Hawkeye EDS

Hawkeye EDS is an AI-powered school safety platform designed to detect firearms through video surveillance, facial recognition, and radio wave technology. The system provides school administrators and staff with tools to manage real-time alerts, initiate lockdowns, and access training. I joined the EPICS team during Phase 1 of this project, focusing on early-stage research, information architecture, and user interface design for both a desktop admin portal.

• Led UX/UI design for Phase 1 of the Hawkeye EDS school safety platform

• Defined user roles, workflows, and system requirements for desktop

• Created wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma for key user interfaces

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align design with technical and safety goals

School staff need a fast, clear, and secure way to respond to weapon threats. Current emergency alert systems are fragmented, not intuitive, and lack integration with real-time surveillance and communication tools.

• Create an admin desktop portal for managing users, alerts, reports, and system settings

• Support accessibility, security, and real-time performance standards

• Research & Requirements Gathering

• User Flows & Information Architecture

• Wireframing & Prototyping

• Design Documentation & Handoff

• Balsamiq
• Figma
• Miro
• Google Docs
• Slack
• Zoom

To design an effective early detection and response platform for schools, I conducted thorough research into existing systems and direct competitors.

I analyzed leading security platforms that offer weapons detection and emergency alert systems, including:

ZeroEyes – Our top competitor, widely adopted in schools with a $53M funding round. Focused on AI-powered visual gun detection and real-time alert systems.

Source: ZeroEyes Education Security

Athena Security – Offers advanced weapons detection technology with a modern, engaging UI for its internal portal.

Source: SDM

• Existing solutions prioritize real-time alerts, but vary in usability and clarity for non-technical users.

• Collaborative confirmation workflows (multiple user responses before escalation) are unique to Hawkeye EDS.

• Portals with clean, dashboard-centric layouts enhance situational awareness under stress.

• Camera and sensor health monitoring is critical for maintaining system readiness.

• Systems with fail-safe measures to prevent false alarms without delaying response are highly valued.

• Most platforms lacked a strong training and education component for staff, which became a key differentiator for Hawkeye.

• Real-time Threat Detection Alerts with images/video

• Response Tracker showing verification progress

• System Health Monitor for cameras and sensors

• Role-based User Management & Permissions

• Detailed Incident Reporting & Analytics

• Integrated Training & Support Resources

• Customizable Alert & System Settings

For Hawkeye EDS, my focus was on designing the administrator desktop portal—a centralized hub for managing system operations, alerts, and users. While the platform also includes a mobile app for faculty, my scope was limited to the desktop experience for school leadership and security teams.

I started by defining the structure and flow of the admin portal through wireframes focused on:

• Dashboard overview with real-time threats and system status

• Alerts management for active incidents, response tracking, and lockdown initiation

• User & role management for controlling system access

• Reports & analytics to monitor incidents and system performance

• Billing management for invoice tracking

• Settings & configurations for system controls and integrations

The goal was to establish a clear, functional layout that prioritized speed and ease of use in high-pressure situations.

With structure validated, I refined the interface through high-fidelity prototypes emphasizing:

• Clean, professional UI with accessible color contrast

• Role-specific navigation and intuitive action flows

• Data-rich dashboards for incident management and reporting

• Consistent design patterns to ensure usability across all admin tasks

The final design delivers a streamlined desktop interface that empowers administrators to manage safety operations quickly and confidently.

My work on the Hawkeye EDS admin portal laid the foundation for a scalable, role-based design system to support school safety operations. After completing the initial design phase, I documented all user flows, features, and high-fidelity mockups to ensure a smooth handoff to the next student design team and engineering collaborators.

Clear annotations, interaction notes, and requirements were included to support future development and iteration. By delivering well-organized design files and a shared vision for the admin experience, I helped set the stage for the continued growth and refinement of this life-saving platform.

Designing for Hawkeye EDS was a meaningful experience that allowed me to apply UX thinking to a high-impact real-world problem—and to contribute to a collaborative, ongoing effort to make schools safer.