HerPath
My role
UX/UI designer - Research, Feature Scoping, Strategy, UI Design, Usability Testing, Validation, Business Strategy.
UX/UI designer - Research, Feature Scoping, Strategy, UI Design, Usability Testing, Validation, Business Strategy.
UX/UI designer - Research, Feature Scoping, Strategy, UI Design, Usability Testing, Validation, Business Strategy.
Project
Thesis Defence
Timeline
8 months
Overview
Overview
Overview
Many women want to travel alone but face safety concerns and lack reliable, current information about safe places or emergency help. Scattered online advice isn’t enough, especially in urgent situations. This project aims to provide women with real-time, community-based support and essential tools so they can travel confidently and securely, beyond just general tips.
Many women dream of traveling alone, but safety concerns often get in the way. It’s hard to find up-to-date, trustworthy information about which places are safe or where to get help in a new city. Relying on scattered advice from the internet isn’t enough, especially in urgent situations. Women shouldn’t have to spend all their time searching for safe places or emergency help. This project is about fixing those gaps. It's about giving women the tools and information they need to travel confidently and safely. We need more than just general tips; we need real-time, community-based support that helps women feel secure,
wherever they go.
Many women want to travel alone but face safety concerns and lack reliable, current information about safe places or emergency help. Scattered online advice isn’t enough, especially in urgent situations. This project aims to provide women with real-time, community-based support and essential tools so they can travel confidently and securely, beyond just general tips.
Problem
Female solo travelers frequently experience heightened anxiety and feelings of vulnerability, especially in unfamiliar environments or unexpected situations concerns. Despite making up a 67% of solo travelers, women often lack access to reliable, consolidated resources tailored to their safety and navigation needs. Current solutions require them to sift through scattered online information, leaving them unprepared and unsupported. These challenges contribute to persistent feelings of insecurity and discomfort, highlighting the need for a solution that empowers solo female travelers to feel informed, connected, and safe throughout their journeys.
Female solo travelers frequently experience heightened anxiety and feelings of vulnerability, especially in unfamiliar environments or unexpected situations concerns. Despite making up a 67% of solo travelers, women often lack access to reliable, consolidated resources tailored to their safety and navigation needs. Current solutions require them to sift through scattered online information, leaving them unprepared and unsupported. These challenges contribute to persistent feelings of insecurity and discomfort, highlighting the need for a solution that empowers solo female travelers to feel informed, connected, and safe throughout
their journeys.
Goals
To design a platform that allows travelers to feel informed, and connected while traveling solo to reduce their anxiety and foster a greater sense of security throughout their travel journey.
To design a platform that allows travelers to feel informed, and connected while traveling solo to reduce their anxiety and foster a greater sense of security throughout their travel journey.
Solution
HerPath is a mobile platform that supports solo female travelers with real-time safety alerts through location-specific safety data with the help of community reviews, and instant SOS features. It highlights safe areas, crowd patterns, and nearby emergency services, while enabling quick sharing of safety experiences. Wearable integration ensures help is accessible even without a phone.
HerPath is a mobile platform that supports solo female travelers with real-time safety alerts through location-specific safety data with the help of community reviews, and instant SOS features. It highlights safe areas, crowd patterns, and nearby emergency services, while enabling quick sharing of safety experiences. Wearable integration ensures help is accessible even without a phone.
Impact Expectation
15%
Boost in confidence among solo female travelers by designing a solution that supports safer, more frequent independent travel.
Boost in confidence among solo female travelers by designing a solution that supports safer, more frequent independent travel.
Boost in confidence among solo female travelers by designing a solution that supports safer, more frequent independent travel.
10%
Reported safety-related incidents annually through proactive features and
real-time support.
Reported safety-related incidents annually through proactive features and
real-time support.
Reported safety-related incidents annually through proactive features and
real-time support.
20%
Increase in trust with digital navigation tools by delivering accessible, reliable information for decision-making in unfamiliar environments.
Increase in trust with digital navigation tools by delivering accessible, reliable information for decision-making in unfamiliar environments.
Increase in trust with digital navigation tools by delivering accessible, reliable information for decision-making in unfamiliar environments.
Challenges faced
Here came the challenge, when I gathered all the pain points faced by fellow travelers, There were too many problems faced at different situations and occasions and could not figure out Which problem to focus on so I could address the countless problems faced with the solution come up with.
Here came the challenge, when I gathered all the pain points faced by fellow travelers, There were too many problems faced at different situations and occasions and could not figure out Which problem to focus on so I could address the countless problems faced with the solution come up with.
Here came the challenge, when I gathered all the pain points faced by fellow travelers, There were too many problems faced at different situations and occasions and could not figure out Which problem to focus on so I could address the countless problems faced with the solution come up with.
Tackling Emotional Safety
Tackling Emotional Safety
Tackling Emotional Safety
Emotional safety is a situational and subjective matter to solve for and in addition measuring emotional safety is very difficult as it can't be felt by a third party person.
Emotional safety is a situational and subjective matter to solve for and in addition measuring emotional safety is very difficult as it can't be felt by a third party person.
Emotional safety is a situational and subjective matter to solve for and in addition measuring emotional safety is very difficult as it can't be felt by a third party person.
Reducing Cognitive Load
Reducing Cognitive Load
Reducing Cognitive Load
The number of complex steps that a user needs to take in order to obtain or reach their destination.
The number of complex steps that a user needs to take in order to obtain or reach their destination.
The number of complex steps that a user needs to take in order to obtain or reach their destination.
I tried to overcome this problem by
Listening to travelers understanding the specific situations that cause them anxiety, and explored whether solving one of these issues could also help address others at the same time.
Making it faster and easier for travelers to access the features or information they need by minimizing the number of steps involved will help solve the problem more efficiently.
Secondary Research
Trends
78%
Women wanted to Challenge
themselves by traveling alone
28%
Since 2020, there has been a notable surge in the trend of women increasingly choosing to embark on trips alone
Since 2020, there has been a notable surge in the trend of women increasingly choosing to embark on trips alone.
Since 2020, there has been a notable surge in the trend of
women increasingly choosing to embark on trips alone.
How big
is the problem?
How big is the problem?
How big is the problem?
88%
Felt that their safety was
threatened in some way by
traveling on their own.
Felt that their safety was
threatened in some way by
traveling on their own.
Felt that their safety was
threatened in some way by
traveling on their own
13%
Unable to defend
themselves.
Unable to defend
themselves.
Unable to defend
themselves
40%
Anxiety on something bad
happening.
Anxiety on something
bad happening.
Anxiety on something bad
happening
28%
Anxiety while on journey.
Anxiety while on journey
Why is it important?
Deterrance from Future travel
Long time psychological effects causing phobia for traveling alone
Disrupted Itineraries
Primary Research
13 interviews, each approximately 30 minutes in duration, were conducted, recorded, and transcribed for in-depth
analysis. Detailed debriefs were created for each interview to identify recurring patterns.
Why
the anxiety?
Why the anxiety?
• Unfamiliar environment
• Unexpected situation
• Lack of support at night
So what?
How might we create a community-driven platform for female travelers to access real-time information, make informed decisions, and feel secure by leveraging shared knowledge and support to combat anxiety in challenging environments and situations?
How might we create a community-driven platform for female travelers to access real-time information, make informed decisions, and feel secure by leveraging shared knowledge and support to combat anxiety in challenging environments and situations?
That's Where…
That's Where…
HerPath
Search
destination
Search Destination
Search Destination
Users can type directly into the search bar to find specific locations. Once selected, the app highlights safe areas and incident alerts along the route to the destination they searched for from their location with clear markers and
provides relevant details like addresses. Combined with real-time safety alerts and location-based guidance, the search function becomes a vital tool for both exploration and personal security.
Users can type directly into the search bar to find specific locations. Once selected, the app highlights safe areas and incident alerts along the route to the destination they searched for from their location with clear markers and
provides relevant details like addresses. Combined with real-time safety alerts and location-based guidance, the search function becomes a vital tool for both exploration and personal security.
Users can type directly into the search bar to find specific locations. Once selected, the app highlights safe areas and incident alerts along the route to the destination they searched for from their location with clear markers and provides relevant details like addresses. Combined with real-time safety alerts and location-based guidance, the search function becomes a vital tool for both exploration and personal security.
Drop reviews
Drop reviews
The “Drop a Review” feature allows users to share their safety experiences at specific locations in a quick, structured way. Users can also upload images to support their review.
The “Drop a Review” feature allows users to share their safety experiences at specific locations in a quick, structured way. Users can also upload images to support their review.
The “Drop a Review” feature allows users to share their safety experiences at specific locations in a quick, structured way. Users can also upload images to support review.
Location-specific information
Location-specific information
The sheet helps travelers assess risk levels, understand crowd
patterns, and find nearby safe spots like police stations or pharmacies,
complete with contact details and estimated travel times. It also allows
users to gather practical insights about what to expect at a location,
enhancing their awareness and preparedness before visiting.
The sheet helps travelers assess risk levels, understand crowd patterns, and find nearby safe spots like police stations or pharmacies, complete with contact details and estimated travel times. It also allows
users to gather practical insights about what to expect at a location, enhancing their awareness and preparedness before visiting.
The sheet helps travelers assess risk levels, understand crowd patterns, and find nearby safe spots like police stations or pharmacies, complete with contact details and estimated travel times. It also allows
users to gather practical insights about what to expect at a location, enhancing their awareness
and preparedness before visiting.
Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS
Tapping the prominent “Emergency SOS” button instantly alerts nearby trusted contacts or emergency services, sharing the userʼs live location. If no immediate help is available, the app displays nearby assistive places such as police stations or safe hubs so travelers can
quickly find support in person.
The sheet helps travelers assess risk levels, understand crowd patterns, and find nearby safe spots like police stations or pharmacies, complete with contact details and estimated travel times. It also allows
users to gather practical insights about what to expect at a location, enhancing their awareness and preparedness before visiting.
Tapping the prominent “Emergency SOS” button instantly alerts nearby trusted contacts or emergency services, sharing the userʼs live location. If no immediate help is available, the app displays nearby assistive places such as police stations or safe hubs so travelers can quickly find support in person.
Assistance in need
Assistance in need
When a nearby traveler is in danger, an alert
bubble appears on the map. Tapping it
reveals their exact location, details of the
emergency, and options to either respond or
contact first responders immediately.
When a nearby traveler is in danger, an alert bubble appears on the map. Tapping it reveals their exact location, details of the emergency, and options to either respond or contact first responders immediately.
When a nearby traveler is in danger, an alert bubble appears on the map. Tapping it reveals their exact location, details of the emergency, and options to either respond or contact first responders immediately.
Prototype
If phone is not accessible?
If phone is not accessible?
Travelers can easily use their watch to call for help from nearby people during stressful or urgent situations.
Pricing
Premium Plan
Unlock complete features for just $6 per month.
Unlock complete features for just $6 per month.
Unlock complete features for just
$6 per month.
Business Plan
Boost visibility as a verified safe spot for $10 per month.
Boost visibility as a verified safe spot for $10 per month.
Boost visibility as a verified safe spot for
$10 per month.
Idea Validation
As I developed HerPath, I realized that building trust and engagement would depend heavily on how users interact with the appʼs core features. This led me to explore certain assumptions that, if proven wrong, could pose significant risks to the solutionʼs success. To evaluate these, I created a Risky Assumption Matrix, which helped me categorize assumptions based on their certainty and potential impact. This strategic framework allowed me to prioritize what needed validation first, which eventually led to me to prioritize notifications, real-time updates, and community-driven inputs.
Methods used to Validate
Fake Front Door
Mechanical Turk
Infiltrator
Aha
Aha
moment
moment
"This app is incredible. I would definitely download it and it’d be worth paying for just for that peace of mind and the feeling of safety."
- Jordan Patrick
"This app is incredible. I would definitely download it and it’d be worth paying for just for that peace of mind and the feeling of safety."
- Jordan Patrick
"This app is incredible. I would definitely download it and it’d be worth paying for just for that peace of mind and the feeling of safety."
- Jordan Patrick
"I didn’t realize how much I needed this app until I saw this."
- Sweta Devnani
"I didn’t realize how much I needed this app until I saw this."
- Sweta Devnani
"I didn’t realize how much I needed this app until I saw this."
- Sweta Devnani