Tactile Design - Lindsey M. Muir - MFA Graphic Design Thesis 2009

Braille Manifesto

Braille is a living language >

• Ninety percent of blind people are illiterate.

• Braille is the tactile equivalent to print.

• Because sighted people believe that braille is too difficult and arduous to learn, they don’t encourage their blind children to study this writing system.

Braille offers literacy to the blind >

• Society accepts and praises literate people.

• Literate people have opportunities for higher learning, employment, and independence.

• Braille continues to empower the blind to control their learning.

Technology is not the complete answer >

• Audio books and sound recognition software have assisted the blind; however, this technology is not always available. Braille allows the blind to read silently.

• Under some circumstances, braille is the only way to communicate. A blind person uses braille to push the correct button on an elevator and locate the correct restroom in a public facility.

• Audio books solve only half of the reading/writing problem. Braille allows the blind to communicate in a written form.

Instruction Manual for Multi-Sensory Design: Enabling those with Blindness and Low Sighted Vision

Congratulations on your decision to consider designing for blind and low-sighted users. This instruction manual will help you from the initial conception to the final outcome of your project. By using this manual you will learn techniques and various ways to accommodate people who are unable to see. Graphic design is not just for the sighted; this inclusive and universal approach to design will give everyone access to information and ideas.

I. DECIDE WHO YOU WANT TO HELP

The first step in deciding to design for the blind is selecting an organization that will benefit from your efforts. Your options might include the National Association for the Blind, the Lighthouse International Association (a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people overcome the challenges of vision loss), or even your local Boys and Girls Club. Think about what services these organizations might need: a website, an environment, a new identity, etc.

I chose to partner with the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped not only because of my love of libraries and what they offer the public, but because I knew this particular library really needed my help. The library mentioned they were interested in funding a new children’s environment if I were willing to offer my services. I could not have hoped for a better project.

II. RESEARCH AND INTERVIEWS

After agreeing to collaborate with an organization, you will need to meet with the staff to gain an understanding of their objectives and goals. Ask them the following question: why is your organization unique and what is the central core idea that makes this establishment successful? Once you have reached an agreement on the project you intend to undertake, spend time reading literature that the organization distributes. Obtain additional information from other organizations that provide similar services.

After you have completed your reading and research, interview users of the space. There are several ways of going about this; you can either ask the staff to recommend enthusiastic persons who would be willing to be interviewed, or you can simply plant yourself at the door–like a Girl Scout selling cookies–and ask people one-by-one if they wouldn’t mind spending a few minutes answering questions. Both options work equally well; don’t be afraid to ask people for their time. Determine the common characteristics of your audience. Are they mostly blind or mostly low-sighted? Discover what they are looking for in your design. How will your design benefit these people?

A visit to local blind organizations allowed me to see how they designed their spaces. I learned that adding different floor textures–carpet vs. tile–helps people navigate through a room. I also discovered that furniture with rounded edges helped prevent people from being injured.

I asked the staff to suggest families that would be willing to be interviewed, and I was given a list of 12 families with young children who all enjoy spending time at the braille library. I set up appointments over the course of four weeks and interviewed each family in their home. I learned various ways families cope with blindness. As one can imagine, simple things–such as tying a shoe lace or lighting a match–are challenging to someone who cannot see. Some individuals I interviewed wear velcro shoes and use flame switches instead of lighting a match. Based on the questions I asked each family, I discovered that almost everyone suggested the same idea for my multi-sensory environment: that braille should be easy and fun to learn.

III. DESIGN PROCESS

Now is the time to put your newly obtained insights to good use! Upon finishing your interview sessions and other research, review your information to see if you can find similarities in the answers. Do multiple people desire a similar result? Think about how you may appeal to senses other than vision. What does design feel like or sound like? How can these senses enrich your design?

When I redesigned the children’s area for the library, I learned that patrons were interested in two components: learning braille in an easy way and utilizing sound components to draw people into the environment. I created a braille learning station by utilizing a negative braille cell made from plexiglas. A child would then be able to place a ball in one of the six cells to build a letter in braille. In addition to this braille learning station, I created tactile animals made out of synthetic fur. I included large push red buttons that trigger a sound of the corresponding animal.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION + DOCUMENTATION

As you begin to install your design, be sure to document every phase, from painting the walls to hanging your final piece. It is important to have before and after images of your redesigned area. Over time you will want to refer back to your project, and it is helpful to see exactly what you have done–from the paint color choice to the furniture used in the space. These photos will also help other institutions. Ask people if you could photograph them interacting with your design. Post your photos to flickr and your blog and encourage feedback from other designers!

The Maryland State Library for the Blind hired painters to paint the wall in the new reading area. I oversaw their work and took photos everyday. I asked several parents to bring their children ranging in ages from three to seven (my target audience) to the library. Using these children as guides, I made marks on the wall to determine the different eye levels and arm heights for the various young readers. When I finally installed the pieces into the library, I made sure that each level was hung appropriately for children to reach.

I believe designers should put their skills to use by giving back to the community. Projects like this one will not only be beneficial for the organization, it will simultaneously stretch the designer’s own skill set. Designing for the blind will push artists to create innovative solutions by engaging senses of sound and touch. It is time that design be shared by everyone including blind and low-sighted vision users.