Participatory Design with Blind Users: A Scenario-Based Approach

Abstract

Abstract. Through out the design process, designers have to consider the needs of potential users. This is particularly important, but rather harder, when the designers interact with the artefact to-be-designed using different senses or devices than the users, for example, when sighted designers are designing an artefact for use by blind users. In such cases, designers have to ensure that the methods used to engage users in the design process and to communicate design ideas are accessible. In this paper, we describe a participatory approach with blind users based on the use of a scenario and the use of dialogue-simulated interaction during the development of a search interface. We achieved user engagement in two ways: firstly, we involved a blind user with knowledge of assistive technologies in the design team and secondly, we used a scenario as the basis of a dialogue between the designers and blind users to simulate interaction with the proposed search interface. Through this approach, we were able to verify requirements for the proposed search interface and blind searchers were able to provide formative feedback, to critique design plans and to propose new design ideas based on their experience and expertise with assistive technologies. In this paper, we describe the proposed scenario-based approach and examine the types of feedback gathered from its evaluation with blind users. We also critically reflect on the benefits and limitations of the approach, and discuss practical considerations in its application.

Audio-haptic interfaces for digital audio workstations

“…Indeed, another possibility for the observed communication barriers is that the tasks that users were trying to design for were too complex to be captured using the lo-fi material provided. Our observations are nonetheless in line with previous work that found narrative scenario-based design to be a particularly effective tool of co-designing with participants living with visual impairments [9,10]. We note that thorough comparisons of these different methods for non-visual participatory design are generally lacking and more studies are needed to further investigate these issues.…”

“…The resulting mock-ups might not have been enough to compliment the ideas generated and discussed by the participants. In this sense, we suggest that the use of rich scenario-based design as describe in [10] might compliment and improve audio-tactile mock-ups. Additionally, the cumbersome character of audio recorders can also be replaced by Wizard of Oz design [33], although in our case, it could be difficult to provide adequate simulation of the kind of audio manipulation typically associated with interaction with digital audio workstations.…”

“…For example, using a scenario-based approach enabled rapid communication during workshop activities involving students and visuallyimpaired stakeholders [9]. A detailed description of this approach is given by Sahib et al [10] where scenario-based textual narrative was tailored and used as a basis for design dialogue between a sighted designer and visually-impaired users. Other approaches that proposed alternatives to visual design tools include the use of a tactile paper prototypes, which was developed as part of the HyperBraille project [11] and lo-fi physical prototypes [12].…”

Designing with and for people living with visual impairments: audio-tactile mock-ups, audio diaries and participatory prototyping

“…Another possibility is that the tasks that users were trying to design for were too complex to be captured using the low-fi material provided. Our observations are nonetheless in line with previous work that found narrative scenario-based design to be a particularly effective tool of code signing with participants living with visual impairments (Okamoto 2009, Sahib et al 2013. Still, thorough comparisons of these different methods for non-visual participatory design is lacking and more studies are needed to further investigate these issues.…”

“…For example, Okamoto (2009) used a scenario-based approach as a means to enable rapid communication between stakeholders during workshop activities to help students understand the day-today activities of people living with visual impairments and help them design tools to support them. Sahib et al (2013) give a more thorough description of how scenario-based textual narrative can be tailored and used as a basis for design dialogue between a sighted designer and users living with visual impairments. Sahib et al (2013) also provide an evaluation of this approach, highlighting the importance of including users in the design process at two levels; first in the design of the scenarios themselves to ensure they include appropriate levels of description and use correct vocabulary that match experience with current accessibility technology; and second when employing those scenarios in design sessions.…”