Helping reduce injuries and sustain careers of hotshots
prompt
duration
design a tool
14 weeks
project
brief
how to begin?
the seasons are getting hotter +
the forests, drier
Growing up in Colorado, wildfires were common
every summer.
With climate change only increasing the frequency and severity of droughts, wildfires will only get
more intense.
This project focuses on supporting and helping
the hotshots who risk everything to protect
life and property.
site visits
nearby stations
First-hand information would be essential for this project, so I visited many stations in LA
mobile studio
Hotshots I interviewed could be gone at a moment's notice and did not know what hors they would be in the station. I turned my car into a fast-response working office during research phase to get the necessary primary source information.
critical insights
primary sources
critical insights
secondary sources
so what?
synthesis of insights
NOT reporting pain points is an insight in itself
These hotshots love their job and will quietly suffer injuries so as to continue working and stay with the family-like crew.
This project needs to help support and empower without patronizing.
handtool exploration
foamcore test
intriguing, but potentially awkward in size, need to try
it in a more rigid form factor
pvc test
adjustable model
testing ergonomic
configurations quickly
testing, testing
Design is a team sport, special thanks to my colleagues and friends for their discussions, critiques, and feedback.
Thanks for reading!
Special Thanks for this Project
Leonard Wozniak
Alaina Mickes
Andrew Peterson
Eric Olsen
Brad Larsen
Bryant Rivas
