ShellHacks 2025 · 36-Hour Hackathon
ARC
A confidential mobile support platform designed to help first responders process high-intensity calls, access trusted resources, and lower barriers to mental health care.
Human-Centered Problem
Focused on emotional support, trust, and access for first responders after difficult calls.
Research-Led Design
Used survey insight and care-context design decisions to shape a more credible user experience.
Confidential Support Flow
Designed private, low-friction access to resources, mentors, and support after high-stress events.
Overview
What the project does
ARC, short for Action, Resources, Care, is a mobile concept built to support first responders after high-intensity calls. The app was designed around a core reality: many first responders experience repeated exposure to trauma, but access to mental health support is often limited by stigma, time, trust, and fragmented systems.
Instead of treating care as something users seek out only after a crisis escalates, ARC reframes support as something immediate, private, and integrated into the moments after difficult calls. The experience combines check-ins, trusted resources, and connection pathways into one mobile flow.
Problem
Why support often goes unused
First responders face intense emotional strain, but many support systems are underused. The challenge is not simply making resources exist — it is making them feel accessible, trustworthy, and safe to use in the moments when people actually need them.
- Stigma and fear of judgment discourage people from asking for help
- Support resources are often fragmented or difficult to access quickly
- Users may not know what type of help is appropriate after a difficult call
- Emotional support tools must feel confidential, calm, and low-pressure
The opportunity was not just a wellness app — it was designing a support experience that respected privacy, urgency, trust, and emotional context.
Research
What we learned
Our direction was shaped by survey input and early problem research focused on first-responder needs, mental health barriers, and post-call behavior. The findings reinforced that speed and confidentiality were just as important as the actual resources themselves.
61%
Aware of support resources, but not actively using them.
40%
Reported stigma or fear of judgment as a major barrier.
78%
Rated the concept as useful at 3/5 or higher.
The strongest signals pointed toward a need for confidential peer support, therapist access, and a product experience that felt immediate and emotionally safe.
Solution
Designing a confidential support flow
ARC was designed as a calm, guided mobile experience that gives users a private entry point into care. Rather than overwhelming them with too many options, the flow was structured to make next steps feel clear, supportive, and appropriate to the moment.
- Post-call emotional check-ins
- Confidential therapist and mentor connections
- Curated resources and guidance
- Private pathways that reduce pressure and stigma
- Support framed as immediate care, not only crisis intervention
My Role
What I contributed
My work focused on UX design and front-end development. I helped shape the mobile experience, organize key flows, and translate the design direction into a more structured and usable product concept.
UX Design
Helped define flows for onboarding, check-ins, support access, and emotional-care pathways.
Front-End
Worked on implementing interface components and translating design decisions into mobile UI.
Care Context Design
Focused on tone, emotional clarity, privacy cues, and interface patterns appropriate for sensitive situations.
UX Decisions
How the experience was designed
A major challenge was making the app feel supportive without becoming visually overwhelming or emotionally intrusive. The design needed to feel trustworthy, private, and calm while still guiding users toward action.
Low-Friction Flow
Reduced complexity in the path from difficult call to next-step support.
Confidential Tone
Used interface and content decisions that emphasized privacy and reduced stigma.
Accessible Mobile Patterns
Prioritized readable hierarchy, touch-friendly controls, and strong visual clarity.
Check-In Structure
Framed support through simple emotional check-ins rather than overwhelming diagnostic language.
Resource Navigation
Made resources feel easier to act on by reducing friction between awareness and access.
Trust Through Design
Focused on how pacing, wording, and visual calm could make support feel safer to use.
Technical Implementation
How it was built
Frontend
React Native and TypeScript for a mobile-first interface and structured navigation flow.
Backend
Flask API and MongoDB to support data handling and system structure.
Authentication
Auth0 for secure identity handling and protected access patterns.
Prototype AI
Explored transcript analysis and guided follow-up support through AI-assisted logic.
A key part of implementation was translating emotional-care design into actual mobile structure. The product needed to feel credible as both a concept and a working experience, even within hackathon time constraints.
- Implemented Figma-informed mobile UI components
- Structured onboarding and post-call interaction flow
- Connected front-end experience with backend service logic
- Prototyped AI-assisted support behavior in a care context
Outcome
What the project demonstrated
ARC showed how UX, engineering, and social impact can come together in one product concept. The project addressed a difficult real-world problem with a thoughtful mobile solution that emphasized trust, emotional context, and usability.
- Centered confidentiality and trust in the care experience
- Addressed a meaningful support gap for first responders
- Combined research, UX, and front-end execution in a short timeline
- Demonstrated strong product thinking in a socially sensitive space
Takeaways
What this project taught me
ARC reinforced how important it is to design around emotional context, not just functionality. In sensitive spaces, trust is part of the user experience — and product decisions need to support that from the start.
- Designing products for emotionally high-stakes situations
- Balancing privacy, support, and usability in mobile UX
- Building from research insight toward interface decisions
- Translating design systems into front-end implementation under time pressure