Project Overview
Marine Rescue NSW (MRNSW) is the state’s official volunteer marine rescue service, committed to saving lives on the water. This vital emergency service has 3,000 members, who provide a range of safety and educational services.
MRNSW has bolstered its safety services with the development of the MarineRescue App, a smartphone solution that makes it easier than ever for boaters to stay safe on NSW waters. In just a few minutes, boaters can Log On with MRNSW, enter details of their trip and be on their way, knowing a responsible authority is watching over their journey.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Simon Torsellini
Michael Nieuwenhuis
Ronald Huynh
Lachie Wallman
Project Brief
MRNSW engaged Alive to develop an integrated and secure online system to increase the efficiency of its vessel logging and tracking services. The first stage was the development of a web-based tracking system and linked data base of local boaters, which significantly reduced the amount of manual data entry required by its volunteers to Log On a vessel. Reducing the amount of task time and risk of data error in turn significantly increased the speed, accuracy and efficiency of this service to the boating community.
These systems were then supplemented with the development of the mobile solution to encourage more boaters to take advantage of Marine Rescue’s safety services by making it quicker and simpler for them to Log On and provide their journey details. Boaters have traditionally Logged On to register their trip via their on-board marine radio or calling the nearest Marine Rescue unit by phone. The App allows the boater to complete this process with the touch of a button.
The objective for Alive was to develop a dedicated mobile app that:
• Provides a consistent platform to capture and manage journey details;
• Enables ‘single sign on’ - streamlining Log on and Log Off process for users; and
• Is intuitive and easy to use.
Project Need
The MarineRescue App represents an innovative and important technological development by an emergency service. It has been developed specifically for NSW waterways and conditions to meet the needs of the local boating community, rather than as a generic boating product.
As the only organisation in the state to provide a Log On / Log Off service, the app further enhances MRNSW’s capability to connect and keep boaters safe - helping mitigate the risk of lives being lost in a marine emergency.
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos explained:
“This is the only app that enables boaters to Log On directly with Marine Rescue NSW. And if they’re not safely back when expected, the MarineRescue App is the only one that will alert us that they’re late and possibly in trouble."
“It also offers boaters the choice of an extra live safety tracking option, updating their position in our system every 30 minutes."
“Every minute counts in an emergency on the water so knowing where to start searching for someone who is missing can mean the difference between life and death.”
In addition to tracking a boater’s journey, the MarineRescue App provides users with access to:
- Local tide, weather and sea conditions
- Latitude/longitude position coordinates
- Boat ramp locations and popular fishing spots
- Safety checklist
- Emergency call procedures
- Information on Marine Rescue NSW
User Experience
Alive is a user-centric, design-led mobile development firm. We work closely with our clients to understand, identify and prioritise opportunities where mobile technology can be used to improve the experience of users. Taking a design-led approach promotes collaboration with our clients; we sketch, test and iterate ideas to develop a solution that aligns with the requirements of the business and the people who use the technology.
The approach was no different with MRNSW. Our team went onsite to understand the service’s standard operating requirements and the needs of its volunteer rescue crews and radio operators and the boating community. Existing logging and tracking processes were mapped and documented to enable Alive to understand the users who would ultimately use the app, both internally and externally. This understanding was essential to the design, feature selection and navigation of the app.
The Home Screen acts as the central dashboard from which boaters can access the full range of app features. The design has been configured so that Log On / Off, a Pre-launch Checklist and Emergency Procedure are located in the centre of the screen — streamlining access to priority functions in the event of an emergency. The functionality for users is increased through features such as scroll-through choices (e.g. number of people on board, hours on the water), the ability to drop pins on maps to identify starting points and destinations, localised weather information and automatic populating of key information from the MRNSW boater database.
Project Marketing
An integrated marketing campaign was developed to support the launch of the MarineRescue App. Alive worked in collaboration with MRNSW to create a package of assets for use in digital, print and in-person event activations. The objective was to announce the solution to a broad range of boaters, educating the end users on the benefits the app provided and encouraging them to download and use the app when planning their next trip.
The app recorded strong uptake among boaters when launched in March 2015, with more than 5,000 downloads recorded in the first month.
Project Privacy
Once launched, Alive has a strict privacy policy in place to ensure all online middleware and data collected via client applications is stored and managed securely. Furthermore, each customer will employ their own privacy policy that determines the conditions of use for employee data and information collected through the mobile application for use by their organisation.
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Community
Apps more than ever are helping our communities to connect and engage, from emergency services to Not for Profits to social groups, these apps not only assist in delivery but provide efficiencies importantly providing those at the coalface more time to do their important work whether it be fighting fires or managing the local team. It's not all serious though we're also looking for apps that work to help bring the community groups together with fun and enjoyable activities.
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