Designing a weather warnings app for RAF crews, where missing an alert could mean life or death...
The Challenge
The RAF needed to know about weather warnings that could affect their operations. We are talking about decisions that could mean diverting missions or avoiding triggered lightning. Getting warnings through quickly and clearly was genuinely critical.
The Approach
Structuring a plan
Started by writing out everything we thought we knew. Pulled in insights from other teams. Got it all on a Miro board so we could see the gaps.
Validating assumptions
Ran interviews with actual users. Learned that phone notifications are useless when you work next to a jet engine. Good to know.
Building relationships
Set up a Yammer group for operational meteorologists. Started small, grew to over 150 people. Brilliant for ongoing feedback.
Information architecture
Ran workshops to figure out what data actually mattered. Meteorologists know their stuff, we just needed to listen.
Designing the flow
Split the team up to design different flows, then compared notes. Kept questioning assumptions along the way.
Testing
Tested prototypes with real users in real contexts. Found problems we would never have spotted otherwise.
The Solution
Designed a warnings app that worked in environments where normal notifications fail. Big visual alerts, clear information hierarchy, no ambiguity about what to do next.
The Outcomes
- Built a community of 150+ meteorologists
- Clearer warnings for critical decisions
- Design system components shared across teams
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