Unified Safety, Seamless Communication
ARGUS is a solution designed to enhance communication and safety on construction sites.
Role
Lead UX Researcher and Strategist
UX Research
UX Strategy, Business Strategy
UI Design
Duration
Jan' 24 - June' 24
20 Weeks
Awards
Research
Problem
Construction industry faces increased safety risks and work delays due to ineffective hazard reporting, miscommunication and language barriers on construction sites.
My Role
My Role
As the Lead UX Researcher and Strategist for Argus, I spearheaded user experience research and strategy, focusing on user-centered design, usability testing, and intuitive interface development.
What did users say?
construction workers die in accidents each year world wide.
60000
75%
of all work related death in the US are in construction.
Fatal construction injuries are estimated to cost the US $5 billion per year.
of all work related death in the US are in construction.
20%
Interviewed
55 Construction workers
Interviewed
11 Industry Experts
such as Procore, IBM-Head of AI, Managers, Designers and many more
Visited
6 construction sites
in Georgia
Research
"When it comes to language barriers, it’s common for them to nod their head — you think they understand, but they don’t." - Foreman
"Even if you complete safety training, you can’t recognize or remember everything when you’re in the middle of work."
- Safety Manager
"New helmets with chin straps are now being mandated by major companies to enhance fall protection."
- Ben, Con Education Department at Procore
"It's crucial how the product aids individuals in executing their job and whether it simplifies their tasks or not." - IT Project Manager, BrightView
"One wrong move can lead to months of postponements, necessitating fresh supplies to be procured and transported." - Ben, Construction Education Department at Procore
What did the users say?
• Frequent misunderstandings due to communication gaps.
• Inadequate training compromising efficiency and safety.
• Ineffective safety hazard reporting.
• Challenges on a multilingual construction site.
• With Korean, English, and Spanish spoken, a simple message between a Spanish and Korean worker requires a six-step relay.
Key Insights and Takeaways from Research
Persona and User Journey Map
Market Research and Analysis
Our market research revealed a gap in construction safety solutions. Existing concepts focused solely on worker tracking or communication with off-site specialists. None addressed the critical need for real-time safety alerts, clear cross-site communication, or on-site workforce management tools. This positions our product uniquely to empower workers, improve safety, and fill a crucial void in the market, especially considering the lack of existing competition.
Start with Site Templates
The strengths of our product concept were beginning to become self evident, however there were some important hurdles to overcome. When it came to our product design and marketing we wanted to aim for the utility to be self evident. The main barrier to be considered will be overcoming the target user’s reluctance towards adopting new technology, which is common in the construction industry.
Our product would aim to be a holistic system that factors in multiple stakeholders to deliver a seamless and intuitive experience.
User Flow
Ideation and Wireframing
To tackle these problems, we conducted a rapid ideation session. Each team member contributed ideas within a strict 3-minute timeframe, a method designed to foster quick, innovative thinking and generate a wide range of potential solutions. This approach proved effective in eliciting diverse and creative ideas that could be further developed.
Below are some of the key features and ideas we wanted to integrate in our solution to to ensure the design would be practical, innovative, and highly beneficial for construction workers.
Message
Map
Safety Training
Bone-Conduction
Camara & Lidar
OLED Projector
Mobile App
Physical Product
User Testing and Changes
Final Design
Vision Video
My Learnings & Takeaways from This Project…
• Engaging directly with users on-site deepened our empathy for their challenges, reinforcing the need to advocate for users throughout the design process.
• User feedback, especially from tough environments like construction sites, was crucial in making Argus practical and intuitive.
• Balancing modern and traditional layouts highlighted the importance of design flexibility and adapting to user feedback.
• Designing hands-free, durable tech for workers with gloves or damaged devices emphasized the need to consider real-world usage scenarios.
Future Scope & Next Steps:
• Pitching Argus to companies like Procore showcases our dedication to boosting construction site efficiency, safety, and communication with innovative, user-focused solutions.
• We continuously gather and integrate feedback to drive ongoing improvements.
Challenges
• Struggled to communicate with construction workers due to a language barrier, often relying on Google Translate, which was inefficient.
• Focused on designing hands-free, user-friendly tech solutions for workers with gloves or damaged devices.
• Ensured the interface was intuitive and practical, incorporating user feedback despite the communication challenges.
"When it comes to language barriers, it’s common for them to nod their head — you think they understand, but they don’t." - Foreman
"One wrong move can lead to months of postponements, necessitating fresh supplies to be procured and transported." - Ben, Construction Education Department at Procore
"Even if you complete safety training, you can’t recognize or remember everything when you’re in the middle of work."
- Safety Manager
"New helmets with chin straps are now being mandated by major companies to enhance fall protection."
- Ben, Con Education Department at Procore
"It's crucial how the product aids individuals in executing their job and whether it simplifies their tasks or not." - IT Project Manager, BrightView
Let's Connect!
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© 2024 Preetika Gulati
• Frequent misunderstandings due to communication gaps.
• Inadequate training compromising efficiency and safety.
• Ineffective safety hazard reporting.
• Challenges on a multilingual construction site.
• With Korean, English, and Spanish spoken, a simple message between a Spanish and Korean worker requires a six-step relay.
Persona and User Journey Map
Market Research and Analysis
User Flow
Ideation and Wireframing
Key Insights and Takeaways from
Research
User Testing and Changes
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