Safety Watch
Content Audit Summary
For every app there are pros and cons and I don’t believe any one app is only horrible or pointless. No app is perfect, at least for the ones I’ve used and the Centennial College Safety Watch is far from perfect. The overall idea of this app was resourceful. I wouldn’t have known that Centennial College provided so many resources for their staff and students prior to looking into this app. My favorite aspect of the app and the resources that Centennial provides is the Counselling Centre. I’ve always known that the school had a Counselling Centre but I never knew the broad aspects they covered for students in difficult situations prior to looking into this app.
The thing that bothered me the most was whether I should call Campus Security Emergency Line, Toronto Police (Non-Emergency), or 911. It was never defined on when I should call which one. The lack of clarity here could cause lost time in investigating the case at hand for both the user and the organization. Also the inconsistency with Campus Security Emergency Line and Emergency Help-Line may appear confusing for some especially at first glance. In some cases some may think Emergency Help-Line is 911, police, firefighters, or ambulance so it became unclear. Under some sections or situations I would automatically think it is a 911 situation versus Campus Security or Emergency HelpLine, but someone who is new to the country may not know which one to select when given multiple options. Under Safety and Security depending on how dire my situation was I may feel all those links were not enough to make me feel safe and that I really should call 911 (which wasn’t listed as an option) versus Campus Security. The link that caused me the most concern was under Sexual Assault Resources “I’ve been Assaulted”. If I was just assaulted or raped I would think calling 911 is the best option and hopefully the police could launch an investigation on the description I gave out and tend to the situation quickly by capturing the predator and sending an ambulance out for me to make sure I am medically sound. In this scenario there was a Campus Security Investigations number to call, where if I was to call a second number (maybe not - depending on my state) this would be it. The Friend Walk idea was good but kept popping up as unavailable right now during the time I was trying to use it.
No app is perfect and many apps can improve. This particular app has a lot of improving to do, one being simplifying the amount of information they are trying to deliver in several different sections and some of this information can be summarized and just put under one section rather link within link within link. In an app like this, clarity is very important which I felt it lacked. Clear definitions and examples must be displayed especially for dire situations. The idea of the whole app and resources are great, but the bugs and the lack of information on which Emergency number to call made it disappointing at a college level when the college’s goal was to make everyone at Centennial feel safe and welcomed.
The thing that bothered me the most was whether I should call Campus Security Emergency Line, Toronto Police (Non-Emergency), or 911. It was never defined on when I should call which one. The lack of clarity here could cause lost time in investigating the case at hand for both the user and the organization. Also the inconsistency with Campus Security Emergency Line and Emergency Help-Line may appear confusing for some especially at first glance. In some cases some may think Emergency Help-Line is 911, police, firefighters, or ambulance so it became unclear. Under some sections or situations I would automatically think it is a 911 situation versus Campus Security or Emergency HelpLine, but someone who is new to the country may not know which one to select when given multiple options. Under Safety and Security depending on how dire my situation was I may feel all those links were not enough to make me feel safe and that I really should call 911 (which wasn’t listed as an option) versus Campus Security. The link that caused me the most concern was under Sexual Assault Resources “I’ve been Assaulted”. If I was just assaulted or raped I would think calling 911 is the best option and hopefully the police could launch an investigation on the description I gave out and tend to the situation quickly by capturing the predator and sending an ambulance out for me to make sure I am medically sound. In this scenario there was a Campus Security Investigations number to call, where if I was to call a second number (maybe not - depending on my state) this would be it. The Friend Walk idea was good but kept popping up as unavailable right now during the time I was trying to use it.
No app is perfect and many apps can improve. This particular app has a lot of improving to do, one being simplifying the amount of information they are trying to deliver in several different sections and some of this information can be summarized and just put under one section rather link within link within link. In an app like this, clarity is very important which I felt it lacked. Clear definitions and examples must be displayed especially for dire situations. The idea of the whole app and resources are great, but the bugs and the lack of information on which Emergency number to call made it disappointing at a college level when the college’s goal was to make everyone at Centennial feel safe and welcomed.