WHAT WAS THE PROJECT?
End-to-end iOS app designed to connect victims of domestic violence to potentially lifesaving resources
Client: The Expat Woman
Project Summary
I led a qualitative research study and creation of an interactive prototype for an end-to-end domestic violence prevention app.
Timeline & Team
8 weeks from idea formation to MVP creation with a 2-person fully remote team.
Key Goal
Design a discreet, safe user experience for victims of domestic violence seeking help and resources.
Responsibilities
Qualitative Research, Experience Design, Interface Design, Usability Testing, Product Strategy
MY ROLE IN THE CREATION OF TUTUS
User Research
Developed product research strategy and conducted qualitative user research with stakeholders.
Experience Design
Designed interface, created product branding, developed prototype, and conducted usability testing and iterations.
Product Strategy
Created, developed, and presented new user experience ideas to stakeholders.
WHAT PROBLEM IS TUTUS TRYING TO SOLVE?
Gender-based domestic violence rates are rising during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scale of violence against women globally:
1 in 2 women globally have reported that they or a woman they know have experienced partner violence since the COVID-19 pandemic.
How domestic abusers have exploited technology:
The pandemic has given abusers easier access to a partner’s phone to alter privacy settings, obtain passwords, or install tracking software.
Factors contributing to increases in domestic violence:
Security, health, & money worries
Forced isolation with abuser
PRODUCT STRATEGY
Proposed Solution to the Problem:
Tutus is the free multi-purpose app prototype that meets the greatest safety needs for victims of domestic violence.
It allows users:
To identify abusive behaviors & document abuse
To swiftly and discreetly message Trusted Contacts or law enforcement professionals in emergency situations
To safely contact state and local-level shelters
To create an exit plan
TUTUS PROJECT SUMMARY
Tutus is a PIN-protected app for victims of domestic violence seeking safety and informational resources whose mobile search and password information may be tracked by their abuser.…. and it is a hit!
of targeted client population were satisfied with Tutus’s usability & features.
88%
of targeted users felt they would be able to learn how to use Tutus quickly and benefit from this product.
96%
90%
were overall satisfied with the product design.
TUTUS DESIGN PROCESS
I led this 8-week project from strategy to MVP creation & collaborated closely with 1 other UX Designer.
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Inaccessible to the visually impaired community
Exclusive to those who cannot afford app services costs
Unsafe, resulting in data leaks
Lacking in quality information provided by experts
Analysis of available domestic violence apps revealed existing apps are:
“I downloaded this app to see if I could recommend it to my clients. It didn’t work for me and sent no messages… this app is definitely not secure for a person in a dangerous situation.”
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
I planned and conducted 3 remote interviews with participants who have previously been in domestically abusive partnerships to better understand their needs in a domestic violence prevention app and outlined design opportunities.
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Based on the research, I focused on two primary Tutus users:
PRODUCT STRATEGY
The market research and individual interviews revealed design opportunities for Tutus.
“An app like Tutus is powerful and could help save so many lives.”
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
First, I mapped out how first-time users would login and create an account.
A major concern for Tutus’s users is safety when using domestic violence prevention apps. With that in mind, Tutus is a PIN-protected app and the only “required” information new users must provide to fully use all Tutus’s features is their phone number and GPS location.
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
First, I mapped out how first-time users would login and create an account.
A major concern for Tutus’s users is safety when using domestic violence prevention apps. With that in mind, Tutus is a PIN-protected app and the only “required” information new users must provide to fully use all Tutus’s features is their phone number and GPS location.
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Mylinh creates an evidenced-based safety plan with the guidance of the Tutus Safety Planning feature.
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Mylinh creates an evidenced-based safety plan with the guidance of the Tutus Safety Planning feature.
VISUAL INTERFACE DESIGN & BRANDING
I designed the brand voice for Tutus.
It was vital that the design of the style guide be in line with the tone of Tutus: hopeful and helpful, a friendly guide for users experiencing stressful life circumstances. Tutus wants its users to feel optimistic and comforted.
I used the official preventing domestic violence campaign color palette in Tutus’s design.
VISUAL INTERFACE DESIGN & BRANDING
Tutus is the helpful, informative, and safe multi-purpose app for victims of partner violence.
PROTOTYPE, TEST, & ITERATE
I planned and conducted 5 usability tests. All participants either worked professionally with domestic violence survivors or were themselves former victims of domestic abuse.
80%
Error-Free Rate
96%
felt Tutus was intuitive and user-friendly
90%
were overall satisfied with the Tutus product
PROTOTYPE, TEST, & ITERATE
Users wanted to know why they needed to share some personal information in order to fully utilize Tutus’s features.
“Why am I being asked my phone number and gps location? I need to know the WHY more clearly before agreeing to share such personal information.”
Supply users with short, succinct explanations for any personal information they are asked to share to fully utilize all of Tutus’s features.
Proposed Solution
PROTOTYPE, TEST, & ITERATE
Users wanted to know why Tutus? The name for the app confused participants as to the purpose of the product.
“Why Tutus? What does Tutus even mean? I thought, based on the name, that Tutus was an online store for dancewear!”
Provide users with an explanation of what Tutus means and the name’s significance with regards to its mission to prevent domestic violence.
Proposed Solution
PROTOTYPE, TEST, & ITERATE
Concerns were raised over how many clicks it took to access the Panic Button feature and how confusing it was to navigate and to use this product feature.
“If I am needing emergency help because I am in a dangerous situation, I would hope the process would not be so difficult!”
Proposed Solution
Simplify user flow to use this essential feature.
PROTOTYPE, TEST, & ITERATE
The need for a robust Resources section with a focus on available local resources was highlighted by usability test participants.
“When I was in an abusive partnership, I did not care about national resources for victims of domestic violence! I needed help locating local resources.”
Focus list on local resources available to Tutus users by emphasizing feature that searches for local resources based on the users’ gps location.
Proposed Solution
PROTOTYPE: HOW DID IT IMPROVE?
Users can more easily locate and use Panic Button feature and review how it works whenever, wherever.
PROTOTYPE: HOW DID IT IMPROVE?
Users can now Search for Help locally using their gps location and/or seek out help from state and national-level domestic violence prevention centers.
OUTCOMES & LESSONS
Capturing the voices and experiences of individuals and communities usually overlooked is a crucial lens for insight and ideas about potential opportunities and optimizations in any product experience.
Capture more voices of professionals in this space and of more domestic violence survivors.
Collaborate with developers to create Tutus.
Conduct more robust research as to what additional informational resources would be beneficial to this audience.
Next Steps
96% of usability test participants felt that Tutus was intuitive & user-friendly.
88% of usability test participants were either Satisfied or Very Satisfied with Tutus.
100% of usability test participants (n = 3) that were domestic violence survivors felt that Tutus has the potential to save lives.
Key Results