SOTERIA - Evacuation Intelligence Platform
Designing an AI-powered interface for disaster coordinators to simulate routes and manage evacuations in real time.
Social Impact Tech
Social Impact Tech
AI Decision
AI Decision
Emergency Management
Emergency Management
Innovate@UCLA Young Tech Professionals
Innovate@UCLA Young Tech Professionals
This project was part of UCLA’s ENGR 170: Technology Bootcamp for Social Impact, a 10-week capstone-style course where interdisciplinary teams design tech-driven solutions to real-world problems.
Our team was part of the SmartCities track, and this year’s program focused on the real-world impacts of wildfires across Los Angeles County, a timely theme in response to the devastating wildfires of 2025.
This project was part of UCLA’s ENGR 170: Technology Bootcamp for Social Impact, a 10-week capstone-style course where interdisciplinary teams design tech-driven solutions to real-world problems.
Our team was part of the SmartCities track, and this year’s program focused on the real-world impacts of wildfires across Los Angeles County, a timely theme in response to the devastating wildfires of 2025.
This project was part of UCLA’s ENGR 170: Technology Bootcamp for Social Impact, a 10-week capstone-style course where interdisciplinary teams design tech-driven solutions to real-world problems.
Our team was part of the SmartCities track, and this year’s program focused on the real-world impacts of wildfires across Los Angeles County, a timely theme in response to the devastating wildfires of 2025.
MY ROLE
MY ROLE
MY ROLE
Product Manager / Product Designer
Product Manager / Product Designer
Product Manager / Product Designer
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
Spring Quarter 2025
10 Weeks (April - June)
Spring Quarter 2025
10 Weeks (April - June)
Spring Quarter 2025
10 Weeks (April - June)
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
Project Manager
Product Designer
Marketing Strategist
Business Analyst
Team Mentor: Andrew Johnson, IT Director @ Sony Pictures Entertainment
Project Manager
Product Designer
Marketing Strategist
Business Analyst
Team Mentor: Andrew Johnson, IT Director @ Sony Pictures Entertainment
Project Manager
Product Designer
Marketing Strategist
Business Analyst
Team Mentor: Andrew Johnson, IT Director @ Sony Pictures Entertainment
SKILLS
SKILLS
SKILLS
PRD Writing, Feature Prioritization, Interaction Design, UX Strategy, Wireframing, Prototyping
PRD Writing, Feature Prioritization, Interaction Design, UX Strategy, Wireframing, Prototyping
PRD Writing, Feature Prioritization, Interaction Design, UX Strategy, Wireframing, Prototyping
[ WHY "SOTERIA"? ]
[ WHY "SOTERIA"? ]
SOTERIA is named after the Greek goddess of safety, deliverance, and preservation from harm. The name reflects the platform’s core purpose: to protect lives during disasters by enabling faster, smarter, and more coordinated evacuations.
SOTERIA is named after the Greek goddess of safety, deliverance, and preservation from harm. The name reflects the platform’s core purpose: to protect lives during disasters by enabling faster, smarter, and more coordinated evacuations.
SOTERIA is named after the Greek goddess of safety, deliverance, and preservation from harm. The name reflects the platform’s core purpose: to protect lives during disasters by enabling faster, smarter, and more coordinated evacuations.
Problem
Problem
Wildfires are accelerating. Response tools aren't.
Wildfires are accelerating. Response tools aren't.
California now experiences wildfire seasons that are longer, faster and more destructive, but evacuation tools remain fragmented and outdated. Coordinators juggle fire data, traffic flow, and manual alerts, often in multiple tab environments.
California now experiences wildfire seasons that are longer, faster and more destructive, but evacuation tools remain fragmented and outdated. Coordinators juggle fire data, traffic flow, and manual alerts, often in multiple tab environments.
[ Discovery ]
[ Discovery ]
"There were thousands of cars trying to leave, all desperate to flee the flames. The frustration and fear was palpable."
"There were thousands of cars trying to leave, all desperate to flee the flames. The frustration and fear was palpable."
— Palisades Fire Evacuee
— Palisades Fire Evacuee
By The Numbers
By The Numbers
7.6M+
7.6M+
7.6M+
Californians live in high fire-risk zones.
Californians live in high fire-risk zones.
$164B
$164B
$164B
in losses from 2025 L.A. wildfires.
in losses from 2025 L.A. wildfires.
1 in 3
1 in 3
1 in 3
evacuees receieve delayed or unclear instructions.
evacuees receieve delayed or unclear instructions.
0
0
0
unified systems that simulate fire, traffic, and alerts in real-time.
unified systems that simulate fire, traffic, and alerts in real-time.
[ Goals ]
[ Goals ]
Design a unified evacuation platform that:
Design a unified evacuation platform that:
Reduces evacuation times.
Reduces evacuation times.
Streamlines information.
Streamlines information.
Minimizes harm.
Minimizes harm.
INTRODUCING…
INTRODUCING…
A dual-facing evacuation intelligence platform: one for emergency teams, one for the public.
A dual-facing evacuation intelligence platform: one for emergency teams, one for the public.
SOTERIA helps disaster coordinators make smarter, data-informed decisions under pressure; improving how they plan, adapt, and communicate during fast-moving wildfires. By streamlining workflows and syncing public alerts with live conditions, it ensures evacuees get timely, clear guidance when it matters most.
SOTERIA helps disaster coordinators make smarter, data-informed decisions under pressure; improving how they plan, adapt, and communicate during fast-moving wildfires. By streamlining workflows and syncing public alerts with live conditions, it ensures evacuees get timely, clear guidance when it matters most.
Login
Login
Login
Uses Auth0 login for secure access to coordinator tools based on jurisdiction.
Uses Auth0 login for secure access to coordinator tools based on jurisdiction.
Uses Auth0 login for secure access to coordinator tools based on jurisdiction.
Dashboard Overview
Dashboard Overview
Dashboard Overview
Centralized overview of fire zones, traffic data, and system alerts.
Integrates multiple data sources from FireSat, Weather API, Traffic API with AES-256 Encryption.
Centralized overview of fire zones, traffic data, and system alerts.
Integrates multiple data sources from FireSat, Weather API, Traffic API with AES-256 Encryption.
Centralized overview of fire zones, traffic data, and system alerts.
Integrates multiple data sources from FireSat, Weather API, Traffic API with AES-256 Encryption.
Route Plans, Alerts, and Traffic Control
Route Plans, Alerts, and Traffic Control
Route Plans, Alerts, and Traffic Control
Test, approve, and send evacuation routes and alerts to evacuees.
Manually override or automate traffic lights to manage flow.
Test, approve, and send evacuation routes and alerts to evacuees.
Manually override or automate traffic lights to manage flow.
Test, approve, and send evacuation routes and alerts to evacuees.
Manually override or automate traffic lights to manage flow.
AI Insights
AI Insights
AI Insights
Understand why the system recommends each action and trust the data.
Understand why the system recommends each action and trust the data.
Understand why the system recommends each action and trust the data.
Evacuee Mobile Experience
Evacuee Mobile Experience
Evacuee Mobile Experience
Residents receive alerts and safe routes via SMS and web.
Zone-specific instructions with live maps
Risk color indicator helps users decide when to evacuate
Residents receive alerts and safe routes via SMS and web.
Zone-specific instructions with live maps
Risk color indicator helps users decide when to evacuate
Residents receive alerts and safe routes via SMS and web.
Zone-specific instructions with live maps
Risk color indicator helps users decide when to evacuate
Using the IBM Carbon Design System
Using the IBM Carbon Design System
Using the IBM Carbon Design System
This was my first time using components and patterns from a design system I didn't create myself. Choosing Carbon allowed me to accelerate design of the hi-fi wireframes and prototypes of the coordinator dashboard.
Leveraging such a robust and well documented system ensures consistent UX, reduces cognitive load, and enables faster, clearer decision-making in high-stress situations.
It also lays the foundation for scalability as the product grows to support new hazards, zones, and users.
This was my first time using components and patterns from a design system I didn't create myself. Choosing Carbon allowed me to accelerate design of the hi-fi wireframes and prototypes of the coordinator dashboard.
Leveraging such a robust and well documented system ensures consistent UX, reduces cognitive load, and enables faster, clearer decision-making in high-stress situations.
It also lays the foundation for scalability as the product grows to support new hazards, zones, and users.
This was my first time using components and patterns from a design system I didn't create myself. Choosing Carbon allowed me to accelerate design of the hi-fi wireframes and prototypes of the coordinator dashboard.
Leveraging such a robust and well documented system ensures consistent UX, reduces cognitive load, and enables faster, clearer decision-making in high-stress situations.
It also lays the foundation for scalability as the product grows to support new hazards, zones, and users.
Unifying Technical Systems
Unifying Technical Systems
Unifying Technical Systems
SOTERIA integrates data from multiple trusted sources into one real-time decision platform, bridging wildfire simulation, traffic control, and public communication in a single interface.
SOTERIA integrates data from multiple trusted sources into one real-time decision platform, bridging wildfire simulation, traffic control, and public communication in a single interface.
SOTERIA integrates data from multiple trusted sources into one real-time decision platform, bridging wildfire simulation, traffic control, and public communication in a single interface.
Fire Data
Fire Data
Weather
Weather
Traffic
Traffic
Signal Control
Signal Control
Design Sprint +
User Research
Design Sprint +
User Research
Design Sprint +
User Research
We kicked off the project with a design sprint to explore key workflows and user pain points.
The team created multiple customer journey maps, conducted initial interviews with 10 experts and evacuees, and analyzed past wildfire case studies to ground our understanding.
Through rapid sketching and storyboarding, we identified high-impact opportunities around adaptive routing, real-time communication, and trust-building during emergencies.
We kicked off the project with a design sprint to explore key workflows and user pain points.
The team created multiple customer journey maps, conducted initial interviews with 10 experts and evacuees, and analyzed past wildfire case studies to ground our understanding.
Through rapid sketching and storyboarding, we identified high-impact opportunities around adaptive routing, real-time communication, and trust-building during emergencies.
Iterating through Journey Maps
Iterating through Journey Maps
Iterating through Journey Maps
Rapid product ideation with Crazy 8s
Rapid product ideation with Crazy 8s
Rapid product ideation with Crazy 8s
Solution Sketches after narrowing down ideas and dot voting.
Solution Sketches after narrowing down ideas and dot voting.
Solution Sketches after narrowing down ideas and dot voting.
Drafting our prototype concept through Storyboarding
Drafting our prototype concept through Storyboarding
Drafting our prototype concept through Storyboarding
[ Go-To-Market Strategy ]
Pilot in LA County
Prove Value
Build Trust
Expand in California
Target Fire-prone Counties
Create Established Network
Scale Nationally
More States
Disasters Beyond Wildfires
Impact
Impact
Impact
POTENTIAL TO SAVE LIVES
POTENTIAL TO SAVE LIVES
A 10–20% faster evacuation could mean thousands more people reach safety.
A 10–20% faster evacuation could mean thousands more people reach safety.
REDUCING BILLIONS IN DAMAGE
REDUCING BILLIONS IN DAMAGE
Better routing and traffic control can help prevent costly delays and gridlock.
Better routing and traffic control can help prevent costly delays and gridlock.
POSITIONED FOR CIVIC IMPACT
POSITIONED FOR CIVIC IMPACT
SOTERIA aligns with state policy and funding priorities for disaster resilience.
SOTERIA aligns with state policy and funding priorities for disaster resilience.
[ My Contributions ]
[ My Contributions ]
I led product strategy, feature prioritization, and end-to-end technical and UX design of the dual-facing system.
I led product strategy, feature prioritization, and end-to-end technical and UX design of the dual-facing system.
Takeaways
Takeaways
Takeaways
PRODUCT THINKING AT EVERY LEVEL
PRODUCT THINKING AT EVERY LEVEL
As both PM and PD, I scoped features, wrote PRDs, defined user stories, and prioritized what mattered most. I made tradeoffs that balanced technical feasibility, user needs, and real-world constraints, shaping the product for impact, not just functionality.
As both PM and PD, I scoped features, wrote PRDs, defined user stories, and prioritized what mattered most. I made tradeoffs that balanced technical feasibility, user needs, and real-world constraints, shaping the product for impact, not just functionality.
DESIGNING FOR CLARITY UNDER PRESSURE
DESIGNING FOR CLARITY UNDER PRESSURE
I learned how to simplify complex systems into intuitive experiences, especially when users are making high-stakes decisions. Every screen needed to support fast, confident action, without overwhelming the user.
I learned how to simplify complex systems into intuitive experiences, especially when users are making high-stakes decisions. Every screen needed to support fast, confident action, without overwhelming the user.
LEADING WITH ALIGNMENT
LEADING WITH ALIGNMENT
I kept our team focused and aligned across sprints, design phases, and handoffs. Whether making roadmap calls or coordinating feedback, I built habits around structured collaboration that I’ll bring into future cross-functional work.
I kept our team focused and aligned across sprints, design phases, and handoffs. Whether making roadmap calls or coordinating feedback, I built habits around structured collaboration that I’ll bring into future cross-functional work.
