Notes on research project and poster options after UCD Teaching at a Distance Policy

The research project will still focus on disability needs/goals for the design thinking exercise.
UPDATED 2/4/2020

1. One or two groups may have already gathered field data, and may proceed as before.

For those who have not yet started fieldwork  the previous scope/instructions are no longer valid so we have to change. There will no longer be a requirement for group work.

2. It will now be an individual research exercise.
We will limit the investigation to visual impairment interacting with UCD's digital services only. No need for outside activities or to involve other people in the research exercise.

Your research project will study a limited number of defined actions/goals using UCD's digital services rather than physical on-campus activities. These objectives will be attained with the access/disability features on your own smart device (phone, tablet, PC or other).

Additional information:

For further notes on how to plan and produce your research project see the following page:
https://ucddt2.blogspot.com/2020/03/design-brief-poster-and-individual.html

Late Late Show Wheelchair Challenge (2017)

"Co-Founder of Mobility Mojo Stephen Cluskey challenged Kathryn Thomas and Kevin Kilbane to experience life in a wheelchair in Dublin City Centre. Stephen discusses how this came about and Kathryn and Kevin then join him to detail their experience."

Kevin Kilbane attempting to find a wheelchair accessible taxi (image source: RTÉ (2017))

From RTÉ's Late Late Show Wheelchair Challenge episode



Additional sources:
http://stephencluskey.com/

Big Life Fix

Q: Did you see this new series on RTE?

RTÉ series, Big Life Fix

"
Ireland's leading inventors create ingenious solutions to everyday problems for extraordinary people.
A brand new RTÉ series, Big Life Fix, challenges a group of leading designers, engineers, computer programmers and technology experts to create inventions that will transform people's lives. Filmed over the course of a full year, the group uses cutting edge science and technology to build practical solutions for those who need their help.
Based at TOG, a facility for makers in the Blackpitts area of Dublin city, the team harnesses the power of science to create tailor-made inventions for individuals and families. Between them, they can build everything from space satellites to life-saving medical devices and military hardware.
Made with the support of Science Foundation Ireland, this series marries real problems and human drama with science, proving that with a little bit of ingenuity – nothing is impossible.
"

Introduction to the Design Kit Travel Pack

The Design Kit's home...
https://www.designkit.org/methods

Introducing Design Kit:Travel Pack from IDEO.org on Vimeo.

Exercise: Research protocols for wheelchair driver + buddy

Research protocols for initial familiarisation driving a wheelchair and personally assessing the environment (physical, social, affective).

Roles:

• 1x wheelchair driver - the driver role is required to follow the Narration research method by recording their descriptions (e.g. using smartphone audio recording function).
• 1x wheelchair buddy- the buddy role is required to follow the Still-Photo Survey research method (e.g. using smartphone camera function).
• +1 extra buddy if needed following the same or another selected protocol.

Instructions:

Test Case #1. Basic movement skills - using doors

Time allocation = 10 minutes

Starting from Q280 ThinkLab

Outbound & Return

• Starting in Q280 ThinkLab.
• Practice driving the chair in Q280.
• Turn right/left.
• Make your way down the corridor.
• Turn around.
• Return to Q280 ThinkLab.
• Exchange driver/buddy roles.
• End.

Test Case #2. Navigating public spaces -  using lifts and doors

Time allocation = 10 minutes

Starting from Q280 ThinkLab

Outbound

• Turn right/left.
• Make your way to a lift.
• Take the lift to the 1st floor.
• Make your way to the print/copy room.
• Exchange driver/buddy roles.

Return

• Turn right/left.
• Make your way to a lift.
• Take the lift to the 2nd floor.
• Make your way to Q280 ThinkLab.
• End.

Save Data

Share data gathered (voice recording and photos) in the group folder.

Notes:

Narration method (Category: ASK)

" How: As they perform a process or execute a specific task, ask participants to describe aloud what they are thinking.
Why: This is a useful way to reach user’s motivations, concerns, perceptions, and reasoning."
(IDEO, 2003)

Still-Photo Survey method (Category: LOOK)

" How: Follow a planned shooting script and capture pictures of specific objects, activities, etc.
Why: The team can use this visual evidence to uncover patterns of behaviour and perceptions related to a particular product or context, as well as structure and inspire design ideas."
(IDEO, 2003) 

Useful Technology for people with impaired vision

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Useful Technology for people with impaired vision:

• Computer Software: enlarging or screen-reading
• CCTV for reading print or handwritten documents
• Braille note-taker
• Braille printer
• Colour identifier
• Bone-conductor headphones – allows you to hear background noise
• Orcam - €3000! Point at a page or sign and it will read it. Sits on glasses, near ear. Also identifies colour.
• Body camera, like a dash cam, to record and show difficulties on a journey.

Smartphone.

• Built-in: voice recorder, torch, text-to-speech, camera: useful for photographing dangerous posters, taxi driver’s identification tag, access problems.
• Accessibility features: enlarge print, and change colour of print and of background, on screen. Audible diary/calendar to keep track of appointments. Weather and time can be made available audibly. Android: Google Assistant. iPhone: Siri
• Add-on Apps: NTA Journey Planner; “Be my Eyes”; Magnifier App (read menu or short note); “Free Now” (taxi); Soundscape;

Etiquette - Some Do’s and Don’ts

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Do’s and Don’ts.

On the phone or in person:

• Greet the person by saying your name, with perhaps a reminder of where/when you last met.
• Talk directly to the person rather than through a third party. (Such as a family member or Personal Assistant) It’s easier if you know the person with sight loss by name – say their name when you are speaking to them. If you don’t know their name, don’t be afraid to ask, when giving your own name.
• Try to speak clearly, facing the person with sight loss while you do so.
• Address the person with sight loss by name when directing conversation to them, in a group situation.
• If someone joins or leaves the group, tell the person with sight loss that this has happened.
• Don’t be afraid to use terms like ‘see you later’. People with sight loss use these expressions too.

In the home or office of a person with sight loss:

• To avoid the possibility of someone banging their head, close the door after you, coming in and out. If you open an overhead press door, close it after you. If you see one open, tell the person, and ask if they’d like you to close it.
• If you need to move something in the home or office of a person with vision impairment, tell the person that you are doing so.
• Before you leave, replace the item exactly where it was, and tell them that you have done so, or explain why that is no longer possible, and tell them the new position of the item, so that they can find it when you are gone. Make sure that they have understood you.

Outdoors:

• If you see head-height obstacles ahead of a person using a white cane or guide dog, warn them. A cane cannot locate head-height obstacles, and a guide dog might not always be able to do so.
• Always let a person with sight loss know when you are approaching. A sudden voice at close range when they didn’t hear anyone approach can be very startling. Speak first from a little distance away, and again as you draw closer.
• If you are giving directions, don’t point. Give clear verbal directions, for example ‘to your left’ rather than ‘over there’.
• Don’t assume that a person using a white cane or guide dog is totally blind. If you notice that they are using vision, in some way, this does not mean that they are “cheating” or “pretending”! Don’t assume that because a person can see one thing that they can see everything. If necessary, ask the person if they can see a particular landmark or obstacle.
• Before giving assistance, always ask the person first if they would like help, and if they do, ask what assistance is needed. Do not assume that you know what help they need.
• If you have been guiding a blind person and need to leave them, bring them to some reference point that they can feel, like a wall for example. To be left in open space can be disorientating for a person with no vision.
• If you’ve been talking to a person with sight loss, tell them when you are leaving, so that they are not left talking to themselves.

Guiding a person with impaired vision on stairs

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Guiding a person with impaired vision on stairs:

After you have offered a person with impaired vision your arm, and he or she is walking with you, it may happen that you need to use stairs to get where you are both going.

Some tips to remember:

• Always guide the person towards the stairs in such a way that the handrail will be easy for them to reach.
• Stop at the beginning of the staircase, especially if the stairs lead downwards, before telling them that there are stairs. If you tell people with sight loss that you are approaching stairs, while moving towards the stairs, you are raising the level of stress involved.
• Wait until you reach the stairs, stop, then tell the person you are guiding whether the stairs are up or down.
• Tell the person with impaired vision that there is a handrail nearby, and then wait for him/her to grip it before you move off.
• You may need to give further directions (higher, lower, farther forward, etc.) to help the person to find the handrail.
• Ask him/her whether he/she would like to stay on your arm as well as using the handrail, or whether he/she would like to use his/her cane. It is usually best to let a guide dog user use the dog on stairs.
• Always go in front of a person with impaired vision, whether going up or downstairs, so that you can advise them of any problems ahead. (Vacuum cleaner cord, or “Wet Floor” sign, for example).
• If the person with impaired vision opts to continue on your arm while on the stairs, ask him/her to allow you to go one step ahead. This is easier for both of you.
• Don’t count steps, unless there are only 2 or 3. A miscount could cause a trip. It’s best to wait until the person’s foot is on the top (or bottom) of the stairs, and then say “Now we’re at the top” or “Now there’s a landing before the next flight”.

Potentially Inaccessible Information

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Potentially Inaccessible Information

• Job advertisements.
• Courses available, recreation.
• Directions and maps.
• Signage.
• Notice boards.

Suggestions for making information accessible.

• Large, clear print, in accessible Font (Arial is good size 14 at least) matt finish, well lit.
• Computer disc – many people with vision impairment have access to computers and have screen-enlarging or screen-reading software; but remember not everybody has these facilities.
• Website – make sure yours is accessible. Contact NCBI.
• E-mail. Make sure attachments are in accessible format – PDF cannot be read by screen-readers.
• Braille or Tape. Many but not all people with vision impairments read Braille. Phone (01) 8642266 for information about converting documents into Braille, or onto audio-tape.
• People often manage by using magnification aids so make the information available in print or displayed at their level/height.

Guided by Tina Lowe

We spoke to Guide Dog Owner Tina Lowe who has Guide Dog Forrest. "Forrest is my third Guide Dog. Believe it or not, when I could see I was terrified of dogs but since losing my sight Forrest has been a life saver. Having a Guide Dog has given me the freedom to live my best life." pic.twitter.com/QdCDRxjqSO

— Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (@irishguidedogs) January 21, 2020

Tina (and Forrest) have in turn guided us (the second year design thinking class) at UCD and encouraged us to experience and understand the campus from their perspective.

Irish Guide Dogs

Q: Who are Irish Guide Dogs and what do they do?

A: Irish Guide Dogs is a volunteer organisation responsible for the support, training and husbandry of dogs for assistance and guiding. They match the person to the dog (and the dog to the person); providing support for dogs in training, fostering and breeding.

https://guidedogs.ie/governance/our-collaboration/

About NCBI

Q: Who are NCBI and what do they do?
A: NCBI is the National Council for the Blind Ireland. NCBI is the peak organisation responsible for championing action, coordinating iniatives, promoting needs, and providing assistance and services for blind and visually impaired people in Ireland.

http://www.ncbi.ie/about-ncbi/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/

Which research methods come first in a design process?

Which research methods come first in a design process? I recommend focusing first on Learn, Look, Ask research methods rather than Try categories.

It nearly always makes sense to focus on evaluating an existing situation first, before proposing solutions to problems or for things which have not yet been documented or captured. Whether it is done consciously, deliberately, or not, the first step in design action involves researching and evaluating existing AS-IS situations prior to creating new designs.

There is always a prior context that can be understood, described, tested and evaluated, that we can learn from to inform a future design. We call this the situation, case, or context. Only after gathering data from an existing AS-IS situation should we think about creating a mock-up or trying new solutions. After all what is the solution solving? In any case a mock-up will be based on or refer to an understanding (analysis of the data) of the current case, an existing context, a prior or existing situation.

Consequently: we should first understand the needs, find the problem(s), before commencing a series of iterative end-to-end design processes. Recall the IDEO Shopping Cart. With the shopping cart as their context the IDEO team first set out to understand (variously) the AS-IS of contemporary shopping carts: their actual use, how they perform, the value/utility offered by them, the problems associated with them, areas to improve...

Productive design action is intimately linked with a motivating `brief'. A brief is a statement of `needs' justified by `evidence'. They are insightful analyses of primary research, research data produced by users, recorded by researchers. A brief should not specify the design. Design briefs are open-ended descriptions that initiate design action, where design action can be understood as deliberate (although sometimes accidental) change in the world. Any design brief should conceivably be addressed perfectly well by a range of possible design solutions.

The design brief is a great place to start but who comes up with the initial design brief? What goes into it? The DT2 research project addresses these questions. It is a platform for you to understand (and perform) the beginning of a design process, what goes into producing useful, actionable initial design briefs.