Mammut • 2015
Search & rescue for avalanche emergency response.
Design Prototyping Testing
While supporting Fluid, I designed an avalanche transceiver for search & rescue teams responding to avalanche emergencies. Bracing extreme weather conditions and high-stakes requirements, the transceiver enables reliable navigation, tracking, and coordination in emergency situations where every second counts. I was responsible for the UX & UI design.
Designing for extreme conditions
Design Process
Extreme Cold
Due to the limitations of commonly used screens we created a solution for an "old-school" low-resolution LCD screen that was more reliable and ensured responsiveness in sub-zero conditions.
Additionally, the design is emphasising clear and minimal interaction patterns, allowing the device to be used with one hand via a switch and a button. This was crucial as the user’s other hand is needed for other tasks during the search.
Extreme urgency
When searching people trapped in avalanches, time is of the essence. While the talented product designers from FLUID did a fantastic job of answering that question from an industrial design point of view, I worked on the device’s UI.
Through intensive user testing we designed a UI that assists search and rescue efforts after avalanches. The dramatic improvement also decreases the chance for detours through a new navigation pattern.
“Extensive usability testing during development allowed us to find the most intuitive-to-follow icons, as well as help to alleviate some common searching errors.”
— Mammut