Understanding the Journey
Ashfaaq and his team began by researching the experiences of women traveling within Toronto, utilizing existing data and sources. Initial findings revealed that men typically travel for work with consistent timings and routes, whereas women travel for more varied reasons at different times, making their journeys less predictable.
Despite safety measures like Designated Waiting Areas (DWAs) in subways, many female travelers still opted to take additional personal safety precautions.
What did travelers have to say 🧐
31
of 50
participants typically travel alone in their inter-city travels
40
of 50
participants rely mainly on walking as their primary mode of transportation
39
of 50
participants increasingly feel unsafe traveling between 6:00PM and 12:00AM
The challenge 😖
Annabelle
The Anxious Fella
Age: 22 years
Occupation: Market Coordinator
Family: Single
Location: Etobicoke, Canada
Adaptable
Nostalgic
Practical
Techsavvy
“I want to explore the city without a care in the world, like how I did in my small hometown.”
Annabella works for a growing tech startup in downtown Toronto. While she likes her job, the unpredictable hours often require her to commute at night, when she feels especially unsafe. She would love to go out more often without being concerned for her safety.
Goals
To discover more of Toronto.
To get some rest during her long trip.
To feel safe and comfortable while traveling.
Frusatrations
Limited time to research safe routes.
Unreliable existing TTC safety tools.
Inadequate street lighting during night-time.
Idea generation💡
One of Ashfaaq’s standout ideas was the "Safe Route Finder", a feature designed to help users navigate to their destinations safely by providing real-time updates on road closures and alerts for potentially unsafe neighborhoods. Another concept was "Fake Call," enabling users like Annabella to simulate an incoming call with a loud ringtone, deterring potential threats by creating the impression of active communication.
While "Fake Call" was initially considered a quick win, feedback from mentors highlighted that it didn’t directly support Annabella’s overall journey. As a result, the team pivoted to "Open 24 Hours," later renamed "Safe House," which was adopted as an additional feature to "Safe Route".
Bringing ideas to life 🛠️
Safety Criteria
Personalized onboarding allowing users to freely select their personal safety criteria for routes.
Connect with Fellow travellers
Users can opt-in to be notified if there are other female passengers traveling with them.
Home screen
Navigation overview with each route displaying various safety features available on route.
Route Update
Any safety hazard will notify route updates for travellers to safer routes.
SOS and favorites
Emergency contacts and favorites all in one page.
WanderSafe
*Illustration generated by DALLE
