There is currently no means of asking for help when being harassed in a public manner. While online/mobile platforms do exist that aim to end public harassment, none exist with the goal of stopping harassment while it is occurring or through connecting strangers through technology.

Authentication

The application requires each new user to obtain recommendations from 4 current users before they can create an account. Mike was unaware of this feature of the application before he chose to download Together and when asked for details on 4 current users was unable to do so. Thus, Mike was unable to create and account and deleted the application.

Panic Button

Alexis is walking home from work one evening when she becomes aware of two individuals walking directly behind her. They begin to taunt and yell at her. She pulls out her phone, unlocks it and clicks the “panic button.” Other users of the application that are nearby receive a notification that Alexis has clicked the panic button, her location and her profile.

Check-In

Gwen and her significant other have decided to have a date night. When they arrive at the restaurant Gwen takes out her phone and checks-in. That way her location is more accurate, and if another user at the restaurant needs assistance Gwen’s location will be tied to that location. (Note that it is not necessary to check-in for a user’s GPS position to be associated with a specific place. Checking-in simply makes it more accurate.)

Questionnaire

Gwen is on the bus headed to the grocery store with her eldest child. On their ride, the bus gets very crowded and a woman across the way from Gwen begins to scream profanity. Gwen is unsure of what to do, and is unsure if she should take measures to protect herself and her child. She opens the application, clicks the questionnaire icon, and mentally answers its questions. She then realizes that her and her child are safe even though they were in an uncomfortable situation.

It is a beautiful Saturday night and Maria has chosen to hit the town with a few friends. It is about midnight when Maria chooses to leave her friends and the dance floor for another refreshment. At the bar, a man around Maria’s age asks if he can buy her a drink. Maria agrees and stays at the bar to talk with him for a bit. During this conversation, the man that bought Maria a drink pulls her close and begins to whisper inappropriate sexual comments in her ear. This makes Maria feel unsafe and she is afraid of what will happen next. Maria takes a small step back, opens the application and messages everyone in her direct vicinity her location, and in a few sentences, explains she is in need of assistance.

Ben happens to be at the same bar and is eating wings a few tables from the bar. He gets a notification from Maria’s message and quickly views her profile. Ben then locates her at the bar. They send a few messages back and forth about what is happening. Ben then approaches the man that bought Maria a drink and defuses the situation.

After Maria is safely back on the dance floor with her friends she sends an “I’m good” message that sends a notification to all of the users that were notified she was in distress.

main page

distress message

reply to distress message

profile

messaging

check-in

Solution

The link above, takes you to a rough prototype of the mobile application in HTML. The site displays in a rectangle to represent the shape of a smart phone. The prototype is not fully functional but rather serves more as a base UI, to allow viewers to get a greater sense of the relations between pages.