This is a cross-posted blog from Internews' USABLE.tools project which is advancing usable organizational security tools, including SAFETAG. Read more about this effort on the Global Technology Blog

Over the last few months, we have been working with Tafka, a Mexico-based design firm, to develop a new visual identity for the SAFETAG framework. As part of these efforts, we hosted 3 community feedback calls to gather feedback. Additionally, we shared an open survey for those who were unable to join the calls. In total, we received feedback from over 25 SAFETAG users around the globe.

We have highlighted some of the feedback we received below.

SAFETAG could be described as:

• “Complex, yet comprehensive”
• “Your really smart friend that you like a lot, but gives very detailed answers to very simple questions”
• “Flexible and adaptive”

What makes SAFETAG and its community unique?

• We take the time to get to know, listen, and engage with the organization before starting hands-on work during the audit
• We are driven by the opportunity to support organizations advocating for civil and human rights, allowing them to do their work more safely and effectively
• We strive to provide holistic support to organizations, taking into consideration digital, physical, and psycho-social components of their security
• We enable organizations to make informed decisions regarding their digital security, and contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable foundation

SAFETAG users believe the framework’s visual identity should be:

• Building blocks, or individual pieces that come together to form something larger and more comprehensive
• Colorful and approachable
• Casual, yet professional

What challenges do users face when navigating the framework?

• It is big. As a new auditor, it is difficult to understand the “big picture”
• The document is overwhelming, and it is hard to decide which parts are relevant
• No clear hierarchy or organization
• The information architecture is not intuitive, and it is difficult to search for content that will be relevant for a specific organization, community, or context

What changes or features would make it easier to navigate?

• The ability to hide activities so that you can see a smaller version of the framework
• Less words, more visuals. A clear naming structure and hierarchy
• A search feature, and a way to select specific activities that are relevant for a particular scenario
• Using metadata (such as size of organization, theme of activity, etc.) to sort the activities
• Videos, tutorials, and lessons learned for activities
• Having a clear “table of contents” so it is easy to locate a specific section or activity

What challenges do users face when contributing new content to the framework?

• Many users do not feel comfortable contributing content through GitHub
• Others reported that contributing content currently takes too long; there are limited options for smaller, less time-consuming contributions
• The process of contributing content is difficult

Thank you to all who joined the feedback calls or responded to the survey! The insights you shared have directly informed the design and development of the new visual identity and web interface. We hope that the new visual assets and interface will make SAFETAG easier to use and more accessible for both new and experienced auditors. We are in the final stages of work and look forward to sharing the final products soon. Stay tuned for updates!