Emergency alerts, like the AMBER alert, are not pleasant sounds. They tend to be harsh, causing anxiety in the listener. If a sound is shrill and repeated, as an alert would be, it can create discomfort and annoyance.
Watch Duty saw this as a user experience challenge.
In 2021, the new non-profit fire tracker, Watch Duty, first came to Sixième Son with the need for a notification sound. The notification was meant to signal updates to a nearby wildfire’s growth or the responders’ containment of the flames. It required a sound cue that stood out from the more commonplace sounds like a coffee pot, microwave, or turn signal. Often, it would be heard over a period of days so it had to be tolerable. It also had to avoid leaving people rattled, scared, or annoyed.
The sound signal we designed fulfilled that strategy and would serve as an audio runway for the development of future signal sounds.
Watch Duty
Watch Duty brings real-time fire tracking information to the public. The information is sourced by hundreds of volunteers, firefighters, dispatchers, and first responders. After launching in late 2021, Watch Duty has been helping the nation better prepare for seasonal wildfires.
The experience of a natural disaster is a disaster in and of itself. When dealing with emergencies, “sound is incredibly important,” says John Clarke Mills, CEO and Co-Founder of Watch Duty.
John explained that the sound needed to be sensitive to the situation while also conveying a sense of urgency to timely information. The notification sound shouldn’t make one’s heart drop in panic, be annoying, or be so generic that it’s ignored.
Or as John says pithily, “We don’t need to scare the shit out of people”.
The “Powerful But Not Aggressive” Sound
“Several versions were trialed”, said Alexis Mangou, UX Creative Manager at Sixième Son. “Some sounds had too many layers; making them unclear or too busy. Some sounds were too long or complex or rapidly lost the listener’s attention.” The result, “felt strong but not intrusive, powerful but not aggressive, and warm.”
“Sounds communicate more quickly than visual alerts,” said Daina Todorovic, Chief Client Officer of Sixième Son. As this project had to do with up-to-the-minute fire notices, speed was welcome.
A familiar sound helps the user build trust through the turmoil. In the case of Watch Duty, the tone is reassuring and, has become a recognizable prompt to accompany the fire season. It begins with a warm hum followed by a distinctive echoing sound that keeps the attention long enough for the listener to realize there is information coming.
Daina observes, “Watch Duty users can determine whether they can afford to watch and wait, or whether they need to get out right away.”
As with any well-crafted sound, these sound signals show sensitivity to the user experience. As Alexis says, “We’re not making sounds for the sake of making sounds. We want to add meaning to them.”
“The whole product matters,” says John.
“How it looks, how it sounds, how it’s touched, every email interaction. Sound is extremely important within all of that. I enjoyed the experience of doing sonic work with Sixième Son.”
Natural Disasters are Personal
Watch Duty knows wildfires and other natural disasters are personal to anyone who goes through them. John has had his own personal experiences that helped motivate him to bring Watch Duty to life. “I remember the first fire I experienced. It was a ¼ mile from my house. I didn’t know anything about it until it was at my door.” He doesn’t want that to be anyone else’s story.
The Watch Duty app has been comforting to me as well. My son and daughter-in-law, who teach at Chico State, and their two young children find themselves at the edge of the raging Park Fire. The week of July 22nd, the university asked all their staff to download the app. Now I know that they’re fully aware of the fire’s progress as well as specific evacuation warnings. They have a full tank, a go bag, and Watch Duty. Luckily, it’s not shrieking at them to get out, just giving them a polite audio tap on the shoulder to let them know whenever there’s an update.
Fire Ranger in Your Pocket
Watch Duty has changed the way that the public expects to receive their natural disaster information. So much so that governments, fire services, parks, and politicians have felt the squeeze to “catch up”. Some, like the Idaho and Colorado government fire websites, have wholly adopted Watch Duty, running the app’s maps and services on their government sites.
Having begun in 2021 in three counties in California, Watch Duty now operates in 13 different states and counting.
“I’m glad that, instead of having to search all over the internet for disaster information, this consolidated service is the reality we live in now,” says John. “We showed people what the world is supposed to look and sound like. We can’t go back anymore.”
At Sixième Son, we are proud of our partnership with Watch Duty and look forward to continuing that relationship into the future.
Author: Colleen FAHEY
Managing Director, USA
