StepSafe — Portfolio Case Study

StepSafe — Mobile Safety App

A safety companionfor the moments that matter most.

Stepsafe is a mobile safety app for solo travelers — helping users stay aware, connected, and supported before a situation becomes an emergency.

The fear often starts earlier: the unfamiliar street, the poorly lit alley, the moment something doesn’t feel right.

Stepsafe focuses on prevention — safer route awareness, live journey sharing, and a trusted support layer — so users are never caught off guard.

Duration : 1 month

UX/UI Design iOS Mobile Product Design Solo Safety

Real-World Signals

This isn’t a rare situation.

Over 500 areas across Bangkok have been identified as high-risk zones — including poorly lit streets, dead-end alleys, and spaces without surveillance coverage.

View source

Incidents frequently occur in transitional spaces — escalators, pedestrian routes, and areas where people move alone and predictably.

News report — victim followed from school

View source

Victims are often followed from familiar, everyday locations. The route from somewhere safe can quickly become somewhere it isn’t.

View source

Poorly lit alleys and secluded paths remain among the most common locations for incidents targeting solo travelers at night.

How people warn each other today

Drawn from real online community discussions, where people share safety warnings and risky locations with each other.

I went on a group motorcycle trip 30 years ago. The gravel road was terrifying — all I could think about was getting home, my parents. That experience never left me.

Internet user

I’ve been followed twice. It happened about 4 years ago — someone on a motorcycle both times. That kind of experience stays with you.

Internet user

No street lights on this road at all. Pitch black at night. Lots of bushes on both sides — you feel completely alone.

Internet user

That road is genuinely dangerous. My friend and I were once followed by a car. We had to honk and scream until someone stopped to help.

Internet user

Please amplify this — the people living here need someone to speak up for them.

Online community member

This route is very dangerous.

Online community member

Research Foundation

Two methods.
One consistent picture.

A structured survey targeting women who travel alone regularly — mapping fears, avoidance behaviors, and the decisions they make under uncertainty.

28 Participants

20–55 Age range

Bangkok Location

Open survey form

Twelve online interviews to go beyond survey data — understanding the emotional reality of solo travel and the workarounds people already use to feel safer.

12 Participants

22–50 Age range

Online Format

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Problems Identified

Unsafe at night 39%

High-risk locations 600+

Walkways & alleys 39%

Community concern 25%

Sources: UN Women Thailand; TDRI / Safe Cities for Women Campaign.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Key Insights

27 out of 28

Q. Would you take a detour to avoid a route that feels unsafe?

Answer: Yes, although some preferred the detour to remain reasonably convenient.

26 out of 28

Q. What would you do if you felt unsafe?

Answer: Call my friends or family instead of call police.

To understand users’ behaviors in assessing safety and choosing routes while traveling alone,
two key survey questions reveal clear and consistent patterns.

Question

What would you do if you felt unsafe?

90%

Roads or alleys without lighting

85.7%

Routes near grass or vacant areas

71.4%

Roads without CCTV

71.4%

Construction or abandoned areas

Question

How often do you feel uncomfortable in risky or isolated areas?

53.6%

Almost every time

32.1%

Often

14.3%

Sometimes

Never / Rarely

Design implications

Solo travelers don’t need more alerts. They need earlier awareness.

Safety decisions happen before emergencies.

Users wanted support while planning routes — not only after something went wrong.

People trust personal support first.

Most users preferred reaching trusted contacts before emergency services.

Users already choose safer routes.

When safety information was visible, users naturally adjusted their decisions.

Uncertainty is the hardest moment to design for.

Anxiety peaks in the grey zone — after something feels off, but before danger is certain.

Define

User Persona

Nuch — 21 years old

Tech Usage

Uses her phone daily
LINE, Instagram
Comfortable with map apps

Demographic

3rd-year university student
Status: Single
Lives alone in off-campus housing
Travels solo regularly

Pain Points

Goes out often — always anxious about the walk back to her dorm
Mostly alone and fears no one would know if something happened
Unsure which alleys are dangerous or what to avoid
Doesn’t like asking others for help — feels like a burden
No knowledge of personal safety tools — sees them as irrelevant

Behavior Insight

Picks routes by familiarity + speed — not safety
Avoids bothering others → rarely calls for help
Uses her phone the entire time she’s walking (maps / chat)

Goals & Needs

Know which areas are risky before she walks them
Have someone aware of where she is in an unexpected emergency
Feel like someone is “with her” while traveling alone
Receive alerts that are short, fast, and easy to act on

Define

Empathy Map

Based on survey data from 28 participants — women aged 20–55 who travel alone regularly in Bangkok.

Scenario: Walking through an isolated path or quiet alley in the early morning / evening / late night without a companion

HEAR

เสียงฝีเท้าคนเดินตาม เสียงรถมอเตอร์ไซค์ เสียงรถขับช้าๆ ตาม เสียงหมาเห่า / จิ้งหรีด ไม่มีเสียงคนรอบข้างเลย "เดี๋ยวผมไปส่งเองนะ"

SEE

ไฟถนนดับ / กระพริบ ไม่มี CCTV ซอยแคบ รถสวนไม่ได้ คนจร / คนไร้บ้าน ร้านค้าปิดหมดแล้ว ข้างทางรกร้าง

นุช

21 ปี · นักศึกษา · กทม.
เดินทางคนเดียวเป็นประจำ

THINK & FEEL

กังวลไม่มีใครรู้ว่าตัวเองอยู่ที่ไหน ถ้าเจอคนแปลกๆ จะทำไงดี? ไม่รู้เส้นทางที่ปลอดภัยกว่า โทรหาใครดีไหมนะ จะมีใครเดินทางเดียวกันไหม?

SAY & DO

โทรหาเพื่อน/แฟนให้คุยเป็นเพื่อน หาวิน/แท็กซี่ แทนการเดินผ่านซอย เดินเร็วขึ้น ระวังตัว เดินอ้อมหลีกเลี่ยงซอย

Pains

ไม่รู้เส้นทางอื่นที่ปลอดภัยกว่า กลายเป็นต้องหาทางเดินอ้อมโดยไม่มีข้อมูล หรือยอมเดินเข้าพื้นที่เสี่ยง
ไม่มีใครรับสาย ต้องเผชิญสถานการณ์คนเดียว
เวลาเสี่ยงสูงสุดตั้งแต่ 18:00 น. เป็นต้นไป
ไม่มั่นใจว่าตัวเองจะเอาตัวรอดได้ถ้าเกิดเหตุจริง

Gains

อยากรู้จุดเสี่ยงล่วงหน้า ก่อนออกเดินทาง ไม่ต้องเดาเอง
อยากมีคน "อยู่เป็นเพื่อน" ขณะเดินทาง แม้จะคนเดียว
อยากมีทางเลือกเส้นทางที่ปลอดภัยกว่าอยู่ในมือ
อยากให้ตำรวจรับรู้เมื่อเกิดเหตุร้ายได้รวดเร็ว

The Response

Three principles drove every design decision

Prevention before reaction

Risk had to be visible at the planning stage — not delivered as a notification after the user was already somewhere unsafe.

Safer routes, not just faster ones

Route comparison was redesigned to lead with safety signal, not travel time. A better option always sits alongside the riskier one.

Connected during the journey

The support layer mirrors real behavior: trusted network first, emergency services last — never the reverse.

Before

Plan with confidence

Check route risk levels
Compare safer alternatives
Set trusted contacts

During

Stay connected

Share live trip with contacts
Receive environment alerts
One-tap check-in

After

Arrive safe

Arrival confirmation sent
Contacts notified automatically
Report risky spots for others

Before — During — After

Route Safety

Safer routes at a glance

Route Comparison shows the risk level of each path alongside travel time — so a safer choice is always visible before the user sets off.

Risk level scored per route
Safe route always presented as the first option
Community-reported risk signals overlaid on map

Live Tracking

Someone always knows you're on your way

Track Me shares your live location and ETA with selected contacts. If a check-in is missed, they're quietly alerted — no panic, just presence.

Share route and ETA with selected contacts
Automatic missed check-in notification
One-tap arrival confirmation

Support System

Not every moment needs an emergency response

Three layers of support, scaled to the situation. Each layer includes a countdown timer — the user can cancel or escalate at any point. If there is no response in time, the system assumes risk and automatically advances to the next layer.

01 Layer 1

Trusted Network

Share your live route with selected contacts. When SOS is held for 3 seconds, the device automatically begins recording audio and video — and alerts your trusted network immediately.

Live sharing Auto-record on SOS Missed check-in

02 Layer 2

Auto Evidence Capture

If the user does not respond, StepSafe automatically turns on voice and camera recording to capture real-time evidence and context.

Auto recording Voice + camera Evidence capture

03 Layer 3

Emergency Services

Notifies the nearest police station with your live location. One action. Always visible — never buried.

Nearest station alerted Location sent Always on

Design System

Visual system built for clarity under stress.

Every token, component, and color choice reinforces the same principle: fast comprehension, low cognitive load, and emotional reassurance.

Color System

Deep Blue

#304369 — Primary brand

Blue

#7895CF — Interactive

Blue Grey

#DEE5F3 — Borders / BG

Pink Soft

#F8D0D0 — Accent / warm

Safe Green

#5BB88A — Safe status

Amber

#E8962A — Warning / alert

Danger Red

#D94444 — Emergency / SOS

Background

#F3F5FB — Page surface

Typography — Inter

Traveling alone

32px / 700 / −0.02em

The fear starts

24px / 700 / −0.015em

Section headline

17.6px / 700

Body

Regular body text for descriptions and explanations.

16px / 400 / 1.65

Label

SECTION LABEL

11.5px / 700 / +0.12em

Caption

Muted caption text

12px / 500

Radius & Shape

Input / Tag

8px

Inline Card

12px

Card

16px

Modal

24px

Button / Pill

999px

Spacing Scale

4px — icon gap

8px — chip gap

12px — card inner

16px — row gap

24px — card padding

2xl

40px — section gap

3xl

64px — section padding

Core Components

SafeSteps design system showing core UI components, styles, and interface elements

You’re not alone,
even when you travel alone.

A safety companionfor the moments that matter most.

This isn’t a rare situation.

How people warn each other today

Objectives &
Research Approach

Two methods.
One consistent picture.

Problems Identified

Key Insights

Solo travelers don’t need more alerts. They need earlier awareness.

Solo travelers don’t need more alerts. They need earlier awareness.

User Persona

Tech Usage

Demographic

Pain Points

Behavior Insight

Goals & Needs

Empathy Map

User Journey

Three principles drove every design decision

Prevention before reaction

Safer routes, not just faster ones

Connected during the journey

Plan with confidence

Stay connected

Arrive safe

Core User Flows

Information Architecture

Three flows that do the work.

Safer routes at a glance

Someone always knows you're on your way

Not every moment needs an emergency response

Trusted Network

Auto Evidence Capture

Emergency Services

Visual system built for clarity under stress.

Designing a Friendly Safety Companion

The product, end to end.

Explore the full design file

You’re not alone,even when you travel alone.

A safety companionfor the moments that matter most.

This isn’t a rare situation.

How people warn each other today

Objectives &Research Approach

Two methods.One consistent picture.

Problems Identified

Key Insights

Solo travelers don’t need more alerts. They need earlier awareness.

Solo travelers don’t need more alerts. They need earlier awareness.

User Persona

Tech Usage

Demographic

Pain Points

Behavior Insight

Goals & Needs

Empathy Map

User Journey

Three principles drove every design decision

Prevention before reaction

Safer routes, not just faster ones

Connected during the journey

Plan with confidence

Stay connected

Arrive safe

Core User Flows

Information Architecture

Three flows that do the work.

Safer routes at a glance

Someone always knows you're on your way

Not every moment needs an emergency response

Trusted Network

Auto Evidence Capture

Emergency Services

Visual system built for clarity under stress.

Designing a Friendly Safety Companion

The product, end to end.

Explore the full design file

You’re not alone,
even when you travel alone.

Objectives &
Research Approach

Two methods.
One consistent picture.