Group Canvas
A real-time collaborative note-taking experience built into GoodNotes
I reimagined how 3 million users interact with a life-saving earthquake app by proposing a dashboard concept that transformed the information architecture and made critical features instantly accessible.
Timeline:
Jan 30 2024 - May 2024
My Role :
Product Designer
Conceptualized dashboard architecture
Team:
5 Designers
1 Project Manager
Tools:
Figma, Figjam, Google Suite
Impact
Increased user experience rating from 2.8/5 → 4.5/5
Reduced clicks by 50% for key features
Improved task completion by 40%
Currently in development for a 2026 launch
Introduction
What is Myshake?
Built in partnership with USGS and UC Berkeley's Seismology Lab, MyShake delivers earthquake alerts seconds before shaking begins to 3 million users. It provides alerts, post-quake reporting, and preparedness tools.
The Problem
MyShake was losing users despite having life-saving technology. The interface felt outdated, important features were buried in confusing menus , and users couldn't find critical information during emergencies.
Pages that take you off the app
Confusing alert buttons
Unintuitive navigation
Beyond user frustrations, the Seismology Lab had organizational goals:
- Increase engagement and exploration of the app
- Build trust so users would rely on the app during emergencies
- Make Myshake the #1 earthquake app in the world
Our challenge:
How might we create an intuitive, trustworthy experience that balances user needs with institutional goals?
Research
To ground the redesign, our team conducted a full UX audit:
Usability Testing (Feb 2024):
Observed users interacting with the existing app to identify pain points in navigation and comprehension.
User Surveys:
Collected insights from 30 respondents about their safety priorities, preferred alert types, and preparedness habits.
Competitor Analysis:
Reviewed leading alert apps such as My Earthquake Alerts and QuakeFeed to benchmark clarity, tone, and feature organization.
Post-Redesign Testing:
Validated the redesign with three age groups, from young adults to seniors citizens at a retirement center
Key User Needs
Safety & Trust
Trust the app during emergencies and stay informed about nearby earthquakes
Easy Navigation
Move through the app without confusion to find relevant information
Clarity
Make alerts, notifications, and education easy to access and understand
These findings revealed users needed easier navigation and faster access to critical features, insights that would become central to my dashboard proposal.
Design Process
1. Understanding the Old Experience
We started by auditing the existing MyShake app to pinpoint usability issues. The interface was cluttered, alerts were buried, and navigation was confusing.
There’s only 1 access point to setting up an early warning alert or custom earthquake notification and 5 steps for both — far too complex for a safety app.
video is example of creating an early warning
Steps for Early Warning
- Go to More
- Go to Settings Page
- Read the confusing disclaimer
- Input an address
- Go to set HomeBase
- Early Sketching
Using research insights, we created lo-fi sketches exploring ways to make a beautiful and powerful app and surface key features like alerts, and earthquake information.
Example of Map Details Sketch
Example of Map/Profile Sketches
3. The Turning Point : A Dashboard Concept
What if MyShake was more personalized and opened to a personalized dashboard instead of a map?
During sketching, I noticed we were defaulting to the familiar map-first approach that every earthquake app uses. Drawing inspiration from Uber's widget-based dashboard , I proposed something different:
The concept was simple
consolidate everything so it can all be viewable into one glanceable screen. Make it feel personal, but also not overwhelming. The team was intrigued but hesitant. This wasn't just visual polish — it would completely reshape the app's information architecture.
- The Debate
The team weighed two directions
Option A:
Teams Refined Landing Page
Safer approach. Familiar to users. Visual improvements without structural risk.
Option B:
Dashboard Landing Page
Innovative but risky. Shortcuts to all features. Personal, unprecedented for earthquake apps.
I advocated for the dashboard by connecting it to our research: users wanted easier navigation and faster access. A dashboard creates shortcuts — every critical function on one screen instead of buried in menus. Every earthquake app looks the same and so I believed this was a refreshing idea and the seismology lab aligned with my idea
- New Information Architecture
The new IA simplified navigation — users could access any key feature within 1-2 taps instead of digging through menus.
Final Solution
Everything Accessible Through a Single Dashboard
The First Impression
New users will land on a short tutorial page to help them understand the most important aspects of the app
The Dashboard: Early Warning Shortcuts
Before showing the shortcuts of the other pages I want to highlight for new users the dashboard has 2 instant access points to enable an early warning
There is another user flow to input your address but this video shows the capability of the dashboard. This was not possible in the original app
Access points
- You can swipe the main map right
- New user banner
- Going to profile
Dashboard User Flows
The dashboard enables multiple user journeys:
A user can use the map to add an early earthquake warnings or notifications.
A user wants to see the information on a earthquake they heard on the news.
A user felt an earthquake yesterday and want share their experience on it.
Users can find relevant information regarding earthquake safety and articles.
Modular Design
The beautiful thing about my idea is the sections below the pinned locations map are modular meaning sections can be removed and new sections can be added depending on what the the company wants to present.
Interface Old vs New
Navigation Bar
New Navigation Thats More Streamlined Bar
Explore Page
Old Map
New Consolidated Page
Changes
- Map layers
- Viewable pinned locations
- User search feed and preferences
- New collapsible list
From Settings to Profile Page
The profile page which used to be settings has been simplified making critical actions like enabling earthquake warnings more accessible. I believed making it a profile section was on brand for the feeling I wanted to give users , I wanted this app to feel personal
Reflection
Working on MyShake taught me how to advocate for bold ideas without formal authority. As one of five designers, I didn't have a leadership title, but I learned that good ideas backed by research can shift a project's direction. The hardest part wasn't designing the dashboard — it was convincing the team to take the risk. When the team hesitated, I tied my proposal directly to user research: faster navigation, easier access, and differentiation from competitors. This taught me to frame innovation not as "something different" but as "solving a specific user problem." Seeing the dashboard evolve from a controversial sketch to a 2.8 → 4.3 UX improvement validated an important lesson: clarity and trust aren't just design principles — they're the outcomes of making brave decisions for the right reasons. I'm currently the sole product designer on MyShake (Oct 2025 - Present), continuing this work by expanding responsive design and building new features that make earthquake preparedness more accessible.
Group Canvas
A real-time collaborative note-taking experience built into GoodNotes
I reimagined how 3 million users interact with a life-saving earthquake app by proposing a dashboard concept that transformed the information architecture and made critical features instantly accessible.
Timeline:
Jan 30 2024 - May 2024
My Role :
Product Designer
Conceptualized dashboard architecture
Team:
5 Designers
1 Project Manager
Tools:
Figma, Figjam, Google Suite
Impact
Increased user experience rating from 2.8/5 → 4.5/5
Reduced clicks by 50% for key features
Improved task completion by 40%
Currently in development for a 2026 launch
Introduction
What is Myshake?
Built in partnership with USGS and UC Berkeley's Seismology Lab, MyShake delivers earthquake alerts seconds before shaking begins to 3 million users. It provides alerts, post-quake reporting, and preparedness tools.
The Problem
MyShake was losing users despite having life-saving technology. The interface felt outdated, important features were buried in confusing menus , and users couldn't find critical information during emergencies.
Pages that take you off the app
Confusing alert buttons
Unintuitive navigation
Beyond user frustrations, the Seismology Lab had organizational goals:
- Increase engagement and exploration of the app
- Build trust so users would rely on the app during emergencies
- Make Myshake the #1 earthquake app in the world
Our challenge:
How might we create an intuitive, trustworthy experience that balances user needs with institutional goals?
Research
To ground the redesign, our team conducted a full UX audit:
Usability Testing (Feb 2024):
Observed users interacting with the existing app to identify pain points in navigation and comprehension.
User Surveys:
Collected insights from 30 respondents about their safety priorities, preferred alert types, and preparedness habits.
Competitor Analysis:
Reviewed leading alert apps such as My Earthquake Alerts and QuakeFeed to benchmark clarity, tone, and feature organization.
Post-Redesign Testing:
Validated the redesign with three age groups, from young adults to seniors citizens at a retirement center
Key User Needs
Safety & Trust
Trust the app during emergencies and stay informed about nearby earthquakes
Easy Navigation
Move through the app without confusion to find relevant information
Clarity
Make alerts, notifications, and education easy to access and understand
These findings revealed users needed easier navigation and faster access to critical features — insights that would become central to my dashboard proposal.
Design Process
1. Understanding the Old Experience
We started by auditing the existing MyShake app to pinpoint usability issues. The interface was cluttered, alerts were buried, and navigation was confusing.
There’s only 1 access point to setting up an early warning alert or custom earthquake notification and 5 steps for both — far too complex for a safety app.
video is example of creating an early warning
Steps for Early Warning
- Go to More
- Go to set HomeBase
- Go to Settings Page
- Read the confusing disclaimer
- Input an address
- Early Sketching
Using research insights, we created lo-fi sketches exploring ways to make a beautiful and powerful app and surface key features like alerts, and earthquake information.
Example of Map/ Earthquake Details Sketches
Example of Map/Profile Sketches
3. The Turning Point : A Dashboard Concept
What if MyShake was more personalized and opened to a personalized dashboard instead of a map?
During sketching, I noticed we were defaulting to the familiar map-first approach that every earthquake app uses. Drawing inspiration from Uber's widget-based dashboard , I proposed something different:
The concept was simple
consolidate everything so it can all be viewable into one glanceable screen. Make it feel personal, but also not overwhelming. The team was intrigued but hesitant. This wasn't just visual polish — it would completely reshape the app's information architecture.
- The Debate
The team weighed two directions
Option A:
Teams Refined Landing Page
Safer approach. Familiar to users. Visual improvements without structural risk.
Option B:
Dashboard Landing Page
Innovative but risky. Shortcuts to all features. Personal, unprecedented for earthquake apps.
I advocated for the dashboard by connecting it to our research: users wanted easier navigation and faster access. A dashboard creates shortcuts — every critical function on one screen instead of buried in menus. Every earthquake app looks the same and so I believed this was a refreshing idea and the seismology lab aligned with my idea
- New Information Architecture
The new IA simplified navigation — users could access any key feature within 1-2 taps instead of digging through menus.
Final Solution
Everything Accessible Through a Single Dashboard
The First Impression
New users will land on a short tutorial page to help them understand the most important aspects of the app
The Dashboard: Early Warning Shortcuts
Before showing the shortcuts of the other pages I want to highlight for new users the dashboard has 2 instant access points to enable an early warning
There is another user flow to input your address but this video shows the capability of the dashboard. This was not possible in the original app
Access points
- Go to More
- New user banner
- Go to set HomeBase
Dashboard User Flows
The dashboard enables multiple user journeys:
A user can use the map to add an early earthquake warnings or notifications.
A user wants to see the information on a earthquake they heard on the news.
A user felt an earthquake yesterday and want share their experience on it.
Users can find relevant information regarding earthquake safety and articles.
Modular Design
The beautiful thing about my idea is the sections below the pinned locations map are modular meaning sections can be removed and new sections can be added depending on what the the company wants to present.
Interface Old vs New
Navigation Bar
New Navigation Thats More Streamlined Bar
Explore Page
Explore Page
Changes
- Go to More
- Viewable pinned locations
- More customizable filter
- New collapsible list
- Viewable search preferences
From Settings to Profile Page
The profile page which used to be settings has been simplified making critical actions like enabling earthquake warnings more accessible. I believed making it a profile section was on brand for the feeling I wanted to give users , I wanted this app to feel personal
Reflection
Working on MyShake taught me how to advocate for bold ideas without formal authority. As one of five designers, I didn't have a leadership title, but I learned that good ideas backed by research can shift a project's direction. The hardest part wasn't designing the dashboard — it was convincing the team to take the risk. When the team hesitated, I tied my proposal directly to user research: faster navigation, easier access, and differentiation from competitors. This taught me to frame innovation not as "something different" but as "solving a specific user problem." Seeing the dashboard evolve from a controversial sketch to a 2.8 → 4.3 UX improvement validated an important lesson: clarity and trust aren't just design principles — they're the outcomes of making brave decisions for the right reasons. I'm currently the sole product designer on MyShake (Oct 2025 - Present), continuing this work by expanding responsive design and building new features that make earthquake preparedness more accessible.
The Basics
Introduction
Research + Insights
Design Process
Solution
Reflection
Myshake Dashboard
A real-time collaborative note-taking experience built into GoodNotes
I reimagined how 3 million users interact with a life-saving earthquake app by proposing a dashboard concept that transformed the information architecture and made critical features instantly accessible.
Timeline:
Jan 30 2024 - May 2024
My Role :
Product Designer
Conceptualized dashboard architecture
Team:
5 Designers
1 Project Manager
Tools:
Figma, Figjam, Google Suite
Impact
Increased user experience rating from 2.8/5 → 4.5/5
Reduced clicks by 50% for key features
Improved task completion by 40%
Currently in development for a 2026 launch
Introduction
What is Myshake?
Built in partnership with USGS and UC Berkeley's Seismology Lab, MyShake delivers earthquake alerts seconds before shaking begins to 3 million users. It provides alerts, post-quake reporting, and preparedness tools.
The Problem
MyShake was losing users despite having life-saving technology. The interface felt outdated, important features were buried in confusing menus , and users couldn't find critical information during emergencies.
Pages that take you off the app
Strange banners
Unintuitive navigation
Beyond user frustrations, the Seismology Lab had organizational goals:
- Increase engagement and exploration of the app
- Build trust so users would rely on the app during emergencies
- Make Myshake the #1 earthquake app in the world
Our challenge:
How might we create an intuitive, trustworthy experience that balances user needs with institutional goals?
Research
To ground the redesign, our team conducted a full UX audit:
Usability Testing (Feb 2024):
Observed users interacting with the existing app to identify pain points in navigation and comprehension.
User Surveys:
Collected insights from 30 respondents about their safety priorities, preferred alert types, and preparedness habits.
Competitor Analysis:
Reviewed leading alert apps such as My Earthquake Alerts and QuakeFeed to benchmark clarity, tone, and feature organization.
Post-Redesign Testing:
Validated the redesign with three age groups, from young adults to seniors citizens at a retirement center
Key User Needs
Safety & Trust
Trust the app during emergencies and stay informed about nearby earthquakes
Easy Navigation
Move through the app without confusion to find relevant information
Clarity
Make alerts, notifications, and education easy to access and understand
These findings revealed users needed easier navigation and faster access to critical features — insights that would become central to my dashboard proposal.
Design Process
1. Understanding the Old Experience
We started by auditing the existing MyShake app to pinpoint usability issues. The interface was cluttered, alerts were buried, and navigation was confusing.
There’s only 1 access point to setting up an early warning alert or custom earthquake notification and 5 steps for both — far too complex for a safety app.
video is example of creating an early warning
Steps for Early Warning
- Go to More
- Go to Settings Page
- Go to set HomeBase
- Read the confusing disclaimer
- Input an address
- Early Sketching
Using research insights, we created lo-fi sketches exploring ways to make a beautiful and powerful app and surface key features like alerts, and earthquake information.
Example of Map Details Sketch
Example of Map/Profile Sketches
3. The Turning Point : A Dashboard Concept
What if MyShake was more personalized and opened to a personalized dashboard instead of a map?
During sketching, I noticed we were defaulting to the familiar map-first approach that every earthquake app uses. Drawing inspiration from Uber's widget-based dashboard , I proposed something different:
The concept was simple
consolidate everything so it can all be viewable into one glanceable screen. Make it feel personal, but also not overwhelming. The team was intrigued but hesitant. This wasn't just visual polish — it would completely reshape the app's information architecture.
- The Debate
The team weighed two directions
Option A:
Teams Refined Landing Page
Safer approach. Familiar to users. Visual improvements without structural risk.
Option B:
Dashboard Landing Page
Innovative but risky. Shortcuts to all features. Personal, unprecedented for earthquake apps.
I advocated for the dashboard by connecting it to our research: users wanted easier navigation and faster access. A dashboard creates shortcuts — every critical function on one screen instead of buried in menus. Every earthquake app looks the same and so I believed this was a refreshing idea and the seismology lab aligned with my idea
- New Information Architecture
The new IA simplified navigation — users could access any key feature within 1-2 taps instead of digging through menus.
Final Solution
Everything Accessible Through a Single Dashboard
The First Impression
New users will land on a short tutorial page to help them understand the most important aspects of the app
The Dashboard: Early Warning Shortcuts
Before showing the shortcuts of the other pages I want to highlight for new users the dashboard has 2 instant access points to enable an early warning
There is another user flow to input your address but this video shows the capability of the dashboard. This was not possible in the original app
Access points
- On the map when you swipe right
- New user banner
- Going to profile
Dashboard User Flows
The dashboard enables multiple user journeys:
A user can use the map to add an early earthquake warnings or notifications.
A user wants to see the information on a earthquake they heard on the news.
A user felt an earthquake yesterday and want share their experience on it.
Users can find relevant information regarding earthquake safety and articles.
Modular Design
The beautiful thing about my idea is the sections below the pinned locations map are modular meaning sections can be removed and new sections can be added depending on what the the company wants to present.
Interface Old vs New
Navigation Bar
New Navigation Thats More Streamlined Bar
Explore Page
Changes
- New map layers feature
- Viewable pinned locations
- More customizable filter
- New half map collapsible list
- Viewable search preferences
From Settings to Profile Page
The profile page which used to be settings has been simplified making critical actions like enabling earthquake warnings more accessible. I believed making it a profile section was on brand for the feeling I wanted to give users , I wanted this app to feel personal
Reflection
Working on MyShake taught me how to advocate for bold ideas without formal authority. As one of five designers, I didn't have a leadership title, but I learned that good ideas backed by research can shift a project's direction. The hardest part wasn't designing the dashboard — it was convincing the team to take the risk. When the team hesitated, I tied my proposal directly to user research: faster navigation, easier access, and differentiation from competitors. This taught me to frame innovation not as "something different" but as "solving a specific user problem." Seeing the dashboard evolve from a controversial sketch to a 2.8 → 4.3 UX improvement validated an important lesson: clarity and trust aren't just design principles — they're the outcomes of making brave decisions for the right reasons. I'm currently the sole product designer on MyShake (Oct 2025 - Present), continuing this work by expanding responsive design and building new features that make earthquake preparedness more accessible.