RidgeRelay — Intent-Aware Outdoor Safety (Academic Prototype)
RidgeRelay is a calm, safety-first outdoor planning concept designed for low- or no-cell environments. This prototype is intentionally static (no backend, no accounts) and is locked to a single demo trail:
Rattlesnake Ridge / Rattlesnake Ledge, WA
Built as part of the University of Washington Tacoma T-INFO 230 curriculum, this project explores how:
Intent declaration
Visual guardrails
Progressive escalation
can improve safety awareness for hikers, runners, and solo adventurers — without relying on constant connectivity.
🔗 Live Demo https://jamdanie.github.io/230CRIDGERELAY/
Why RidgeRelay Exists
Most outdoor safety tools assume:
Always-on GPS
Reliable cellular service
Complex setup during stressful situations
RidgeRelay explores a different direction:
Declare intent before going offline
Use visual boundaries and timing cues instead of reactive alerts
Emphasize prevention and awareness — not panic buttons
This is a conceptual UX + system design prototype, not a production emergency service.
What This Prototype Demonstrates
📍 Intent-based trip planning (time, location, expectations)
🧭 Visual safety boundaries instead of notification overload
📱 Mobile-first layout for real-world outdoor usability
🧠 Human-centered design aligned with HCI principles
⚡ Clean, readable frontend logic suitable for academic review
Design Constraints (Intentional)
No backend services
No real GPS tracking
No accounts or persistent data storage (beyond local demo use)
Frontend-only (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
These constraints reflect both course requirements and the project’s focus on planning-first safety design.
Tech Stack
HTML
CSS
Vanilla JavaScript
GitHub Pages (deployment)
Design Rationale
RidgeRelay is intentionally designed around core Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) principles rather than feature density.
- Intent Before Interface
The system prioritizes intent declaration before interaction complexity. By encouraging users to articulate where they’re going, when they expect to return, and who should be notified, the interface reduces ambiguity and externalizes assumptions.
This supports:
Reduced cognitive load
Clear mental models
Shared situational awareness
- Progressive Disclosure
Advanced details (gear notes, escalation logic, pet reporting, etc.) are hidden behind expandable panels and tabs.
This ensures:
The primary workflow remains calm and focused
Users are not overwhelmed by excessive options
Complexity appears only when needed
- Predictable Escalation
Instead of reactive alerts or constant tracking, RidgeRelay demonstrates a progressive escalation model:
Missed check-in → Contact notification → Secondary escalation → Emergency escalation
By making escalation visible and structured, the design reduces panic and replaces guesswork with clarity.
- Low Cognitive Stress Under Pressure
The interface uses:
Clear typography
High contrast
Limited color accents
Minimal animation
These choices intentionally avoid urgency-driven UI patterns (e.g., flashing alerts or red-heavy interfaces), supporting calm decision-making in outdoor contexts.
- Constraint-Driven Design
The prototype intentionally avoids:
Backend services
Continuous tracking
Account systems
These constraints emphasize:
Planning over surveillance
Simplicity over feature sprawl
Transparency over hidden processes
Educational Value
This project demonstrates:
Applied HCI principles
Mobile-first UX architecture
Accessible semantic HTML
Modular, readable frontend logic
Concept-to-prototype system thinking
RidgeRelay is not positioned as a replacement for emergency services. It is an exploration of how clarity, structure, and pre-trip awareness can meaningfully improve safety outcomes in low-connectivity environments.
If you found this project interesting or useful, consider giving it a ⭐ Feedback, critique, and discussion are welcome.