BE LOUD & BE SAFE

BE LOUD & BE SAFE UI page - designed by Chandler

Image reference from internet

2021

"BE LOUD & BE SAFE" is an app designed to enhance communication transparency between protesters and law enforcement. By creating a neutral platform, both parties can share real-time information. Police can upload their real-time crowd control information, and strategies in different areas, to boost transparency and avoid misunderstanding. Protest can upload news and information before/during/after a protest.

In protest scenarios where asymmetrical confrontations may quickly escalate to violence, the app aims to balance the dynamic in virtual space—mitigating police force's intimidation factor and protesters' numerical advantage. The goal is to foster a balance, enhance the efficiency of information exchange, and minimize potential conflicts. This project was developed with assistance from the Hong Kong Police Force.

START POINT

In the past years, the world we live in has been full of violent conflict, the reasons for conflict are various, but these conflicts easily end with fight, blood, injury, even death. Protest is important for people to stand out and speak for themselves. So it is vital we as designers think about this part and take action.

  • Ukraine Protest

  • Hong Kong Protest

  • Black Lives Matter

  • Extinction Rebellion

  • Kill The Bill

  • …

Image reference from internet

AUTOPSY FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS

My constellation map for protest scenarios

RESEARCH FOR PAIN POINTS

￡60,000,000

Metropolitan Police / Extinction Rebellion / Cost

￡21,000,000

Metropolitan Police / Extinction Rebellion / Fortnight-long / Autumn / Demonstrations / At Least

45h

21,000 Officers / 12h Shifts / 45h Over Three Days

Image reference from internet, data from BBC

- By British Public Order Guidance

After conducting in-depth research on all the details, I identified several reasons why violence tends to occur:

1. Emotional behavior and distrust relationship between police and crowd.

2. Cycle of Violence

3. Low-efficiency communication and ambiguous guidance.

The UK Government is not the only one to point out the importance of communication, it is common sense among police forces worldwide.

"Communication with public is an essential element of modern public order policing."

A field research I did back in 2021, a protester is having conversation with police officers

I did a site observation of a protest for genocide in 2021, as I have been standing there for almost hours, I realized that the protest scene is much more complex than I had imagined.

This protest is calm and peaceful, with protesters engaging in friendly conversations with police officers and even taking photos together. Ultimately, when the police move to clear the site, they simply walk among the crowd, prompting an orderly and automatic dispersal of the people.

MAIN PAIN POINTS

Miscommunication leads to violence.

1. Intimidation from police

Police intentionally use intimidation as a tactic. By Formation / Gear

Let more people stand out for themselves

3. Increase Communication

5. Police Role Shift

2. Large crowd gathering

Protester behavior is hard to predict for police.

Use social media to push both sides to talk with others.

3. Lack of response

Due to chaos, both sides find it hard to effectively understand each other.

3. Blurry guidance

Police Operation is un-transparent for the crowd, escalating the situation.

Israeli police forces hold stun grenades launchers following Friday noon prayer outside Jerusalem’s old city on July 28, 2017. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty

A protester prepares to fire an arrow during a confrontation with police at Hong Kong Polytechnic University on November 17, 2019, Kin Cheung/AP

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

1. Encourage More People

2. Transparent Police Guidance

Guidance should be direct clear, and simple to understand.

4. Create A Neutral Buffer Zone

Weaken the physical strength of police and the number of protesters.

Police would be the protector of a peaceful protest.

SAFE ZONE PROTEST AREA

This area can be used as a safe protest area, also maybe the place that the organizer applied for.

To ensure that police instructions in protest scenarios are communicated more accurately, I designed a set of basic law enforcement control signal icons, inspired by traffic signals. These are intended to help the protesting crowd quickly and clearly understand the current strategy of the police.

OPERATION ZONE POLICE IN OPERATION

Police operation area means someone is doing some illegal activities or someone needs medical help, police need to drop in this area for a while.

This is the specific event information page, accessible by clicking on an event from the home page. Here, users find a wealth of information to prepare for the event day, such as time, location, number of participants, slogans, and the purpose of the protest. At the bottom of this page, there are two separate map systems. One is a Police Guidance Map, a real-time updated system by the police, featuring traffic control, area-specific police strategies, and important announcements. The other map system is managed by the protest organizers and includes details like march routes and supply points.

In the Stories section, users will find a compilation of various events from around the world that have driven social reform. By sharing the underlying reasons, obstacles, processes, and subsequent impacts of these stories, current users can gain a better understanding of the power of their actions and how to utilize it effectively.

The Power Of Social Media.

In 2020, The Covid keep everyone stays in the house, but the death of George Floyd, and all kinds of protests, really push social media to become another space for people to gather and fight for what they want.

The new generation is using social media to meet people who share the same idea. organize a protest or start a campaign. Unlike reality, standing against police on the internet is much safer.

Can internet space be used for both sides to practice how to friendly engage with others?

PROTEST SIGNS - INSPIRED BY TRAFFIC SIGNS

Image reference from internet

RESTRICTED ZONE NO PROTEST

No-protest area, while protests must stop immediately, and protesters should leave this area.

CONCEPT GENERATION

Basic Interaction Logic Draft

FINAL DESIGN

On the home page, users can explore upcoming events in their vicinity as well as past events. They can click through for more detailed information. Users also have the ability to view popular global events and historically significant protests that truly spurred social change. They can learn about the causes, implementation processes, and subsequent impacts of these events, thus fostering a positive guide towards safe and equitable values.

In the Police Guidance Map, police can swiftly indicate the status of different areas using the previously mentioned law enforcement control icons. This eliminates the need for complex commands or public announcements via megaphones. On the guidance map, all information is readily accessible at your fingertips.

Specific Story Information Interface

BE LOUD & BE SAFE

This project spanned over six months, starting from the aim to reduce violence in protests and culminating in the completion of this app platform. However, as the project progressed, the more I learned, the more I realized the complexity of the issue, which seemed beyond my capabilities. In today's turbulent global climate, violence increasingly appears as a simple, convenient answer to resolve conflicts. Voicing one's opinion is a fundamental right, and through my design work, I aspire to invoke awareness about the significance of inclusivity and patience in our society. My hope is that everyone can 'be loud and be safe'.