Safe & Sound
What is it: An app and website that provides parents and caretakers the AAP (American Association of Pediatrics) recommendations and evidence-based research to navigate those late nights, early mornings, and everything in between.
It can be overwhelming to be a new parent or caretaker. The internet is wonderful, but it has a lot of contradictory opinions, especially about childcare. While everyone’s opinion on parenting is valid, when it comes to baby safety, there are a few things that are non-negotiable. We’re here to help you figure out what that may be for your family.
The problem: Finding sources for childcare safety that are science-backed and peer-reviewed to ensure you are making a truly safe decision for your child.
The goal: Create a place for parents and caretakers to find new articles about safety, keep track of product recalls, follow the AAP guidelines for basic safety, and store emergency contacts in a simple layout in case they are ever needed.
My role and responsibilities: UX/UI Designer, User research, wireframing, prototyping, testing, low/high fidelity prototyping, and design of final product
This app is for infant and child caretakers
This app is for parents or caretakers who have been told that crib bumpers are safe but also that they are not safe. It is for parents or caretakers whose parents told them “they did it when you were a baby and you turned out just fine” and cannot be convinced otherwise. This app is for anyone who wants to make sure they are up to date on the latest child-safety news and research to help them keep their littles safe.
This app is for anyone who spent too much time on Google looking up how to keep their baby safe and came out more confused than when they went in. It is for the caretaker who has a box of loose recall information postcards.
Help is out there, we are here to bring it to you
Wireframes
The wireframes for this app had a lot of consideration that went into every shape and size of every button and text box. A few things to consider were when this app was being used, by whom it was to be used, and in what situation.
Let’s start with “the when.” This app is to be used at all hours of the day. Have a problem overnight at that 4 a.m. wakeup and need a quick answer? The search functionality is right there at the top of the app to help you.
Now onto “the who.” Parents and caretakers have their hands full—usually literally. This app is accessible if you only have one free hand because a sleeping baby is in the other, or a crying toddler is pulling on your arm. It has simple buttons for people whose attention is split between tiny humans. Accessibility was a big factor in this design.
Finally the situation. The most important things are right there. In an emergency, finding the Poison Control Center shouldn’t be more than a click away.
The Takeaway
I’m going to sound like a broken record here but infant and child safety is such an important topic. While it may be overwhelming, it can save lives.
As important of a subject as it is, the resources and direction for those who need it most are often not there, and if they are, they are hard to find. It was such an amazing experience to create something that could help so many parents and caretakers have the information they need at their fingertips.
This is a project that can remain ever-evolving, much like science, to always remain current and relevant in the most important ways. Something I have learned as a science-based parent is the importance of learning from your mistakes and not letting pride stand in the way of a lesson learned, and I am happy to take that and apply it to my designs.
It is easy to finish a project and declare it perfect, but often as time goes by, things change and standards change and much like science, design must adapt.
My final takeaway is this: always be teachable. Always look to learn something new, whether that be in your personal life, your parenting life, or your professional life, always be willing to learn.
I hope you enjoyed this project, and if you would like to help me bring it to market, please feel free to reach out here. Infant safety based on AAP standards is something I will always support and try to help others gain access, and if this app could save even one life, it would be worth it.