Project type: Tablet interface design
Role: UX researcher + UI designer
Industry: Museum, education
Project type: Tablet interface design
Role: UX researcher + UI designer
Industry: Cultural institution, education
Senior citizens encounter accessibility issues at the Burke Museum, such as small fonts that are hard to read, preventing them from engaging with museum content.
My team and I created a prototype for a tablet app for the Burke Museum that aims to create an accessible experience for senior citizens. We designed the app based on our insights from interviewing museum staff and patrons.
Duration
Q1 2020
Tools
Figma
My Role
UX Researcher
UI Designer
We interviewed
We asked patrons why they came, how often they come, and what they think about the Burke.
We asked employees about what they’ve observed about seniors interacting with the Burke and for other ideas around how accessibility at the Burke could be improved.
Senior visitors enjoy the sense of exploration + interactive engagement with museum content that creates immersion in the experience.
Seniors with vision impairments had trouble reading small type used on placards.
Lastly, we learned that senior visitors enjoy conversing with the staff and learning from them personally.
How might we better connect senior visitors with museum content without compromising comfort?
Initially, we wanted to make an AR walker to give seniors continual physical and informational support as they navigated the museum. However, through critique we realized that the combination of a screen and a walker would be too bulky and unfamiliar for seniors to use.
Our design solution of seated tablet stations utilizes a familiar kind of technology to allow seniors to rest and learn at the same time.
Design Principles
Support the Experience
We want to enhance rather than replace the exhibit. Technology should be an added value, not a distraction.
Provide a Comparable Experience
Instead of paring down the museum experience for the sake of accessibility, we want to provide an experience that is just as engaging and informative as the ‘normal’ experience.
Empathize & Reassure
The interface should be empathetic and reassuring, so as to not intimidate users who are unfamiliar with it, as seniors are less likely to understand modern tech conventions.
Prioritize Clarity
We want to minimize confusion and make things easy for elderly users.
Seniors choose from a list of content relevant to the exhibit they are in, which leads into an audio journey that guides them to look around them and learn more about what they are seeing.
The “Ask an Expert” option gives seniors a way to learn more about the exhibit in an interpersonal manner without having to get up and search for someone.
During user testing, we noticed that the user was fully immersed in using the technology, rather than looking at or referencing the physical exhibit.
In order to facilitate a closer connection between the interface and the exhibit, we changed the home screen to map directly to the view of the exhibit itself.
Every little detail can impact screen accessibility, so consider UI decisions carefully
Consider the physical context of where a device will be used
Accessible design doesn’t mean designing for everyone, but rather for a specific audience
Thank you for reading!