Brianna Clayton's profile

Fugita: Improved Tornado Warnings

A friendly, informative, and adjustable way to receive tornado alert information.
 
It has been less than a decade since the Wireless Emergency Alert System first went online to ping our cell phones about missing children, public safety, and inclement weather, among other things. While this alert system is certainly an improvement from not having one, there are still issues with it from a user's perspective. Anyone who has received a WEA message on their phone knows that it is startling, text heavy, and not easy to understand at a glance. Inspired by my experiences growing up at the very edge of tornado country, I chose to address these concerns in the context of tornado alerts specifically. Despite recent advancements in early warning technology, tornadoes continue to be devastating and deadly to communities affected by them. Findings from "Tornado Fatalities: An Environmental Perspective" (Anderson-Frey and Brooks, 2019) and "Tornado Warning Perception and Response: Integrating the Roles of Visual Design, Demographics, and Hazard Experience" (Schumann et. al, 2018) show that clear graphics paired with color psychology, easy access to information, and clear calls to action are all imperative to users making the decision to take shelter in a tornado emergency. The Fugita app seeks to incorporate those findings into a friendly, informative, and adjustable interface.
 
Fugita: Improved Tornado Warnings
Published:

Fugita: Improved Tornado Warnings

Published: