Designing for Emergency Preparedness: Princeton Prep Pack

Client: Princeton Municipality Department of Emergency Management
Timeline: June 3 – August 1, 2024
My Role: Social Impact Designer
Team: Jessica Leung, Tiger Challenge Cohort 14

Overview

In collaboration with the Princeton Office of Emergency Management, my team and I designed the Princeton Prep Pack—an all-hazards disaster preparedness kit and accompanying emergency information pamphlets. The goal was to help residents feel prepared and supported during emergencies while strengthening trust and communication between the community and the municipality.

Tiger Challenge Cohort 14 (Ariana Lujan ’24, Rachael Wilson ’27, Julianne Somar ’26, Katya Grygorenko ’27, Tabitha Amanza ’26, Mahir Majid ’27, Kevin Edouard ’27) and project partner Mike Yeh (Princeton Office of Emergency Management)

The Challenge

Through extensive research, we uncovered a critical issue:

A communication gap between the municipality and the residents was limiting the effectiveness of emergency response efforts.
Without trust or clear communication, residents were left unprepared in times of crisis—resulting in heightened risks, wasted resources, and reduced public safety.

Research & Insights

Stakeholder Engagement

To build empathy and gather diverse perspectives, we conducted interviews and site visits with:

  • Community members
  • Princeton municipal leaders
  • City councilmembers
  • Emergency responders
  • Representatives from FEMA
Princeton Municipality Departments Meeting
Affinity Map Presentation
Problem Trees Municipality Presentation
Office of Emergency Management Tour
Office of Emergency Management Tour
FEMA Tour
FEMA Tour
City Councilmember Meeting

These conversations gave us an in-depth understanding of communication challenges, infrastructure constraints, and community expectations.

Synthesis Methods

We used a design thinking framework to synthesize our findings including:

  • Affinity Mapping to identify recurring pain points
  • Problem Trees to visualize root causes and impacts
  • Personas to represent our diverse user base
Design Thinking Framework
Affinity Map Brainstorming
Digital Affinity Map
Known Unknown Chart
Problem Trees
Prioritization Matrix
User Persona

Ideation & Prototyping

With a deep understanding of stakeholder needs, we began ideating solutions to improve emergency readiness and communication.

Solution 1: Princeton Prep Pack

An easy-to-use, community-branded emergency kit to encourage preparedness through familiarity and accessibility. The contents of the kit were tailored to the types of natural disasters and emergencies most relevant to the Princeton area.

Ideation Brainstorming Session Notes
3D Printing and Laser Workshop
First Laser Prototype: Municipality Keychain
Emergency Kit Solution Sketch
Cost Analysis

Solution 2: Emergency Information Pamphlet

A custom-designed, locally relevant guide featuring:

  • Communication channels residents can rely on
  • Contact info for local emergency services
  • Steps to take during common crisis scenarios
Pamphlet Information Design
Pamphlet First Solution Sketch
Pamphlet First Prototype (front)
Pamphlet First Prototype (back)
Pamphlet Prototype and Feedback

User Testing

We conducted on-the-ground testing at:

  • Public libraries
  • Local grocery stores
  • Senior Centers
  • Design feedback sessions at Princeton University

We gathered insights on:

  • What users noticed first
  • What they found confusing or missing
  • Whether they felt more prepared or informed
Tabling Outside Princeton Public Library
Tabling Outside McCaffrey’s Food Market
Presenting Prototype to Princeton University Design Community

This phase reinforced the importance of clear visuals, local relevance, and trust-building language in emergency communication.

Final Designs

1. Princeton Prep Pack: An all-hazards emergency kit designed by and for Princeton residents, with a user-friendly, scalable format.

Princeton Prep Pack
Princeton Prep Pack
Free Promotional Swag

2. Emergency Communication Pamphlet: A reliable, go-to communication tool tailored to local infrastructure and resident needs.

Emergency Communication Pamphlet
Emergency Communication Pamphlet (inside)
Emergency Communication Pamphlet Mockup

Implementation & Future Plans

To support adoption, we created a handoff package for the Princeton Municipality, including:

  • Manufacturing and distribution guidelines
  • Pamphlet printing templates
  • A Social Business Model Canvas outlining how the program could be scaled sustainably
Hand-Off Blueprint
Final Hand-Off Google Drive
Social Business Model Canvas

My Reflection

Participating in this social impact design program was a pivotal moment in my growth as a UX designer. I gained hands-on experience across the full product design process, ideation, research, prototyping, and user testing, while developing the soft skills essential to team-based design work.

I learned:

  • How to balance user needs with municipal constraints
  • The power of community-driven design
  • That trust is just as important as information in emergency communication

This project gave me the confidence and foundation to pursue UX design professionally with a passion for social impact, collaboration, and real-world problem solving.

Skills Demonstrated

  • UX Research & Interviewing – Stakeholder interviews, site visits, user needs identification
  • Affinity Mapping & Problem Framing – Insight synthesis, challenge definition
  • Rapid Prototyping – Sketching, laser cutting, 3D printing
  • User Testing & Iteration – Community feedback, usability improvements
  • Information Architecture – Layout clarity, content organization
  • Team Collaboration & Stakeholder Communication – Cross-functional teamwork, partner alignment
  • Social Impact Strategy – Scalable handoff package, business model planning
Next Up: Teaching UX Ethics Through Deceptive Design