All projects

About me

All projects

About me

Helping visually impaired people

Helping visually impaired people

Roles

Interaction design

Year

2022

Client

Envision AI

Envision’s app provides assistance to visually impaired people (VIP), enabling them to read text, describe scenes, and find objects or people. However, the company observed that the find features were not being used as expected. As an interaction designer, Envision tasked me with researching the behaviour of VIP to optimise the app’s functionality.

Envision’s app provides assistance to visually impaired people (VIP), enabling them to read text, describe scenes, and find objects or people. However, the company observed that the find features were not being used as expected. As an interaction designer, Envision tasked me with researching the behaviour of VIP to optimise the app’s functionality.

Understanding the problem

Understanding the problem

To understand the problem and the product, I conducted comprehensive research.

To understand the problem and the product, I conducted comprehensive research.

Getting to know the product

Getting to know the product

My initial research efforts consisted of internal testing, competitive analysis, and review of app’s analytics in Mixpanel

My initial research efforts consisted of internal testing, competitive analysis, and review of app’s analytics in Mixpanel

Talking to users

Talking to users

After gaining a good understanding of the app’s functionality, I interviewed five Envision users, and participated in a brainstorming session

After gaining a good understanding of the app’s functionality, I interviewed five Envision users, and participated in a brainstorming session

Key insights

  1. VIP don’t lose objects very often

  1. VIP don’t lose objects very often

  1. Way-finding is a major pain point for VIP

  1. Way-finding is a major pain point for VIP

  1. It is socially awkward to look for people by using a phone

  1. It is socially awkward to look for people by using a phone

  1. The app doesn’t provide users with sufficient guidance

  1. The app doesn’t provide users with sufficient guidance

Change in direction

Change in direction

The research uncovered insights, which entirely changed the project’s direction.

The research uncovered insights, which entirely changed the project’s direction.

From finding to navigating

From finding to navigating

The research suggested that VIP don’t struggle with finding objects, but their biggest problem is way-finding.

The research suggested that VIP don’t struggle with finding objects, but their biggest problem is way-finding.

Key design decisions

These are the decisions which were key to improving the Envision AI app’s user experience.

New “Explore” feature

New “Explore” feature

Changing how the app works - after entering the “Find” tab, the app will automatically start exploring the surroundings.

More guidance

More guidance

Adding more elaborate tutorials and tips throughout all the “Find” features.

Describe scene

Describe scene

A new feature allowing users to get an even better descriptions of their surroundings.

Creative usability testing

Creative usability testing

Testing prototypes with VIP is more challenging due to the lack of screen reader support in almost all prototyping tools.

Testing prototypes with VIP is more challenging due to the lack of screen reader support in almost all prototyping tools.

HTML & CSS

HTML & CSS

To overcome this challenge, I recreated the Figma prototype using HTML & CSS, enabling participants to use the prototype in their phone’s browser with screen reader support

To overcome this challenge, I recreated the Figma prototype using HTML & CSS, enabling participants to use the prototype in their phone’s browser with screen reader support

Results & learnings

Results & learnings

Identified reasons for low usage of “Find” features

Uncovered new improvement opportunities

Developed several ideas for improvements

Learned the principles of accessible design

Learned how to conduct usability tests with VIP

Learned how to use and develop a design system

Let's get in touch

Let's get in touch