Overview
Making navigation easier for vision-impaired users
What’s it like to move around an indoor space without the ability to see? For many vision-impaired individuals, this is a daily challenge. In 2023, to expand our company’s indoor mapping service inclusively, we partnered with Blind Union, a local non-profit, and set out to create a navigation app that would truly assist blind and partially sighted users for an hassle-free navigation.
After 6 months of dedicated work, the app was launched in Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, reaching over 1,000 users. It was also honored with the prestigious ICT Award in 2024, recognizing its innovative contribution to accessible mobility.
Target Users
Amy | Aged 28 | Vision-impaired, 30% sight
Technology ability: Adapted to assistive technology, e.g. screen readers and larger text
Challenge: Relies on signage for navigation in familiar indoor spaces but struggles in unfamiliar environments where accessible tools are lacking.
Goals: To navigate new spaces confidently, particularly in indoor spaces
Needs: To look for a reliable assistive tool for navigation in unfamiliar spaces
Designing with Empathy
To understand the needs of our users, we dedicated 1-2 months to empathy-driven research. The research includes:
1. Testing navigation apps
We closed our eyes and tested navigation apps using screen reader (VoiceOver on iOS). This gave us firsthand experience of the spatial difficulties without sight.
2. Dialogue in the dark experience
We went to a "Dialogue in the Dark," which is a tour that takes place in complete darkness. This experience taught us to rely on our senses other than sight, like touch and hearing. It also taught us about the everyday challenges that blind people face.
3. User interviews
We talked to four visually impaired users to reveal their preference and adaptiveness to assistive technology.
4. Accessibility tool research & guideline
We used Figma for brainstorming and collecting reference; and used Dovetail for interview analysis. The accessibility guidelines from Apple, Microsoft, and The Blind Life gave us lots of inspiration.
Our research shows that users value multi-sensory feedback, including audio, visual, and tactile, to navigate confidently.
Final Design
The research led us to the decision of improving the visual and auditory experience with a focus on 3 areas of iterations.
Feature 1: Accessible content & UX Copy writing
When pairing with a screen reader, it's essential to have concise and action-oriented content. So, we provided more descriptive and clear copy.
We also optimized the layout and content for the reading order of the screen reader.
Feature 2: Improve UI visual hierarchy
We structured the layout for larger text, high-contrast layouts (black VS yellow), left-aligned content, and clear icons as accessibility guidelines suggested. It was done to ensure the visual feedback is intuitive and logical.
Feature 3: Animated directional icon
We also explored the feasibility of motion within the app and enhanced the synchronized audio-visual feature with an animated directional arrow. This helps to maximise the experience of clarity.
Impact
This app was the first-ever vision-impaired navigation solution in Hong Kong, and it made a positive impact on the value and support it provided to the vision-impaired community. We especially thank our partner, the Blind Union.
The app is now launched in Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, with over 1000 users. It won an ICT Award in 2024 for its mobility and innovation design features. It opens doors for more inclusive solutions in the region and sets a new standard for navigation tools. I'm confident it will continue to grow and succeed.
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