smart scarf + companion app
WARMI: Empowering Women Against Domestic Violence
ROLE
UX Designer +
Researcher
EXPERTISE
UX/UI Design
User Research
YEAR
2023
Warmi ("Warm Me") is a
1. smart scarf
2. companion app
Designed to support women in Australia experiencing domestic violence.
The project addresses the critical barriers victims face when seeking help, offering a discreet, accessible, and comforting solution that does not immediately involve law enforcement. Through research, prototyping, and iterative testing, Warmi evolved into an innovative tool that combines physical comfort with digital support, ensuring safety and emotional resilience.
My Role
User Research: Conducted qualitative and quantitative studies, including interviews and surveys, to understand the challenges of seeking help.
Problem Reframing: Used design thinking frameworks to redefine the problem space and identify new solutions.
Design & Prototyping: Developed wireframes (mostly low-fidelity), journey maps, and interactive prototypes using Figma and Marvel POP.
User Testing & Iterations: Led usability studies with diverse participants, refining the product based on real-world feedback.
Physical Component Design: Designed and tested the Warmi Scarf using the Wizard of Oz method.
Promotional Content: Created the promotional video to communicate Warmi’s impact and functionality.
Traditional help-seeking methods for domestic violence victims are often ineffective due to:
Why is help-seeking hard?
Fear of discovery and retaliation
Lack of discreet support options
Reluctance to involve law enforcement
Psychological barriers to seeking help
Through 12 in-depth interviews, 50 surveys, and online ethnographic research, key insights emerged:
Key Insights
Victims delay seeking help until situations become life-threatening.
Non-discreet help-seeking increases risks.
Community support plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of abuse.
A disguised, accessible, and familiar tool increases motivation to seek help.
Reframing the Problem
By applying 5 Whys, Theme Framing, and 3-Step Frame Innovation, we discovered, avoiding direct police involvement encourages victims to take action earlier.
Concept Selection & Ideation
Using Crazy 8s, Space Saturation, and Storyboarding, we generated and tested multiple ideas before refining Warmi based on the following principles:
✅ Safety Guarantee – minimizes risk to the user
✅ Ease of Use – simple and intuitive interface
✅ Subtlety – disguised as an everyday item
✅ Familiarity – integrates into users’ lives without disruption
✅ Appearance for Disguise – every Warmi scarf is unique to prevent detection
Prototyping & User Testing
Low-Fidelity Testing (Lo-Fi): Identified issues with navigation and sign-up process.
Mid-Fidelity Testing (Mid-Fi): Evaluated efficiency, aesthetics, and first impressions. Users loved the virtual assistant feature.
High-Fidelity Testing (Hi-Fi): Final refinements using heuristic evaluation and semi-structured interviews. Key insights included enhancing scarf durability and discreetness.
Physical Component Testing
Wizard of Oz Approach: Simulated the scarf’s haptic feedback to evaluate emotional and physical comfort.
Findings: Users wanted additional discreet features and improved durability for everyday use.
The team went through ideation, iteration, and refinement to develop user-centered solutions. Using brainstorming, Space Saturation, Crazy 8s, and a Criteria for Success, we generated diverse ideas. From 100 concepts, we narrowed it down to three. I created user journey maps for each to identify strengths and pain points, ensuring our designs aligned with user needs by considering their perspectives.
Key Features
🧣 WARMI Scarf – Disguised as an everyday item, providing haptic feedback for comfort. Transforms into a stuffed animal for emotional support.
📱 The App – Offers professional resources, community support, and discreet assistance.
🔐 Security Features – Disguised UI, anonymous access, and unique scarf designs to prevent detection.
🌱 Sustainable Design – Made from upcycled textiles, reducing waste and supporting ethical production.
What I Learned
Working on Warmi was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding of trauma-informed design. Designing for domestic violence survivors required a delicate balance of usability, safety, and emotional intelligence.
What I Would Do Differently
During research, I noticed that participants were more comfortable sharing personal experiences when mildly distracted (e.g., texting, gaming, casual conversation). In future projects, I would:
Use emotional probes to facilitate open dialogue.
Incorporate multimedia storytelling to allow participants to illustrate their experiences.
Enhance usability testing environments to reflect real-life emotional states.
Impact
Warmi embodies human-centered design, empathy, and innovation. By combining a physical comfort object with digital support, it empowers women to take control of their safety and well-being. This project reinforced my passion for designing solutions that drive social impact and meaningful change.