Wildfires are a growing concern globally, threatening lives, property, and natural ecosystems. There was a need for a user-friendly and accessible tool to help individuals and communities prepare for such emergencies effectively. Flare was created to address this gap by providing essential resources, guidance, and alerts in one cohesive app.

Flare was designed to tackle key challenges in wildfire preparedness, emphasizing accessibility, clarity, and usability. The lack of a centralized platform for wildfire resources left users struggling to find clear, reliable information. Emergency planning felt overwhelming, with complex steps discouraging proactive action. Flare simplifies this process by offering clear, actionable guidance, ensuring individuals can quickly understand what to do before, during, and after a wildfire.

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Developing Flare came with several design Goals:

1. User Centric Design

The app needed to be intuitive and accessible for a diverse audience, including users with little to no technical expertise.

2. Branding

Flare's branding needed to be simple yet reflect Flare's wider design personality. With its bento design and the usage of rounded corners. The color choices reflected the urgent nature of the app and to mimic the color of fire.

Read more about the Branding here →

3. Collaboration

Managed the entire design and development process within a sprint-based workflow, balancing tight deadlines while prioritizing tasks to ensure efficient execution. Took on a leadership role within a diverse, seven-member team, fostering clear communication and collaboration across different specializations. By coordinating efforts, addressing challenges proactively, and streamlining workflows, I helped maintain project momentum and deliver high-quality results on time.

Style Guide

Flare Branding

2024

4. User Reaseach / Flow

Was done to understand market gaps and more specifically user needs.

Two personas were created to reflect the typical user that would potentially find value in Flare as useful tool.

Competitive Analysis

Through analyzing existing wildfire tracking apps, we identified key gaps in usability and engagement. While many apps provide extensive data, they often lack an intuitive user experience, making it difficult to access critical information quickly. Flare sets itself apart by prioritizing user experience, accessibility, and proactive safety measures to enhance usability and emergency preparedness.

Research Insights

Users need customizable alerts based on their location and risk level to stay informed during wildfire events. Additionally, educational resources should be clear and easy to digest, ensuring users can effectively prepare before wildfires occur.

5. Site-Map

A sitemap was created to understand how the flow of the features. With the essential features outlined and how users navigate between.

6. Hi-Fi Mockup

This culminated in a hi-fi mockup to test and prototype the features before we started the coding process.

6. Showcasing

Flare was then showcased to a large audience of industry professionals and government officials as part of an effort to gain support and recognition. This required extensive hours of practice to refine the presentation, effectively communicate the product's value, and convincingly position it for potential market entry. Through this experience, I significantly improved my presentation and communication skills, gaining confidence in articulating ideas clearly and engaging with a professional audience.

Additionally, I designed and coded a website which highlighted the design and development process in a blog. As well as a information hub about Flare in general.

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The Team!!! With the mayor of Burnaby

The blog was designed to showcase the features and development process.

Promotional Material

Flare Promotional Video

Video / Audio / Color Editing

2024