesive, intuitive experience.
Challenges
The existing content was spread across multiple pages without clear structure, making it difficult for students to locate critical safety resources like emergency contacts and reporting tools. There were inconsistencies between the website and the app, with information being outdated or hard to find, especially when students were in distress.
The tone of the content failed to address the emotional needs of students experiencing anxiety, harassment, or safety concerns. This disconnect reduced trust in the platform, as students felt unsupported when seeking urgent help.
Solution
We developed a content strategy that focused on the emotional well-being of students. The new strategy organized content into easily accessible categories, such as "Emergency Contacts," "Report an Incident," and "Counselling Services." Each section was designed with an empathetic tone, guiding students step-by-step through the process of seeking help or reporting incidents.
The website and app were redesigned to deliver a consistent experience. We ensured that key information was presented in a unified way across both platforms, eliminating confusion and making safety resources more reliable. The navigation was simplified, with fewer clicks required to reach essential tools.
Research
Students struggled to navigate the disorganized content on the Centennial College Safety & Security website and app, especially when under stress. The lack of cohesion between platforms made it difficult for students to access critical resources during moments of crisis. Our goal was to create a content strategy that was clear, consistent, and emotionally supportive, helping students navigate safety concerns with ease.
User Insights
Surveys and interviews revealed that 65% of students found the existing site difficult to navigate, particularly when trying to report incidents or access emergency contacts. Additionally, students expressed a need for content that provided emotional reassurance, especially in situations like harassment, where they felt vulnerable.
We conducted a competitive analysis of safety platforms at other institutions, such as Humber College and the University of Toronto. These platforms provided better navigation and resource integration but lacked the empathetic tone required for sensitive situations. Our goal was to blend functionality with emotional support.
Persona
A 21-year-old Centennial College student, Emily commutes 40 minutes to campus daily. She feels safe during the day but becomes anxious when on campus late at night, especially when there aren’t many people around. Emily doesn’t feel confident about the emergency procedures and is unsure how to report incidents or seek help when needed.
Implementation
Ideation
Our ideation sessions focused on reorganizing content into easy-to-navigate categories that could be accessed quickly. We developed a human-centered approach, with a tone that reassured users and guided them through the safety resources without overwhelming them. Each key resource, from emergency contacts to counselling services, was given a distinct section with clear calls to action.
Wireframes/Prototypes
Rather than traditional wireframes, we created a detailed content map outlining the flow of information. This map ensured consistency between the website and mobile app, reducing the cognitive load on users while making navigation intuitive. Our content structure also emphasized the most important resources, bringing them front and center for students under stress.
Design
The final design incorporated a cleaner layout, organizing information into accessible sections that students could easily navigate. Emergency contacts, reporting tools, and support services were made prominent, while the empathetic tone ensured that students felt supported throughout their experience. Both the website and app offered a unified, seamless experience.
Testing
Multiple rounds of testing were conducted with students, focusing on how quickly and easily they could access safety resources. 90% of users reported that the new content structure made them feel more confident in finding the right resources, while 80% noted that the empathetic tone reassured them during moments of distress.
Key Takeaways
Learnings:
- We learned that content delivery in sensitive areas like safety must focus not just on functionality but on tone and emotional support. Users need to feel reassured, and this project demonstrated the importance of crafting a consistent, empathetic tone that resonates with students in distress. Ensuring that content is unified across both platforms (web and app) was critical in improving the overall user experience.
Challenges & Solutions:
- Challenge: Inconsistent content across the website and app created confusion for students.
- Solution: We created a unified content map that organized information into clear categories accessible on both platforms.
- Challenge: The original tone lacked empathy, leaving students feeling unsupported.
- Solution: We restructured the tone to be empathetic and supportive, making students feel understood and reassured.
Live Prototype
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