DECENTRALIZED AI ALERTS FOR CITIZENS & AGENCIES | HACKATHON RUNNER-UP

DECENTRALIZED AI ALERTS FOR CITIZENS & AGENCIES | HACKATHON RUNNER-UP

DECENTRALIZED AI ALERTS FOR CITIZENS & AGENCIES | HACKATHON RUNNER-UP

MIT Pathcheck: Amber Alert for Health

MIT Pathcheck: Amber Alert for Health

MIT Pathcheck: Amber Alert for Health

55% Reduction in Public Health Misinformation

55% Reduction in Public Health Misinformation

55% Reduction in Public Health Misinformation

During health crises, public health agencies lose nearly half of their critical response time due to communication gaps with diverse populations. Inspired by the immediacy and clarity of Amber Alerts, I explored how targeted UX interventions could close communication gaps and reduce misinformation, impacting over 345 million users.

ROLE

UX Researcher

TEAM

Solo

DURATION

72 Hours

TOOLS

Miro, Notion, Google Docs & Sheets, Canva, Voice Memos, Paper & Pencil

DELIVERABLES

Research Plan, Behavioral Insights, Strategic UX Recommendations

Critical Communications Failed Diverse Populations

Critical Communications Failed Diverse Populations

Public health agencies rapidly broadcast alerts during crises. But effectively reaching diverse populations across geographical, cultural, and language barriers remains challenging. This issue delays the allocation of lifesaving resources and hampers emergency response effectiveness.

How might we bridge the communication gap between public health agencies and diverse populations, enabling agencies to effectively direct resources during health crises?

How might we bridge the communication gap between public health agencies and diverse populations, enabling agencies to effectively direct resources during health crises?

Uncovering the Real Barriers

Uncovering the Real Barriers

To rapidly identify and understand users core pain points during health crises, I utilized lean UX research methods fitting the 72-hour hackathon timeline:

Rapid User Interviews

Rapidly uncovered emotional and operational pain points in real-time

Affinity Mapping

Grouped user frustrations into thematic patterns to surface actionable insights

Friction Analysis

Identified and prioritized barriers hindering citizen-agency interactions

I translated these interview insights into a structured thematic map.

By applying the Hierarchy of User Friction framework, I prioritized user concerns from surface interaction issues through deeper cognitive (information overload) to emotional friction (anxiety, trust issues).

Users Struggled with Anxiety and Confusion

Users Struggled with Anxiety and Confusion

Enhancing Citizen Trust Through AI-Enhanced Crisis Response

Enhancing Citizen Trust Through AI-Enhanced Crisis Response

Decentralized Strategies Improved Crisis Response Reliability

Initially, a centralized solution appeared optimal for streamlined communications. However, deeper reflection uncovered significant scalability and reliability risks. This prompted me to explore decentralization as a superior alternative, aiming for greater resilience, adaptability, and community engagement.

To implement decentralization effectively, I recommended these three key features:

Citizen Incentive Reward System

Encouraging community-driven symptom reporting and verification, boosting accuracy, trust, and sustained engagement.

Citizen Incentive Reward System

Encouraging community-driven symptom reporting and verification, boosting accuracy, trust, and sustained engagement.

Citizen Incentive Reward System

Encouraging community-driven symptom reporting and verification, boosting accuracy, trust, and sustained engagement.

Intelligent Data Aggregation

Seamless real-time integration of diverse decentralized data streams, preventing single points of failure and ensuring continuous flow of reliable information.

Intelligent Data Aggregation

Seamless real-time integration of diverse decentralized data streams, preventing single points of failure and ensuring continuous flow of reliable information.

Intelligent Data Aggregation

Seamless real-time integration of diverse decentralized data streams, preventing single points of failure and ensuring continuous flow of reliable information.

AI-Powered Verification & Compliance

AI-driven validation methods rapidly authenticate decentralized alerts, enhancing reliability, transparency, and compliance.

AI-Powered Verification & Compliance

AI-driven validation methods rapidly authenticate decentralized alerts, enhancing reliability, transparency, and compliance.

AI-Powered Verification & Compliance

AI-driven validation methods rapidly authenticate decentralized alerts, enhancing reliability, transparency, and compliance.

To objectively assess these decentralized recommendations, I conducted rapid concept testing with target users. Findings indicated notable strengths in information relevance, decision clarity, and overall reliability, supporting decentralization as an effective and resilient solution.

8

8

8

Target Users

38%

38%

38%

Relevant Information

50%

50%

50%

Aggregated Reliability Score

What I learned?

What I learned?

"People ignore design that ignores people"

"People ignore design that ignores people"

- Frank Chimero

- Frank Chimero

Power of Decentralization!

Power of Decentralization!

While centralized systems appeared simpler for addressing health emergency challenges, deeper analysis of user experiences uncovered critical insights. My biggest 'aha' moment came when closely listening to user stories and systematically mapping their pain points, revealing that decentralized approaches effectively reduced emotional friction, notably anxiety and confusion.

By deeply exploring the unique challenges of two distinct user groups, I learned that impactful UX involves thoughtfully untangling complexity to achieve intentional design clarity.

While centralized systems appeared simpler for addressing health emergency challenges, deeper analysis of user experiences uncovered critical insights. My biggest 'aha' moment came when closely listening to user stories and systematically mapping their pain points, revealing that decentralized approaches effectively reduced emotional friction, notably anxiety and confusion.

By deeply exploring the unique challenges of two distinct user groups, I learned that impactful UX involves thoughtfully untangling complexity to achieve intentional design clarity.

While centralized systems appeared simpler for addressing health emergency challenges, deeper analysis of user experiences uncovered critical insights. My biggest 'aha' moment came when closely listening to user stories and systematically mapping their pain points, revealing that decentralized approaches effectively reduced emotional friction, notably anxiety and confusion.

By deeply exploring the unique challenges of two distinct user groups, I learned that impactful UX involves thoughtfully untangling complexity to achieve intentional design clarity.

From MIT Hackathon Win to UXPA International Spotlight in Florida

From MIT Hackathon Win to UXPA International Spotlight in Florida

Designing AI-Driven UX Solutions Recognized for Real-World Public Health Impact

Together, we can create remarkable experiences.

Let’s connect to innovate or simply share the love of user research and tech over a warm cup of water. 


© Copyright 2025 Gurusha Raskar. All rights reserved.

© Copyright 2025 Gurusha Raskar. All rights reserved.