Addressing Deficiencies in Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate Crime Reporting: Designing a Solution for Community Needs

Abstract

Coinciding with the initial spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 marked the beginning of a wave of anti-AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) hate incidents and violence in the US, as documented in both governmental and NGO data. According to available data, the majority of these incidents occurred in public spaces and often to more vulnerable populations such as women and the elderly. Yet, underreporting remains an issue, limiting the utility of the data for developing solutions to address anti-AAPI hate. In order to increase opportunities for funding, cooperation across organizations, and new community solutions, AAPI community leaders have highlighted a need for improved systems of hate incident reporting. This thesis utilizes the principles of human-centered design to develop an understanding of the target audience. We explore key user roles and their respective needs within the AAPI community based on observational research, literature review, and stakeholder interviews. This understanding is then applied towards the design of a feature set and user interface for an anti-AAPI hate reporting solution that supports the needs of the AAPI community.