Created by USD recent graduate Abby Pinkerman ’26, graphic design students Emily Kurtz and Alexis Payne, and music student Clara Carlson, OKO combines family location services like Find My and Life360 with weather apps so family members who share a mobile network can receive automatic weather alerts and see one another’s location in a weather emergency.

“We chose the name OKO, which means ‘eye’ in Polish, because it represents the eye of a storm,” said Kurtz. “We chose that name because our app is designed to help people prepare for storms and other severe weather events happening in their area or in the area of someone they care about.”

This photo shows a rendering of the OKO app on a cell phone against a blue background with white clouds. The cell phone displays a thunderstorm warning on its screen.

While not currently available in the App Store, the eye-opening app received acclaim in an international competition, earning the Bronze Award from Indigo Design Awards for Website Design. The students also received four AAF Student Awards, with two being on the local level and two on the district level:

  • Gold Addy and Best of Show for App Design (AAF)
  • Gold Addy for Website Design (AAF)
  • District Gold Addy for App Design (AAF)
  • Silver Addy for Website Design (AAF)

The Path to OKO

Before OKO came to life, the team spent over a month researching and refining their idea. The team credits USD for providing an environment that encourages creativity and collaboration, along with hands-on experiences and the ability to conduct research that emulates real-life simulations.

They also spent time working with Young Ae Kim, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Art, before starting the design process.

“The process of creating this app was tricky, as it was our first time designing an app. Our professor, Young Ae Kim, made the experience so much smoother and pushed us to create really amazing work,” said Kurtz. “With her help, we dove into the project, making sure we really understood the problem before creating a solution.”

The team’s research shaped the entire design process, as they wanted to ensure families could see where their loved ones are and understand the weather conditions they’re experiencing in real-time.

It was also shaped by personal experience, as members of the OKO team had used apps like Life360 themselves, giving them firsthand insight into how technology can help keep families connected.

Designed With Ease in Mind

Bringing together disciplines ranging from user experience and interface design to meteorology and technology, the project required a careful balance between technical functionality and human-centered design. Above all, the team sought to create an app experience that felt simple, intuitive and seamless.

“Generally, during a severe weather event, we want people to feel protected and make smart, informed decisions. Users don’t have a lot of time to spend figuring out complex interfaces in emergent situations,” said Kurtz. “Making sure the app flows well was very important.”

This photo, set against a blue background with white clouds, shows a rendering an arm/hand, holding a cell phone that has the OKO app on it. The cell phone displays a "Good Morning" message, with a summary of the forecast for the day.

In addition to a straightforward experience, OKO features an informational chatbot that provides users with quick answers and guidance, as well as an “Unwind” section, which helps users manage stress and anxiety that can come with severe weather.

For Kurtz and the OKO team, the recognition ultimately serves as a meaningful affirmation of their work, collaboration and creative thinking that brought the app to life.

“We were so happy and surprised to have won these awards,” said Kurtz. “It means so much to the team. We feel grateful that we were able to gain recognition for a project that we worked so hard on.”

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Alissa Matt
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