Designing Mission-Critical Communication Software from Scratch, Delivering 6-Month Faster Release

Designing Mission-Critical Communication Software from Scratch, Delivering 6-Month Faster Release

Summary

The project focused on designing end-to-end communication systems from scratch used in high-pressure emergency scenarios from control rooms to in-vehicle communication and on-ground responders. The work included designing three platforms: a dispatcher web app, an Android app for field teams, and an embedded in-vehicle platform. With no existing design references and complex workflows like priority-based calls and SOS handling, separate design systems were developed for each platform to ensure visual harmony and delivery speed. Interfaces were reviewed in simulated real-world conditions: motion, glare, and stress, to ensure usability held under pressure. This approach reduced development time and accelerated time-to-market by more than 6 months.

About The Client

MCLabs is a telecommunications company that builds mission-critical communication systems - software used in situations where failure can impact life, property, or national infrastructure. In mission-critical environments, timing isn’t just important; it is the boundary between control and consequence. Actions need to happen within strict deadlines, because delays or miscommunication can escalate into safety risks or operational failures.

Their products connect dispatch centres, field responders, and vehicle operators during incidents such as SOS alerts, on-track events, or crisis situations, ensuring information moves quickly, accurately, and without ambiguity. With a lean core team and deep domain expertise, MCLabs focuses on building communication tools that must remain reliable when the stakes are at their highest.

Country: India

Problem

MCLabs needed to make emergency communication smarter and more reliable. Existing systems provided minimal information, were less secure, and were based on technology that is becoming obsolete. For example, during railway incidents or field SOS situations, responders had to manually call dispatch, repeat their location over unstable networks, and wait for someone to acknowledge, costing precious minutes when decisions needed to be instant.

Scope

Designing three connected communication tools from the ground up - dispatcher web app, android app, and embedded in-vehicle platform. Each with its own design system, aligned for visual and interaction consistency across platforms.

Outcome

Three platform-specific design systems and end-to-end product designs across web, mobile, and embedded, designed with accessibility standards and validated via targeted simulations. Result: Faster development, smoother handoff with total project duration of ~4.5 months, and a 6–8 month reduction in go-to-market.

The Challenge

MCLabs had a clear vision of features, but needed them translated into usable emergency communication software. There were no modern benchmarks to follow - most existing systems were outdated, proprietary, or built only for fixed control-room setups. The interfaces had to work across very different environments: dispatch escalation in control rooms, SOS from field responders, and operator actions during active movement, each demanding fast, unambiguous interaction.

Complexity wasn’t limited to hardware or screen formats; it spanned priority call logic, accessibility, real-time use in emergencies, and more operational realities. Designing something reliable, fast to operate, and easy to understand, even in moments of stress, became the core challenge.

Our Approach

This engagement was a complete product design initiative, broken into three phases: Dispatcher, Android platform, and Embedded in-vehicle platform, but approached as one connected communication system. Instead of jumping into UI, we first mapped real scenarios with the client: SOS triggers, multi-party calls, call prioritization, and how these interactions change in motion or under stress.

From there, we built a minimal set of core screens to lock visual direction and interaction logic before expanding into full user journeys and edge cases. Separate, platform-specific design systems were established early, so components, colours, and behaviors stayed consistent across web, mobile, and embedded devices.

Core, complex flows were validated with engineers on representative hardware; we simulated real use to assess readability, reach, and recovery under motion. If it didn't work in the field, it didn't ship.

The Solution

We designed and delivered the Dispatcher web app, Android mobile app, and embedded in-vehicle interface end-to-end, each powered by a platform-specific design system with a shared visual language.

Complex communication workflows from priority-based calls and emergency overrides to SOS triggers, location sharing, patrol routes, and broadcast messaging were translated into clear, intuitive user journeys.

Interfaces were adapted to real working conditions: glove use, sunlight glare, vibration, limited touchscreen precision, and hardware button controls where needed. Accessibility, contrast, and information hierarchy were stress-tested rather than assumed.

Critical interactions were tested through scenario simulations and feasibility checks, while the client carried out on-device validation.

What We Built

We designed core emergency-response features end-to-end, prioritizing real-world clarity, speed, and escalation over surface-level aesthetics. Every decision was rooted in UX: creating intuitive flows, simplifying critical paths, and enabling developers to build faster through a strong, well-structured design system.

Priority calling (9+ types) with overrides:

Calls follow strict priority logic so an SOS or high-priority incident can pre-empt routine traffic. Visual and audio treatment make escalation unmistakable.

How We Built

We treated this as designing operations, not just screens - turning real incident behavior into clear, testable flows, then into platform-specific systems.

The Results

The final products are faster to use, easier to adopt, and more reliable in control rooms, on moving vehicles, and in field operations.

Tech stack used

Why Procedure?