Design thinking activity: create a problem statement and prototype

for Coffee Corner

1. Problem statement. Create a problem statement for Coffee Corner to improve the
emergency preparedness of the towns people for the next flood. A problem statement
is one sentence that answers

What is your design? ___________________________________

Who will use or experience your design? _______________________________

Where will your design be used? ___________________________________

What is your design’s outcome (benefit)? ______________________________________

Write your one sentence Coffee Corner problem statement below.

2. Ideate. Write down several ideas for a product or service that will solve your problem
statement. Remember this is a product or service that Coffee Corner could sell to their
customers to help improve their emergency preparedness.

3. Prototype. Take your best idea for a product or service Coffee Corner could create to
solve your problem statement. Describe, sketch or provide a picture of your prototype
below.

4. Compare. Read other user’s problem statements and prototypes below. How does
your problem statement and prototype compare? Did you get more ideas on how to
improve emergency preparedness? How might you improve your problem statement
and prototype after reading other user’s ideas?

Problem statement: What product or service might the Coffee Corner design for citizens of
their town to prepare for a flood?

Design thinking course HP LIFE ((life-global.org) Page 1 of 3

Design thinking activity: create a problem statement and prototype
for Coffee Corner
Prototype: Coffee Corner: Information Central for Emergency Preparedness
Prepare the town before the flood by
-create community education events, help citizens with emergency plans (free coffee
provided)
-sell emergency ‘to go’ kits
-create an emergency online portal that includes information (e.g. checklists for before, during
and after the flood), flood alerts, event schedule, ability to register for flood alerts including if
you need extra assistance during a flood (disabled or elderly)
-create and train neighborhood emergency leaders program. The leaders will encourage their
neighborhood to attend education events, create emergency plans and will do door to door
flood alerts for their neighborhood.

Problem statement: The community needs an emergency preparedness plan to protect the
citizens from the next flood.

Prototype: The Coffee Corner could host emergency preparedness meetings and discussions
in their coffee shop to help the community be better informed about what they need to do.
They should have the emergency responders talk at these meetings since they see firsthand
the mistakes made that could be avoided.

Problem statement: What information or service could Coffee Corner provide to help the
citizens be prepared for a flood?

Prototype: Hold community education events at Coffee Corner to educate the citizens about
the flood danger, steps to take and create emergencies plans for each member of the family.
Create an online registration portal so citizens could register their work, home and other
locations, their family members and pets, contact information and also indicate if they have a
disability and need extra assistance in a flood. This will help first responders to assist those
with the most need and locate/contact people during the flood to ensure their safety. The
registration portal could also be used to send out flood alerts.

Problem Statement: How might Technology Emergency Response system be designed to

help ensure Residents of the Community Town are prepared to mitigate against emergency
flood and informed before and during the flood.

Prototype: My suggestion is that the coffee shop works on setting up an Emergency

Response Center (ERC) at a central location in the city. Before the flood, they should give out
a form requesting information from every resident in the town with respect to their basic
biography, contact numbers of family and friends, and information about their daily routines
(this is to help ensure everyone's location can be tracked during emergency times). Inside the
ERC, each family should have a cabinet containing an emergency pack for each family
member, also, the ERC should be stocked with necessary materials and needed resources
before the flood, and whenever there is a rumor about any possible flood, conscious steps
should be taken to ensure the community is ready for the worst.

In the event of an emergency flood, every resident is to find its way to the ERC immediately,
and patrol vehicles should be en-route to help those who cannot find their way (like the
elderly and young schoolers). Since it’s a small town, a proper record of the population
should be kept, entry and exits should be monitored properly. In other to mitigate against the

Design thinking course HP LIFE ((life-global.org) Page 2 of 3

Design thinking activity: create a problem statement and prototype
for Coffee Corner
network problem, a proper Server for calls that can stand the test of Weather problem should
be set-up at the ERC, so that residents can contact their loved ones. Steps should be taken to
ensure adequate and reliable situation report about the flood is made available to residents
during the emergency period. New residents should be taken through an orientation process
about the nature of the community so as to avoid Mia's situation.

Problem Statement: How will an emergency response team help emergency responders
organize community efforts after an emergency?

Prototype: If we facilitate an email chain to local civic groups such as food banks, churches,
and hotels, and a community social network deducted to only emergency events, we can
increase communication during a time of crisis. With communication arranged, we will still
need to establish a few locations (including the Coffee Corner), where there will be
emergency supplies, including but not limited to warming layers, blankets, water/food, and
resource map. Annually the community can conduct a voluntary non-emergency response
drill. The hub of the efforts may be located at the Coffee Corner, due to its strategic location
and protection from floods.

Problem statement: How a Flood Info App can help residents of the town achieve adequate
flood preparedness, reach safety during flood and get quick recovery after flooding in the
town.

Prototype: The flow chart below shows the objectives, functionalities and outcomes of the
Flood Info App.
App should be able to connect to GPS independent of cellular networks and
internet access.
App should be able to get user position on earth, obtain map information near
OBJECTIVE user location using Google map & GPS locator.
App will obtain information about flooding areas or areas prone to flood and
S display same to users.

The App will be available on variouse app stores for users to download free into their
mobile phones.
The App will prompt users to fill a simple form with their contact information; relatives'
& friends' contacts; workable emergency plan, evacuation point, safety shelter and
HOW IT meeting point; users will also invite their relatives and friends to do same and get
registered on the App.
WORKS Registered users will receive relevant flood preparedness tips, prompt flood warnings,
evacuation notice and safety routes on their mobile phones in form of push notification.

Fast, relevant and reliable information on flood situation to

users.
Anable users, their relatives and friends have safety and well
OUTCOME being during and after flood.

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