Inside the high-stakes world of designing for 911 operators

911 is a powerful idea. Those three simple numbers guarantee that, no matter what disaster might strike, help is never out of reach. But inside a 911 call center, the world is different. The offices are open 24/7, staffed by highly specialized, notoriously underpaid operators who juggle as many as seven screens at once. At any given moment, these operators need to track a caller’s location, talk them through the worst day of their life, and coordinate the right agencies to show up with just the right help. To design software for these operators is a challenge like no other in the UX world. And to get a peek under the curtain, I talked to two 911 specialists working in Texas, along with the world’s largest company building emergency software, Motorola Solutions. I was left with a lot respect for these operators—but also with a desire to see our call centers updated with better-designed technologies to support them. Because 911 really is one of the best ideas of modern society, and it could be even better. Read my story here. — Mark Wilson   Inside the high-stakes world of designing for 911 operators “No one ever calls us on their good days.”   READ MORE   Why you might want to rethink your air purifier A new study found that some air purifiers might actually add more toxins to the air than they take out.   READ MORE   Brands That Matter: Everything you need to know about applying for Fast Company’s new award Is your organization bigger than the service it provides? If so, we want to hear from you. Here’s how to apply for Brands That Matter—and how to make sure your entry stands out.   READ MORE   Video games claim inclusive representation. So why do they hide LGBTQ characters? In many video games, including the new ‘Harry Potter’ game ‘Hogwarts Legacy,’ transgender characters are designed to be optional. That needs to change.   READ MORE

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