Sync – Viggo Blomqvist

Sync,
communication
for firefighters.

2019 2020
Collaboration with
Flir Systems

10 weeks

Challenge
The collaboration between the different first responder groups can determine if the final outcome of an incident is more or less successful. This project challenges us to design new product solutions for future first responders, focused on the topic of collaboration between the three disciplines.

Approach
This project was very research heavy, spending most of the time given on observing, interviewing and learning to understand the three different first responders. Learning their needs and then transforming that to possible design opportunities and then going back and forth to evaluate my concepts over and over.

This project started with a lot of study visits at the different stations in Umeå, learning about what tools and systems that are used today. I also got to visit Sandö, a practice environment that takes place during a full day, where all three first responders practice together pursuing different scenarios. Learning to collaborate and understand eachother.

Since this project is focusing on such a professional user group. It was very important to see everything from their perspectives and learning about their needs to perform their daily work the most efficient way.

I got to explore and try a lot of the current equipment for firefighters. There are many different products on the market right now and changes a lot from station to station. Since the radio system is something they use every single day, they had a lot of great thoughts on how it could be developed further.

A lot of iterations were explored, it was a very important part of the process. The the display expressed very different things depending on size, shape and position.

Outcome
This project includes the thought and design process of the development of a new system and products for firefighters. The main goals of the system and products are to improve efficiency, boost collaboration, support communication and create awareness. The project resulted in two physical products that are a part of a new communication system.

The main learning outcome for me was to constantly evaluate and analyse my concept with the first responders and to execute this in many different kinds of media.

Browse more work