Emergency Alert System
Modernizing the way Canada distributes AMBER emergency alerts through mobile devices.
Overview
In Canada, "Alert Ready" (owned by the weather network) acts as the central hub for all emergency notifications, including AMBER Alerts for missing children.
While these alerts play a vital role in getting information out quickly, the system itself has faced criticism for being outdated.
Team
Solo Project
Tools Used
Figma
Figjam
Dscout
Status
Deprioritized
What is an AMBER?
AMBER alerts save lives at the cost of small moments of discomfort.
Canada sends its emergency alerts through the weather networks sub-company "Alert Ready". This company tracks each province's past alerts and alert types.
Since the only method for sending out AMBER alerts is via province-wide messaging, AMBER alerts are sent only in extreme cases. However there is an opportunity to
I toned it down, give it a listen!
Problem
AMBER alerts receive the most public backlash despite being only 1.3% of Canada's emergency alerts.
Canadians don’t consider AMBER Alerts to be as important as other widespread emergencies since they don't pose a threat to the community or personal safety in the same way something like a wildfire would. There is a misalignment with AMBER Alerts utilizing a widespread alert system without carrying the same life-threatening urgency.
These complaints stall call lines, delay police action, and foster animosity towards AMBER alerts, diminishing their effectiveness.
X-user
@BeingMani97
I thought I turned off AMBER alerts in my settings, why am I still getting them, forgive me for not wanting to have a nuclear alarm go off while I'm driving.
A Reddit User
r/change_my_view
People aren't complaining about the Amber Alerts full stop, they are complaining about a system that should and can be better.
A Reddit User
r/change_my_view
"I'm not complaining about the Amber Alerts full stop, I'm complaining about a system that should & can be better."
X-user
@_prkr
Is there any way to mute these emergency alerts that Ontario has started? I just had 3 blazing alarms in an hour about an amber alert in Thunder Bay 14 HOURS away from where I live…
A Reddit User
r/Canada
My issue is that they're using the "nuclear attack imminent" tone for it. There's a time and a place for that tone, and that's when a country or area are in immediate danger of destruction.
X-user
FekryAiad
I’m not against amber alerts, I’m against sh*tty implementations of amber alerts.
Solution
Improving AMBER alerts to give clear context and incentivize taking action over idleness.
You seriously read this? Respect.
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You seriously read this? Respect.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident
Pain point #1
Leveraging online discussions and a national survey identified shortcomings.
When Canada implemented the AMBER alert system, it lacked the multi-tier alert levels used in the U.S., relying on a single-level alarm for weather, civil emergencies, and evacuations
This means Canadians hear the same alarming sound for any emergency, from a missing child to a missile — and it's terrifying.
Disrupting sleep
Interrupting sleep for those who aren't in a position to help leads to frustration and a surge in irate responses.
Innacurate location
Broad alerts for fast-moving suspects can backfire, causing confusion and needless worry among residents far from the crime scene.
Distracting drivers
Sudden alarms could cause a driver to brake abruptly, or take their eyes off the road to read the alert, increasing the risk of an accident.
Pain point #2
It’s hard to decipher what info you need to know in order to help.
The effectiveness of these alerts can be hampered by information overload. Cramming vital details like suspect descriptions, vehicle information, and last seen locations into a short message can be overwhelming.
This makes it difficult for recipients to grasp the critical details at a glance, which is especially important when people might only have a few seconds to react and remember key facts
How might we (i*)
Design AMBER alerts to be more compelling & informative to maximize the chance of a successful recovery?
Design
Changing tone
Replacing the overly loud AMBER alert tone with something less frightening, but still draws attention.
When making the new tone I had to consider the frequency requirements established by the Canadian government which limited my options for a soft tone. I decided on a whooping sound that mixed low and high frequencies at a lower pitch.
Old tone
Working with audio software wasn't in my
Working with audio software wasn't in my
New tone
Working with audio software wasn't in my
Working with audio software wasn't in my
Branding
This is some TBD text describing design choices
TBD
TBD
I need to show an image of NFC chips as a delivery method - show screenshot of "recomended apps"
Branding
Multi-language accessible branding reduces the chance of alerts falling on deaf ears.
4.6 million Canadians (12.7%) speak a language other than English or French. Branding for the future of a growing multi-language means we are making the alert accessible and expanding reach to save more children.
Tying the app into the device's language settings, AMBER alerts will detect and display the users preferred language.
Punjabi + 763,785 views
Mandarin + 730,125 views
Arabic + 629,060 views
Wrap-up
Retrospective
Impactful solutions can emerge from simplicity rather than grandiosity.
A solution to a bad system isn't always scrapping it and starting from scratch or adding new features.
I learned that rather than reinventing an entire emergency alert system, simplifying busy language with memorable visuals and isolating information to match users' logic can have a greater impact
I considered first responders in my process, but there's still room to explore this space.
In the future if I revisit this project I would adapt my solution to work with the existing AMBER alert dispatch system but eliminating the need to get approval from "Alert Ready" beforehand.
I expect it would drastically reduce the time it takes to send out an alert, and eliminate an unnecessary step.
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