The Challange

Teachers in UK schools still use paper registers for fire drills and evacuations. Monitoring missing pupils during a fire drill or evacuation is difficult. During evacuation teachers take registers on the ground, and the admin ensures the school is empty. The admin (usually the fire warden) monitors the school register status and the list of missing pupils.

User Research

Methodology

  • Conduct surveys and interviews with teachers, admins, and fire wardens.
  • Observe fire drills and evacuation processes in schools.

Participants

  • Teachers from different year groups.
  • School administrators and fire wardens.
  • IT staff managing the school MIS (Management Information System).

User needs

Teachers

  • Quick and easy access to the register during fire drills.
  • Ability to mark attendance quickly and accurately.
  • Instant notification of missing pupils.

Admins/Fire Wardens

  • Real-time updates on the status of all classes.
  • A comprehensive view of missing pupils across the school.
  • Assurance that all pupils are accounted for.

User Pain Points

Teachers

  • Time-consuming process of using paper registers.
  • Risk of human error in marking attendance.
  • Difficulty in ensuring all pupils are safe and accounted for.

Admins/Fire Wardens

  • Delays in receiving attendance information.
  • Challenges in coordinating with teachers on the ground.
  • Inefficiency in tracking and locating missing pupils.

Findings and Analysis

The current paper-based system is slow and prone to errors. There's a lack of real-time communication between teachers and admins during emergencies. Delays in identifying and locating missing pupils can lead to serious safety risks.

User Journey

Old journey

New journey

Wireframes

Low fidelity

High fidelity

User Testing

Conduct usability tests with teachers and admins using the digital system. Collect feedback on the ease of use, efficiency, and accuracy. Iterate on the design based on feedback to address any issues.

Conclusion

Implementing a digital fire register system in UK schools can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of attendance marking during fire drills and evacuations. By providing real-time updates and streamlined communication, the system enhances pupil safety and simplifies the roles of teachers and admins. The proposed solution addresses the major pain points of the current paper-based system and offers a more reliable and user-friendly alternative.