Alexa Emergency Contacts
A feature that helps customers reach trusted contacts in emergencies by simply asking Alexa to call for help.
Types
Devices, App
Role
Sr. Product Designer
Launch Year
2021
Project Summary
Alexa Emergency Contact helps people get help when they need it most, quickly and hands free. By simply saying “Alexa, call for help,” customers can instantly alert a trusted contact through a phone call and a text message. This feature offers peace of mind for seniors, people with mobility challenges, and anyone who might not be able to reach their phone in an emergency. It first launched as a standalone feature in 2020 and is now part of Alexa Emergency Assist, Amazon’s home safety subscription.
My Role
As the sole designer on the Alexa Emergency Contact project, I led the end to end UX and visual design across the Alexa app and Echo devices. I worked closely with product managers, engineers, researchers, and legal teams to create an experience that was simple, trustworthy, and easy to use in urgent situations. My work spanned everything from early concept exploration to final design specs. I also collaborated across multiple feature teams as the experience expanded from a standalone launch into part of Guard Plus and eventually Alexa Emergency Assist.
Impact
Alexa Emergency Contact has become a trusted safety feature for customers who need a fast, hands-free way to get help. It brings peace of mind to seniors, caregivers, and people with mobility challenges, and has played a meaningful role in expanding Alexa’s value in the home safety space.
Over 936,000 customers set up emergency contacts set up within the first year.
Maintains a 4.4-star customer rating on Amazon.com.
Set the foundation for Alexa Emergency Assist, now Amazon’s official home safety service.
Successfully used to dispatch police, ambulance, and emergency responders.
What I'm excited to bring to my next journey
This project challenged me to let go of assumptions and truly understand what matters to the people I was designing for. Early on, I believed older customers would prefer something simple and visible, like the large wearable emergency buttons already on the market. But research showed that many seniors did not want to wear these devices. They associated them with dependence and vulnerability, and what they really valued was independence and dignity.
That insight reshaped my thinking. It reminded me that good design is not just about usability, but about emotional experience. It guided our decision to create a voice-first, ambient solution that offered support without compromising how people saw themselves.
In my next role, I’m excited to bring this mindset forward. I care deeply about designing experiences that are respectful, empowering, and grounded in real human needs. I bring the ability to navigate ambiguity with empathy, connect big-picture vision to detailed execution, and create solutions that meet people where they are.
A detailed case study is available upon request.
I'd be happy to walk you through the full design process, decisions, and results in a one-on-one conversation. In the meantime, you can learn more about Alexa Emergency Assist here.