The problem
K L University's hostels ran announcements manually — microphones, speakers, and trained operators. The result: missed wake-up calls, last-minute panic during emergencies, and total dependency on whoever knew how to work the equipment. The university needed a centralized public address system that hostel wardens — many of them not tech-savvy, some over 60 — could operate confidently without assistance.
The approach
- Research — interviews with five hostel wardens and two supervisors, distilled into personas, an empathy map, and a user journey.
- Deliberately "old-school" UI — the interface was designed to feel like a radio or landline phone: large buttons, minimal text, clear visual feedback, keyboard shortcuts. Familiarity over flash, to eliminate fear of technology.
- Hardware design — a desk unit with a comfortable viewing angle, grippy tactile knobs, reliable switches with satisfying feedback, and color-coded labels.
Outcomes
In trial runs: 100% task completion by wardens on first try, zero scheduling errors over a month, and new-warden onboarding in under five minutes. Wardens reported feeling "empowered" and "confident" — the design became a bridge to digital comfort for users who had long stayed away from tech.