Month: January 2019

Exploratory Research

  1. Freedom to travel for Wheelchair users

– Traveling to new places can be hard for wheelchair users, not knowing the availability of accessible route for them.

– Wheelchair users are allowed to travel and explore new places without having fear and doubt.

Solution: Application for Wheelchair users, Web sharing platform.

2. Care for Caregivers

– Being a caregiver is not an easy job. Taking care of the disabled and the elderly can be a big challenge faced by caregivers.

– Without help and assistant, the stress and tiredness can put a toll on the caregivers.

Solution: Campaign? App?

3. Awareness of Child Marriage

– “12 MILLION GIRLS ARE MARRIED BEFORE THE AGE OF 18. THAT IS 23 GIRLS EVERY MINUTE. NEARLY 1 EVERY 2 SECONDS.” by girlsnotbrides

– Young girls deserve to be what they want and not forced on something they don’t even understand.

Solution: Virtual experience to raise awareness

4. Awareness of Poverty

– “More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty” by dosomething.org

– It’s unfair how we the fortunate ones live in comfort having everything we need while more are suffering from hunger and not having enough to live.

-Raise awareness for the fortunate to appreciate what they already have and even share what they have with the less fortunate ones.

Solution: Virtual experience to raise awareness

Dialogue in The Dark reflection

An overwhelming feeling of fear, hesitation, distraction, discomfort, the trust placed fully on our guide. One of the main challenges is actually to take a step forward. Our minds are filled with thoughts that are overpowering. Following the trail is hard but it manages to bring us to our destination. The hard part is when there is no wall or rails for us to rely on. That’s when the fears and difficulties felt more overpowering. The daily necessities or facilities some felt like it is not catered for the blind. Our guide told us regarding the sound of the traffic light that will be switch off at a certain timing due to petty reason “too loud and noisy for the residence at night”. The safety of a human being is more important than the petty reasons sighted ppl had. Role-playing allows us to understand and experience the way and the experience the blind have to go through. Being aware of it allows us to design and cater better for the visually impaired.

The method of role-playing in research of user experience and observation creates a better understanding for us designers. Where the experience can be used to cater a design that specifically focuses on the important and necessary details of the moment experienced.   And not just design based on a survey platform or even assumption where we only tend to choose what we want to understand. Role-playing gives us a first-hand experience. Providing us with the ability to use other senses to work the design rather than just the visual aspect.

The Dialogue in the dark is a good example of the importance of role-playing in research studies. To understand, you need to experience. Some context that can use role-playing as part of the research is sports-related context, by experiencing the sports itself you will know how the athletes feel and the exact pain they go through. Sports for the disabled is one of a platform that requires awareness from the public. And also another context like observing and being part of a special community (elderly, disabled). So that we are able to put what we see, feel and hear into consideration for a design solution.