Walkme
Our lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary, with more than a third of children leaving primary school either overweight or obese .The simple act of walking to school would help children stay active and healthy. But with busy lives,not every parent has time to walk with their child anymore. Less than half the children in the UK still actively to school,
Walkme, is a community-organized service that empowers more children to walk to school. It challenges the existing options of either driving children to school or hiring someone to walk them, by leveraging local trust networks combined with smart routing technology. Walkme connects children going to school with trusted companions for a safe and fun journey!
The Walkme service consists of a mobile app for the parents, and safety-wear for the children.
The gamification in the system designed to keep the experience fun and exciting for everyone involved! Walkme helps nurture a culture of walking and enjoying the benefits of this simple act from a young age, teaches our younger generations to be active in their community and care for their environment.
Story behind Walkme
Our lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary, with more than a third of children leaving primary school either overweight or obese, and fail to meet reccommended level of physical activity. Walking to school would help children stay active and healthy. Now Less than half the children in the UK traveling actively to school.
What happen now is, parent that don’t have time, They instantly drive their kids to school, along way to work. Unaware that there are many other people heading to same school, and direction with more sustainable way
![]()
![]()
![]()
Design
Started with an extensive qualitative approach at the real context, at home and school, I gather Different perspectives from parents, children, school staff and city planning and data expert, to identify valuable insights. The user validation in a discussion, ideation sessions, and a fast iterative prototyping process is leading most of every design decision.
![]()
All the there is a complex strategy, scope, structure and skeleton of the system, this all is reflected in the most simple form in beyond the surface, and represented in two touch point : Mobile apps and safety wear. After the research process, i extract all the insight into two core that become foundation of whole system : Trust and Fun
Trust
![]()
In the registration, every user are properly verified with clear background check. Every single person that appear on your circle, and being able to walk your kid’s is a people you approve before
![]()
Parents is uncomfortable with children photo in the app. And children like cute monster as, they looks harmless and encouraging “nice behaviour” on he road
![]()
Before all the system rely on the .mobile apps alone, but Many parent concern that How do they sure when the kids are meeting with the walker? Arrived at the same location doesn't mean they met. Scanning with QR code when meeting, doesnt mean they will stick together when walki
![]()
![]()
![]()
low-fi demo of the bluetooth beacon
Fun
The bluetooth beacon itself is an opportunity to embracing more immersive experience. Rather than a keychain or bangle i decided to embeded it in the safety wear. The integration with IoT also making it stand out from any current solution in the market.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
. At one side the design is increasing visibility and safety, But most important it’s about designing something that they are excited to wear, Everyone will wear it together and, the object become medium in building a sense of engagement and community.
Gamification
![]()
Every children will get a score and rewards when they complete certain walks, rewarding determination and consistency.
The rewards itself should be beyond the visual screen, it should be something tangible, that they can display in order to earn respect from their parent, neighbour and teacher. They will received a reward badge from the school that they can display
TECHNOLOGY
School will supply a database to the platform. standard mySQL database has more proven data protection. Backend platform built with node.js based on javascript, which use Google’s Location APIs framework provides classes and protocols to configure and schedule location and send location events to the server. It also have mechanism that would determine the journey time and meeting point.
![]()
I’m using EXpress service for the REST API, combine with nodejs which allows us to read, write, edit and delete content the database. For notification, i’m using google push notification services.
To built the mobile apps, i’m using native android studio, which brigding acess to some of the phone built-in feature like GPS, contact list and vibration.
VALIDATION
The project ws validated in 3 place in London testing how parent finding a companion for a school run with the mobile apps, .And for children to walk with their friends, wear a safety wear and get rewards for completing many.
![]()
![]()
Due sensitive data issue of the user, more information can be provided upon request,
![]()
“ Walkme strengthen empathy, solidarity and cooperation among parents and children. Walkme to create safe and caring environments in the for walkable city“
In the end, Walkme helps nurture a culture of walking and create walking generation enjoying the benefits of this simple act from you age, because i want to create generation that not rely on car as a prosthetic, outdoor generation that know other people and place around them.because i believe in a future where more people will walk in this world.
“
Our lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary, with more than a third of children leaving primary school either overweight or obese, and fail to meet reccommended level of physical activity. Walking to school would help children stay active and healthy. Now Less than half the children in the UK traveling actively to school.
What happen now is, parent that don’t have time, They instantly drive their kids to school, along way to work. Unaware that there are many other people heading to same school, and direction with more sustainable way
Design
Started with an extensive qualitative approach at the real context, at home and school, I gather Different perspectives from parents, children, school staff and city planning and data expert, to identify valuable insights. The user validation in a discussion, ideation sessions, and a fast iterative prototyping process is leading most of every design decision.
All the there is a complex strategy, scope, structure and skeleton of the system, this all is reflected in the most simple form in beyond the surface, and represented in two touch point : Mobile apps and safety wear. After the research process, i extract all the insight into two core that become foundation of whole system : Trust and Fun
Trust
In the registration, every user are properly verified with clear background check. Every single person that appear on your circle, and being able to walk your kid’s is a people you approve before
Parents is uncomfortable with children photo in the app. And children like cute monster as, they looks harmless and encouraging “nice behaviour” on he road
Before all the system rely on the .mobile apps alone, but Many parent concern that How do they sure when the kids are meeting with the walker? Arrived at the same location doesn't mean they met. Scanning with QR code when meeting, doesnt mean they will stick together when walki
Fun
The bluetooth beacon itself is an opportunity to embracing more immersive experience. Rather than a keychain or bangle i decided to embeded it in the safety wear. The integration with IoT also making it stand out from any current solution in the market.
. At one side the design is increasing visibility and safety, But most important it’s about designing something that they are excited to wear, Everyone will wear it together and, the object become medium in building a sense of engagement and community.
Gamification
Every children will get a score and rewards when they complete certain walks, rewarding determination and consistency.
The rewards itself should be beyond the visual screen, it should be something tangible, that they can display in order to earn respect from their parent, neighbour and teacher. They will received a reward badge from the school that they can display
TECHNOLOGY
School will supply a database to the platform. standard mySQL database has more proven data protection. Backend platform built with node.js based on javascript, which use Google’s Location APIs framework provides classes and protocols to configure and schedule location and send location events to the server. It also have mechanism that would determine the journey time and meeting point.
I’m using EXpress service for the REST API, combine with nodejs which allows us to read, write, edit and delete content the database. For notification, i’m using google push notification services.
To built the mobile apps, i’m using native android studio, which brigding acess to some of the phone built-in feature like GPS, contact list and vibration.
VALIDATION
The project ws validated in 3 place in London testing how parent finding a companion for a school run with the mobile apps, .And for children to walk with their friends, wear a safety wear and get rewards for completing many.
Due sensitive data issue of the user, more information can be provided upon request,
“ Walkme strengthen empathy, solidarity and cooperation among parents and children. Walkme to create safe and caring environments in the for walkable city“
In the end, Walkme helps nurture a culture of walking and create walking generation enjoying the benefits of this simple act from you age, because i want to create generation that not rely on car as a prosthetic, outdoor generation that know other people and place around them.because i believe in a future where more people will walk in this world.
“
2018 ©Larasati
Archive ︎