OLD Digital Maps | Alexandrafolio

Re-imagining the accessibility of digital maps

How we perceive accessibility differs from person to person and little attention to how digital maps are used and perceived by people with different abilities has been made. Digital maps are interactive systems that everyone should have access to by conveying map information through rich and fluid interactions. This work presents a prototype of a re-imagined digital map that affords exploration without displaying normative standards of accessibility.

Overview

Individual Work

Time: 8weeks, 2021

Recognition: Published.

This project had two clients, Rätt från början and
The Swedish Agency for Accessible Media. While the overall research was to understand the use and experience of digital maps and the perception of accessibility in the physical world with the goal of proposing design suggestions for inclusion, this project also had side goals of contriution focused to fulfill both clients interest.

In the collaboration with Funktionsrätt Sverige, I contribute to the development of new educational material and process support for anyone who wants to use universal design as a tool to increase inclusion and accessibility.With The Swedish Agency for Accessible Media, I provided insight work, research, and idea generation for future research areas related to digital maps and accessibility directives.
The overall research question was:

- How can a digital map convey accessibility information of a route before a journey without the need for special adaptation?

It was important for both actors to have an inclusive approach to research, therefore, this project investigated digital maps-in-use through an inclusive design approach by conducting studies with participants who have different capabilities, preference, characteristics, and needs. The purpose was to investigate their interactions with digital maps and how the participants perceived accessibility of the physical world. The research question was explored with a Research-through-Design approach by implementing design practices that support exploration, speculation, particularisation, and diversification

This research indicated that the relevance of digital maps is contingent and that there is no universal understanding of accessibility. By following the WCAG recommendation, the interactive system of digital maps that affords exploration becomes a static interpretation.

Hence, designers should think of digital maps as interactive systems that can afford exploration, avoid normative standards of accessibility, and instead use a design strategy of presenting the world as it is through e.g., audio-haptic, and visual interactive communication that a standard mobile device or personal computer can mediate.

Mobile Lorm Glove

Background

Today’s solution of making digital maps available to a broader user group is by following the WCAG´s recommendation of providing users with an alternative text that serves an equal purpose to the digital map. Unfortunately, this makes the digital map which is an interactive system that affords exploration to become a static interpretation made by someone for others and does therefore not serve an equal purpose.

Example of map and code following WCAG´s Alt text guidelines.

Design Process

By investigating digital maps with an inclusive- and research through design approach, the design practices of interviews and cultural probes provided the participants with the possibility to share and collect their experiences when interacting with digital maps and how they perceived accessibility. Besides answering the research question, the design process prospered in an active exchange of knowledge, ideas and discussions between the clients and I.

Both clients aided in providing with particiapants who wanted to take part in this research project. In the collboration with Funktionsrätt Sverige, I contribute to the development of new educational material and process support for anyone who wants to use universal design as a tool to increase inclusion and accessibility. With the Swedish Agency for Accessible Media, I provided insight work, research, and idea generation for future research areas related to digital maps and accessibility directives.

Process, Contribution, Stakeholders and Resources.png

Map of collaborations and exchanges between actors.

Research and Design

By including a social-historical exploration, digital maps were placed in a timeline of our history as a system in continuous development. By investigating related studies, findings made in this study could be confirmed or strengthened by earlier studies.By testing contemporary available mainstream systems, areas of interest and inquiries were unfolded through first-hand experiences.

By providing the participants with cultural probes, I facilitated the user with tools that collected their perception and experience, as well as provoked and support them to express thoughts and ideas.

Design Probe kit

Assignments

01 Questionnare, part one

Motivation: To get an understanding of who the participant was, basic knowledge about what and why they use digital maps.

Result: The participants that rely on moving forward on wheels both mention satellite and street view as good features of Google maps, just like earlier studies identified. Two participants mention that Google maps excludes paths and routes that they personally know of.

02 The Maps history booklet

Motivation: To stimulate critical thinking and exploration, the booklet presented five historical maps, ending with Google maps and question of what the future map could look like.

Result: One of the participants suggested that in the future one could ask one's personal levitating mini robot via VUI for directions. The robot would display a 3D map on top of its head, showing directions, buildings, surface type and scenic views.

03 My Journey

Motivation: To understand the user’s experiences while travelling and to identify segments of the user’s journey. The participants were presented with a timeline of a journey at the x-axis and a grade of satisfaction at the y-axis. They were also were provided with symbol stickers and a scenario.

Result: All participants planned their journey at home by using Google maps. All participants started their search on the happy side and right away chose map type terrain, satellite or bicycle info and became unpleased with the experience because there were too few details presented. Half of the participants chose to find more detailed descriptions using street view.

04 My Future Journey

Motivation: To provoke the participants creative thinking and see what the participant would change from their experience, they were given the same scenario, but this time set in the year 2060.

Result: 80% of the participants mentioned better satellite images to see the surfaces better.

05 Disposable Camera & Diary

Motivation: A free form of expression to capture “thick descriptions”. The camera and diary are used to empathize with the user by supporting them to document their needs, situations and motivations and let them express experiences, emotions and attitudes.

Result:

“Imagine if one could plan a journey by having a personal drone that travels the distance beforehand. That way one could investigate stair-free routes and explore so much more in a secure way!”

- Participant looking for wheelchair accessible routes

06 Questionnare, part one

Motivation: To collect feedback on how the participants experienced the study.

Result: 80% of the participant believed they would look at digital maps differently and two of them mentions that they believe they will explore possibilities more than before.

Synthesize

Throught affinity diagram, scenario building and journey mapping, two main fhemes were defined for further development of prototype and testing, the surface and the social world.

01 The Surface

(including steps); There is little information about the surface of streets, which can either work as a barrier, facilitator, or contextual information for wayfinding.

Photo of gravel taken by one of the participants.

“Surface, looser gravel. No info on the map. Difficult to push the stroller. Interesting, since the path is just by a playground”

02 The Social World

Social routes, such as shortcuts, are not included on digital maps but are in the physical world.

” Hard to see what type of street it is, it matters a lot”

Photo of stone slabs taken by one of the participants.

Four of the participants assignment "My journey". Participants experienced that Google maps did not show enough details about social route, as their experience whent from pleasant to dissapointed when interacting with digital maps.

Image of prototype made in Figma.

The Concept

By mediating different surface types using audio-haptic communication, the prototype demonstrates how a potential accessibility barrier, facilitator or contextual information could be conveyed through rich and fluid interactions. Through user testing of the prototype, following benefits and suggestions for improvments were defined;

Benefits

Audio-haptic communication increases the perception of the surface type

Different surfaces have different audio-haptic profiles.

Surface types can either work as barriers, facilitators, or contextual information.

Suggestions for improvenemts

Must be clear and free from sound pollution.

Must indicate when someone is off-road.

Must indicate when someone crosses a street.

Must to indicate when someone has reached the end of a street.