Overview
The Department of Homeland Security required a prototype for a mobile-first command dashboard for field coordinators during active emergency events.
Problem
Existing tools required significant cognitive load under stress conditions. Coordinators needed at-a-glance situational awareness without navigating nested menus or interpreting dense data visualizations.
Approach
We applied principles from aviation HUD design — progressive disclosure, color-coded severity states, and fixed landmark navigation — to the mobile interface. The prototype used realistic scenario data for testing.
Outcome
A high-fidelity prototype demonstrating core coordination flows: resource allocation, inter-agency messaging, and geospatial incident tracking, validated with field coordinator feedback sessions.