Seeking rejuvenation from a brisk walk in the wilderness, Beth and Chris go for a weekend hike.

On their mountain ramble, Beth and Chris inhale the crisp, mountain air and savor views of snow-capped peaks. On the trail they discover chipmunks and squirrels, and even catch a rare glimpse of a bald eagle.

For more than 2 million annual visitors to a US National Park, this is a perfect experience.

But this walk is not perfect. Chris, after slipping on a rock, falls down a mountain, injuring himself.

Enter LASSI.

No, not Lassie, the pop culture Border Collie known for rescuing her human friends in the wilderness. A drone. A drone called Land/Air Support Service Instrument.

Using a chip contained in a wearable on Chris's wrist, LASSI finds the injured hiker. LASSI sends photos of Chris and his ankle injury to park rangers, who then send an emergency response unit to his location.

Long story short, Beth and Chris are rescued. Chris goes home with some bruises and a cast on his ankle. But he goes home.

LASSI— a product that combines wearable tech, an app and a drone—has the power to save lives. And an estimated 120-140 visitors to US National Parks die each year (source). How many of these lives could LASSI save?

Right now, LASSI is just an idea. But it's brilliant, and capable of impact beyond measure. And it was developed by a few minds at ProductCampRTP in under an hour.

Using design thinking, we created a journey map of two hypothetical hikers, Beth and Chris. During our mapping exercise, we uncovered an innovative idea with the power to save lives and transform outdoor rescue operations around the world.

Journey mapping is a powerful tool that anyone can use to better understand the people they serve, whether it's a hiker or employees or customers.