8.2.1 Assess user requirements
Technology industries have developed a number of tools to assist in assessing user
requirements but there have been problems in using these tools with people with
disabilities. One issue is the range of impairments that can affect individuals
differently. Two people who appear to have the same combination of impairments
can have very different requirements for a telecommunications service.
Too often designers have worked with simplistic concepts of disability (for
example, the fallacy that all visually impaired people are totally blind, read Braille
and have bionic hearing), and then tested the prototypes on a very small number
of unrepresentative users. Not surprisingly the resultant products frequently fail to
sell in significant quantities.
Most people with disabilities are reluctant to use a product if it looks as if it had
been designed for “the disabled”. For domestic use the aesthetic design of the
product must be appropriate; in the case of older users, this may mean a
conventional look. The size of the product is also important since space in the living
room may be limited, so devices with a small footprint are often preferred.
There is no simple solution to assessing requirements for people with disabilities.
However some steps may alleviate the situation:
303
8.
From concept to reality
(a) Provide disability training to the product designers
(b) Use existing guidelines
(c) Test with an appropriate cross-section of potential users.
Once a realistic estimate has been derived for the likely take up of a new product
or service, it will be necessary to allocate resources to undertake the research and
development. Since there will be a finite limit on these resources, it will be
necessary to prioritise. Some services might be of enormous benefit to a small
group (eg those who are both deaf and blind) whereas others may be of modest
benefit to a very large number of users.
• Mobile telephony can help people with dementia.
Chapter 2.3.4
8.2.2 Quantify potential demand
The prevalence of various disabilities can be based on clinical measures (e.g. so
many dBs of hearing loss at a particular frequency) which can be useful for the
medical profession. The advantages of these measures are that they are
repeatable, but the disadvantage is that they give little indication of the user’s
needs particularly for those with multiple disabilities.
Therefore there are a number of functional definitions in use. These define a
particular task and then measure the number of people who cannot do the task or
have great difficulty doing it without the use of assistive devices. These measures
give a better indication of the numbers but only apply for the task specified. For
instance about 0.1% of the population in Europe has to rely on non-auditory
methods of communication (eg text telephony) but about 6% have problems using
a conventional telephone; this number might rise to 10% if the telephone was in
a noisy environment such as on a bus.
The prevalence of various disabilities, however measured, has little relation to the
take up of novel telecommunication products and services. This is for a number of
reasons including the high average age, the reluctance to use technological
systems which may not work 100% of the time, a lack of awareness of what is
available, and a caution in investing money in systems which may be obsolete
304
8.
From concept to reality
within a couple of years. Reliable, easy-to-use products that are marketed in
innovative ways will have more success.
Often a product or service is developed, and user groups are asked to participate
in usability testing once the product or service is ready to go to market. This is often
too late as users may provide feedback stating that significant changes should be
made; these changes represent time and money for industry. If the changes are not
made, then the product or service may not meet the users' needs and consequently
fail in the marketplace.
• Remote sign language interpretation using 3G video telephony has had
high take up when priced affordably.
Chapter 2.3.2
It is therefore important to involve user representatives early in the product design
c y c l e. This is referred to as user-centred design. Some large international
corporations employ this technique to assist development teams produce more
appropriate products. It focuses on the active involvement of the user in the design
process, trying to obtain a clear understanding of the exact task requirements,
involving an iterative design and evaluation process, and utilising a multi-
disciplinary approach. The key focus of user-centred design is that users play a
critical role in the design of easy-to-use products throughout the entire
development process. Interaction throughout the design process is necessary
between users and developers in order to understand and define the context of
use, the tasks, and how users are likely to work with the future product or system.
8.2.3 Training of user repreentatives
An important part of any development process, be it research or standards-writing,
is the training of consumer representatives. While some organisations may claim to
represent specific user groups, it is necessary to include a broad spectrum of user
groups. There are several components of user testing. The most traditional is
usability testing of a product or service prototype. This may include a large number
of users in a variety of situations. While laboratory testing with users is the
favoured method, being economical and easily managed, it may not give the most
305
8.
From concept to reality
accurate results. Field testing using a combination of observation and interviews
will provide a more well-rounded result as it reflects the real life of the end-user.
However, it may be more costly. There needs to be a balance between the various
approaches.
Evaluation:
• Accessibility, like quality, needs to be considered at all stages in the
design process
• Testing of accessibility features, with an appropriate cross-section of
potential users, should be the norm in the telecommunications industry.