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Designing on thin ice
What the Scottish Avalanche App reveals about the stakes of product design
While this is a story about app UI, it intersects with impostor syndrome in male-dominated spaces, cognitive biases in the mountains and more. Expect something different today ⛰️
What are the risks of bad product design?
Churn. Frustrated users. A flood of 1-star reviews.
In the grand scheme of things, not much.
Few apps are truly life or death.
But a few days ago, I was introduced to an app that was actually a matter of life or death.
Last weekend, I did a winter skills course in Scotland — which was incredible.
Run by @navigationwithharriet, this two-day course for women and underrepresented groups in the mountains taught us how to navigate in white-out conditions, hike in crampons, use ice axes, plan routes that avoid avalanche-prone areas, and respond effectively in case of an emergency.
Every year, people are injured or die in avalanches — around 100 in Europe and 150 worldwide.
In 90 percent of cases, people trigger the avalanches themselves — most often skiers, climbers, and snowmobilers. Many of these tragedies could be prevented with greater awareness of the risks
Only a month ago (source)
That’s exactly what the Be Avalanche Aware app is designed to tackle — helping people plan safer routes, understand avalanche conditions, and make better decisions in the mountains.
So, how well does it actually work in the field?
Let’s walk through it, starting with where every mountain day begins: the coffee shop.
Stage 1: App onboarding
First, Harriet asked us to download BAA — Be Avalanche Aware.
