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Transcript of Making Touch-based Mobile Phones Accessible for the Visually Impaired
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Dissertation Task 2 0834060
Department of Information Systems and Computing
MSc Information Systems Management
Academic Year 2009-2010
MAKING TOUCH-BASED MOBILE PHONES ACCESSIBLE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Alexander Dreyer Johnsen - 0834060
A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science
Brunel University Department of Information Systems and Computing Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1895 203397 Fax: +44 (0) 1895 251686
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ABSTRACT
The mobile phone enjoys increased popularity, providing new means of connectivity and
functionality. Today most phones comes equipped with touch-based screens, enabling
the user to interact in an easier and more efficient way, compared to standard buttons.
However, such screens require visual navigation, ruling out access for the visually
impaired; evidently, modern phones are not designed for this user group.
By analyzing the mobile market, available solutions, and current technology, it was
found that neither the society, nor manufacturers of products and services, is designing
for the visually impaired. Thus, this group is denied access to the numerous services and
possibilities sighted people enjoy.
However, it is possible to operate mobile phones through the use of applications called
screen readers; still, these applications have proven to be ineffective and less than user-
friendly on touch screens. Hence, this dissertation sets out to find an alternative
approach; to construct a solution that will make touch-based mobile phones accessible
for the visually impaired.
Design research was chosen as the methodology for the project. Design research
highlights the importance of developing a solution over the course of several iterations,
and to perform product evaluation using external participants. A total of five iterations
were carried out, resulting in several artifacts and a prototype for a user interface. The
prototype was designed to replace the phones own user interface and provide an easy and intuitive way of operating a touch-based mobile phone.
Through the process of developing the user interface, virtual prototypes and other
artifacts were created. The virtual prototypes turned out to be of great advantage,
communicating the vision and potentials of the final product to the stakeholders. In
addition, the experience from the project shows that a successful development project
should produce several iterations, have well-documented artifacts and perform external
user testing.
The new user interface was developed for the Android OS to replace the phones own user interface. Operation relies on voice and haptic feedback, where the user receives
information when tapping or dragging the finger across the screen. The proposed
solution is unique in many ways, it keeps gestures to a minimum, it does not rely on
physical keys, and it presents a menu layout similar to most Nokia mobile phones.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The process of writing this dissertation has been long and exhausting, and would not
have been possible without the involvement and support from several people; for this I
am grateful.
First, I would like to thank my supervisor Bendik Bygstad for his guidance and academic
support throughout the project. It has been indispensable and a key factor for the
accomplishment of this dissertation.
Secondly, I would like to thank Tor Ulland at Huseby Resource Centre for the blind,
for taking an interest in the project and for sharing his knowledge and insights on life
without vision. Ulland also acquired all of the participants for the evaluations,
ensuring the completion of the project
Without the involvement of May-Britt Haug, at The Norwegian Association of the Blind
and Partially Sighted, I would not have had the possibility of getting in touch with
Huseby or Tor Ulland. Thank you for believing in the project.
I would also like to thank Magne Gabrielsen, Gaby Groff-Jensen and Knut Beck at
SmartPhones Telecom for believing in the project, providing both financial and
developmental resources. Kim Ruben Teigen, whose development skills ensured the
realization of the User Interface, a key contribution to the success of the project.
A special thank you to my wife Ragnhild Eg, for her continued support throughout the
dissertation. You have stayed up countless nights proofreading, and have continued to
support me during the entire process.
I would also like to thank my family, friends, fellow students and colleagues for the
continued support during the process of writing the dissertation.
Last, but not least, I would like to thank the anonymous participants for spending their
spare time on evaluating and providing feedback on the User Interface. Not only once,
but twice! Thank you!
TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS: 13.031
I certify that the work presented in the dissertation is my own unless referenced
Signature: .........................................
Date............31.01.2011....................
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Problems that people with vision loss face .................................................. 7 1.2 Back to society ............................................................................................. 8
1.3 Research aim and objectives ........................................................................ 8 1.4 Research approach ....................................................................................... 9 1.5 Dissertation outline ...................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2: Literature review ........................................................................................ 10 2.1 Equal opportunities .................................................................................... 10
2.2 The mobile market ..................................................................................... 11
2.3 Potential problems with smartphones ........................................................ 11
2.4 Improving compatibility ............................................................................ 11 2.5 Assistive technology .................................................................................. 12 2.6 Screen reader .............................................................................................. 12 2.7 Reading and input of text ........................................................................... 13 2.8 Haptics ....................................................................................................... 15
2.9 Making a better user interface .................................................................... 15 2.10 Turning the mobile phone into an assistive aid ....................................... 16
2.11 Framework ............................................................................................... 16
Chapter 3: Research Method ........................................................................................ 18
3.1 Design research .......................................................................................... 18
3.2 Awareness of problem ............................................................................... 20
3.3 Suggestion .................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Development .............................................................................................. 21
3.5 Evaluation .................................................................................................. 22 3.6 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 24
Chapter 4: Research results .......................................................................................... 25
4.1 Results in regards to development ............................................................. 25 4.2 Results in regards to testing ....................................................................... 29
Chapter 5: Discussion .................................................................................................. 34 5.1 Design as an Artifact .................................................................................. 34
5.2 Problem relevance ...................................................................................... 35 5.3 Design evaluation ....................................................................................... 35 5.4 Research contributions ............................................................................... 36 5.5 Research rigor ............................................................................................ 36 5.6 Design as a Search progress ....................................................................... 36
5.7 Communication of research ....................................................................... 36 5.8 Summary of discussion .............................................................................. 37
Chapter 6: Critical evaluation of research ................................................................... 38
Chapter 7: Conclusion .................................................................................................. 40 7.1 Summary of the dissertation ...................................................................... 40
7.2 Future research and development .............................................................. 41
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References .................................................................................................................... 42
Appendix A: Ethical approval ..................................................................................... 52
Appendix B: About the author ..................................................................................... 53
Appendix C: The mobile market .................................................................................. 54 Appendix C.A - The new players .................................................................... 54
Appendix D: Using the mobile phone for assitive aid ................................................. 55 Appendix D.A - Object recognition ................................................................. 55 Appendix D.B - Navigation ............................................................................. 55
Appendix E: Interview with Tor Ulland at Huseby (Statped) ..................................... 57
Appendix F: Project plan ............................................................................................. 60
Appendix G: Project meeting reports .......................................................................... 61 Appendix G.A - Initial project workshop meeting, June 14, 2010 .................. 61
Appendix G.B - Approval of functionality, June 25, 2010 .............................. 63 Appendix G.C - Layout of UI, August 30, 2010 ............................................. 66
Appendix G.D - Layout of UI, September 13, 2010 ........................................ 68 Appendix G.E - Layout of UI, October 10, 2010 ............................................ 70
Appendix G.F - Layout of UI, October 13, 2010 ............................................. 73
Appendix H: Documentation of ui ............................................................................... 76
Appendix H.A Documentation of UI, version 0.0.5 ..................................... 76 Appendix H.B Documentation of Conceptual Design .................................. 79 Appendix H.C Documentation of Second Prototype, round 1 of
testing ................................................................................................... 84 Appendix H.D Documentation of Third Prototype, round 2 of testing ........ 87
Appendix I: Development and activity log .................................................................. 90
Appendix J: Information to project participants .......................................................... 96
Appendix K: Consent form .......................................................................................... 97
Appendix L: Participant Survey ................................................................................... 98
Appendix L.A: participant survey, round 1 ..................................................... 98 Appendix L.B: Participant survey, round 2 ................................................... 100
Appendix M: Ressults from user testing .................................................................... 102 Appendix M.A: Results from round 1, Overview of all responses ................ 102 Appendix M.B: Results from round 1, Participant 1 ..................................... 106
Appendix M.C: Results from round 1, Participant 2 ..................................... 108 Appendix M.D: Results from round 1, Participant 3 ..................................... 110 Appendix M.E: Results from round 1, Participant 4 ..................................... 112
Appendix M.F: Results from round 2, Overview of all responses ................ 114 Appendix M.G: Results from round 2, Participant 1 ..................................... 118
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Appendix M.H: Results from round 2, Participant 2 ..................................... 120 Appendix M.I: Results from round 2, Participant 3 ....................................... 122 Appendix M.J: Results from round 2, Participant 4 ...................................... 124 Appendix M.K: Results from round 2, Participant 5 ..................................... 126 Appendix M.L: Results from round 1 and round 2 compared against
each other ........................................................................................... 128 Appendix M.M: T-Test and Effect sizes ........................................................ 132
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Framework for the top issues people with vision loss encounter when using
mobile phones with touch screen ........................................................................................ 17
Table 2 - Design Research Guidelines by Hevner et al. (2006) .......................................... 20
Table 3 - Tasks the participants were asked to perform ........................................................ 22
Table 4 - Survey completed by participants .............................................................................. 23
Table 5 - Additional tasks presented to participants ............................................................... 24
Table 6 - Additional survey questions ........................................................................................ 24
Table 7 Summary of survey categories ................................................................................... 30 Table 8 - Table showing subjective feedback from round two ........................................... 33
Table 9 - Overview on aims and objectives .............................................................................. 38
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1- Design Research process model by Vaishnavi and Kuechler (2007) ............. 19
Figure 2 - Some of the menus available in the UI ................................................................... 26
Figure 3 - List navigation in the UI ............................................................................................. 26
Figure 4 - Conceptual UI prototype for people with vision loss ......................................... 27
Figure 5 - Flow map for navigation in the UI........................................................................... 28
Figure 6 - Conceptual model of application .............................................................................. 28
Figure 7 - Graph displaying mean scores from the first and second round of testing .. 30
Figure 8 - Graph displaying a comparison between results from first and second round
of testing on the menu system ............................................................................................. 31
Figure 9 - Graph displaying a comparison between results from first and second round
of testing on the complete solution .................................................................................... 32
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Problems that people with vision loss face
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2009), around 314 million people are
visually impaired, of which approximately 45 million are blind. Of the total number, 12
million are children, 82% are of age 50 or older; furthermore, women have the greatest risk of
becoming visually impaired. Developing countries have the largest representation of visually
impaired people, with around 87% representation. Visual impairment blindness can be
defined as the collective term vision loss, which refers to either the loss of the ability to see, or vision reduction. The terms low vision, partially sighted, or visually impaired, can be used for a person who has not lost the capability to see, but whose vision is significantly
reduced compared to normal vision (Colenbrander, 2002).
Both groups deal with daily situations that vary greatly depending on the severity of their
visual impairment. A blind person will have to rely on other senses and inputs, such as touch
and hearing, as well as assistive aids, such as the long cane and the guide dog. On the other
hand, an individual with low vision can be aided by visual enhancements, like large print,
magnifiers and illumination (Colenbrander, 2002).
Common for both groups is their encounters with situations and problems that a sighted
person would not consider an issue. This can be seen in everyday situations, where the
environment is designed for the sighted, not someone with vision loss. Accessing stores and
businesses, or simply crossing the street, can turn out to be challenging tasks. Much of our means
of communication is through the use of signs and signals; visual symbols that a person with
vision loss cannot see. For example, danger signs or signs providing direction, road blocks or
general information on public transportation. At worst, situations like these may prevent a person
from wanting to step outside, hence limiting contact with the surrounding world (Tjan et al.
2005; Joseph, 2009; Maines, 2008; Appendix E).
The same restrictions apply to other ordinary situations; TVs, radios, mobile phones, stoves and ATMs are just some examples of equipment that are becoming increasingly advanced. In the past, such items were mostly equipped with buttons; although not originally designed for people
with vision loss, they made it possible to memorize the steps in order to access a certain feature.
With todays modern design, with touch screens showing dynamic menus; it has become impossible for a person with vision loss to memorize and use such equipment. It can be argued
that companies do not consider this user group when designing new products (Picard, 2010;
Appendix E).
Another issue facing people with vision loss is the difficulty some sighted people have when
encountering blind people, making it hard for the latter to develop new relationships. Most jobs
are also designed for the sighted. Due to this, blind people do not meet the same expectations and
are often relegated to specific roles. This is an undesirable situation as employers may lose out
on valuable skills and those who lack vision are left unable to prove their potential. Society
should strive for quality and for implementing people with vision loss into the working
environment (The National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut, n.d.).
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1.2 Back to society
Several ideologies and assumptions about blindness and rehabilitation exist. One of the more
accepted is the restorative approach, embraced by Father Thomas Carroll (American Printing House for the Blind, 2010). This approach works under the idea that most blind people could,
with the help of professional counseling and training, live full lives. Seven basic losses are high-
lighted, and the focus is on restoring these through training, with the white cane or a guide dog,
learning to read Braille and using assistive technology (R. A. Scott, 1995). With the correct
equipment and training, a person with vision loss can master ordinary tasks like operating a
computer, reading a book or using mobile phones (Appendix E).
People with vision loss can also participate in sports; blind Soccer is a particular example of
how well correct training in applying other senses can enable a blind person to participate in
team activities. Players are able to play soccer in almost the same way as a sighted person by
relying on shouted commands and specially designed soccer balls, containing ball bearings
(Malinowski, 2010).
1.3 Research aim and objectives
While it is clear that the technology and the will to integrate those with vision loss into society
are strongly present, society is not yet properly adapted. Several aspects can be improved,
where one is the mobile phone.
The mobile phone introduces several benefits, but perhaps the most important is the easy
access to communication with friends, family and the surrounding world. However, most new
mobile phones are designed for visual navigation, rendering the mobile phone inaccessible for
people with vision loss. Designing a phone that is inaccessible for people with vision loss can
at worst result in loss of contact with society, thus the author of this project believes in the
importance of making mobile phones not only accessible, but easy to use, for people with
vision loss.
The aim of this dissertation is to present, develop and evaluate a new User Interface (UI) for
touch-based mobile phones, which will make this type of phones available for people with
vision loss.
Based on the aim of developing a UI, the following objectives are presented:
A literature review on issues related to the operation of touch-based mobile phones
and available assistive aids and technologies
Create a framework for designing the UI
Perform an evaluation of the UI through several iterations; both internal and external
Discussion on the results from the project
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1.4 Research approach
The project uses Design research method for developing and testing the UI for touch-based
mobile phones. Design research is designed with development and testing in mind,
encouraging projects to create and deliver several versions of a solution, where major releases
are tested on external participants to provide feedback (Hevner et al. 2006; Vaishnavi &
Kuechler, 2007).
Two versions of the solution were tested on external users, allowing them to provide feedback
and comments on the interfaces. Feedback from the first version was used to improve the
second version. 1.5 Dissertation outline
The dissertation report is organized as follows:
Chapter 2: Presentation of literature, research and the current mobile market relating to people
with vision loss.
Chapter 3: The research method Design research is outlined along with documentation of the
steps followed throughout the project.
Chapter 4: Research results are presented, analyzing the different between the two tested
versions.
Chapter 5: Critical discussion comparing the findings from the literature review with the
results from the evaluation of the UI.
Chapter 6: The processes and the research methodology are critically evaluated.
Chapter 7: The report concludes with a summary of the previous discussions and a highlight
of the contributions to the existing research field, with future research suggestions.
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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
The research field on vision loss encompasses several areas of interest, where this
Dissertation focuses on how people with vision loss can operate mobile phones with touch
screens. Hence, this chapter is divided into several subjects starting with rights of people with
vision loss, followed by a description of the current mobile market, for then to present
available assistive aids and technology. The chapter ends in a framework, used to design the
UI. 2.1 Equal opportunities
It goes without saying that people with vision loss have the same rights as sighted people; yet
the misconception that vision loss reduces work efficiency is a common prejudice (Wall,
2003). A Norwegian report on job opportunities for people with disabilities concluded that
this user group has the largest share of unemployed potential workers compared to the rest of
the population (ECON, 2003). However, a different report that looks into peoples experience with moving from school to work life, suggests that part of the problem is based on lack of
knowledge and improper administration by government organizations (Berge, 2007).
Several organizations are working towards equal rights for people with vision loss; eliminate
prejudice, integration with society, achieve equal rights and benefits and provide aid to
countries and people struggling with diseases causing blindness.
World Blind union (n.d.) (WBU) is an internationally recognized organization that represents
160 million people with vision loss in 177 member countries; as a universal voice, it aims to
achieve equal rights and opportunities in all aspects of society. However, WBU does not
provide direct services such as training, guidance and access to assistive technology (AFB,
n.d.; NABP, n.d.). These services are designated to local and national organizations, like the
American Foundation for the Blind and The Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially
Sighted (NABP).
Vision 2020 is a joint cooperation between the WHO, the International Agency for the
Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and professionals within the field. The main focus is to
eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness by the year 2020 ant to prevent 100 million
people from becoming blind (Vision 2020, 2009; International Agency for the Prevention of
Blindness, 2010).
Organizations are not the only means for support for people with vision loss. Several
countries have also implemented rules to protect the rights of people with vision loss. In the
United Kingdom, the Disability Discrimination Act states that a person should not be treated
less favorable because of his or her disability. The European Union has introduced a similar
act, which directs its member countries to introduce measures to reduce discrimination against
people with disabilities (Wall, 2003). Norway has taken it a step further with the introduction
of a new discrimination and accessibility law, which state that all new products marketed
towards the general public should be equally accessible to all, regardless of personal
limitations or handicaps (Steria, 2009).
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2.2 The mobile market
The mobile phone market enjoys increased popularity, with market shares expanding every
day (IDC 2010), it is now considered larger than the PC market (Neset, 2010). The mobile
market consists mainly of two types of mobile phones; feature phones and smartphones.
Where feature phones are considered low-end phones, with limited features and computer
power (Nusca, 2010; Wikipedia, 2010a), smartphones offer more advanced computing power
and operating systems, as well as greater connectivity; they are essentially small mobile
computers (Wikipedia, 2010b).
During the first quarter of 2010, a total of 314.7 million mobile phones were sold to end users
worldwide, with smartphones making up 54.3 million of the sales (Gartner, 2010b); this is an
increase of 17% compared to the same period in 2009. Although, feature phones are still
considered the platform with the largest sales volume, smartphones have had a positive
increase and sales are expected to increase further in the coming years (IDC, 2010).
According to Gartner (2010) the top five OS for smartphones are; Symbian (44,3%),
Blackberry (19.4%), Apple iOS (15.4%), Google Android (9.6%) and Windows Phone
(6.8%). Apple iOS and Google Android are currently the fastest growing (The Nielsen
Company, 2010) and it is estimates that the Android OS will be the second largest OS
worldwide in 2010 and it will challenge Symbians top ranking position in 2014 (Gartner, 2010a). The numbers show that smartphones sales are increasing, suggesting that the market
wants more advanced phones, with more functionality and better connectivity.
A more detailed view on the mobile market and its actors is available in Appendix C. 2.3 Potential problems with smartphones
While smartphones come with a range of additional features, there are drawbacks. Studies
have shown that the majority of users only take advantage of a small portion of the
functionalities available (Gomns, 2005). In addition, the touch screen can make it more
difficult to type, as no physical feedback is provided. Nevertheless, the increasing sales
indicate that most sighted people do not consider these factors as show stoppers. However,
this is not the case for those with vision loss.
The majority of information on a mobile phone is presented through graphical means,
rendering access almost impossible for a person with vision loss. A touch-based mobile phone
becomes even harder to access with a touch-based visual design and navigation that contains
no physical representation of where or how to press buttons and icons. With these limitations,
it seems likely that a large user group will be unable to use these types of mobile phones,
segregating them further from the general population. This is also in contradiction with laws
set by the government (Meyers, 2008). 2.4 Improving compatibility
Studies on mobile phone accessibility for elderly and people with disabilities; all conclude
that mobile phones are not designed for these user groups. They point out several aspects that
could improve mobile phone accessibility. Mobile phones should be of adequate size and
shape and have texture with good grip. The screen should be large and the buttons should
have a logical placement for easier memorization of layout. Voice feedback should provide
information and confirm execution of commands. The phone should also provide easy access
to emergency numbers. Finally, the number of features should be kept to a minimum to ensure
ease of use (Abascal & Civit, 2001; Plos & Buisine, 2006; Smith-Jackson et al. 2003; S.K.
Kane et al. 2009). These suggestions are all in accordance with the guidelines on how mobile
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phones should be designed, provided by the NABP (n d).
Creators are recommended to follow good practices and standards to ensure that their
applications or web pages are accessible to all user groups (Perea et al. 2006). However, this
recommendation is not always followed; not for mobile phones nor for applications or web
sites. A recent study on disableds relationship to social media, like Facebook and Twitter, concludes that these and similar services are designed for visual navigation, forcing those who
are visually impaired to use mobile versions of the media that are better formatted and have
less content (Tollefsen et al. 2011; Rossen, 2011).
Several guidelines have been presented in recent years to show developers how to design
accessible applications and web sites. For instance, the W3C organization has formed such an
initiative, which develops accessibility guidelines (W3C, 2008). These guidelines are in line
with those published by NAPB (n.d.). Furthermore, Fukuda et al. (2005) proposes to
introduce navigability and listenability metrics for designing and developing applications or
web sites, ensuring that screen readers can navigate and present the information in a clear and
consistent way. Similar suggestions were presented by Calabr et al. (2009) to ensure that e-
books are compatible with screen readers.
With a range of different web browsers, both on computers and mobile phones, compatibility
cannot always be guaranteed. In light of this, The Mobile Web Initiative Device Description
Working Group has proposed the creation of a Device Description Repository; a database
containing information about mobile devices that can be queried by applications to present
data in the most efficient way (K. Smith & Sanders, 2007).
2.5 Assistive technology
Although mobile phones are not designed for use by people with vision loss, there are solutions
that can compensate or improve such use. These are defined by the general term assistive
technology; they include any product, instrument, equipment or technical system designed for or
used by a person with disabilities, which prevents, compensates, supervise, alleviates or
neutralize the effects of the disability (Perea et al. 2006). Products may range from physical and
living objects like the long cane or the guide dog, to software in a device like a screen reader. For
an individual who is blind, it is impossible to read the content on a screen; hence the aid of
assistive technology is a great benefit in their personal and professional life. This section will
look at current solutions and relevant research that addresses the issue of assistive technology
on mobile phones. 2.6 Screen reader
It is possible to operate a mobile phone or computer without being able to see what is on the
screen. Software applications called screen readers can convert text to speech, enabling the
user to read and navigate the content of a screen through hearing. By listening to voice
communication provided by the screen reader application, users are able to perceive and
navigate the content on the screen, making it possible to perform tasks like word processing,
e-mailing, listening to music and surfing the web (Wikipedia, 2010b).
A screen reader is generally made out of two components; the application which monitors the
content on screen, and a synthesizer, which provides the spoken feedback. This is produced
through text-to-speech, where the text input is provided by the screen reader and the synthetic
voice is produced by the synthesizer. The synthesizer works with different languages and
supports phonemes and grammatical rules (AFB, n.d.). For a screen reader to work efficiently,
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applications need to follow common standards so that the content can be interpreted and
presented correctly (Babinszki, 2010).
Screen readers are available for both computers and mobile phones, ranging from products
that are free of charge to those that cost closer to $1.000,-. One example of a screen reader for
computers is JAWS, one of the most feature rich products, but also the most expensive
(Freedom Scientific, n.d.). Screen readers can also be run in a web browser, allowing a person
to use almost any computer (Bigham et al. 2008). On mobile phones, screen readers have
been most common for phones with physical buttons, but are becoming available for phones
with touch screens (Babinszki, 2010).
However, a screen reader must not be confused with the voice feedback often built into
modern mobile phones. Although they are capable of representing menu and application
content, these functions are less advanced when it comes to conveying accurate information.
Moreover, they are limited to phone menus; and so unable to access information inside
applications (Theofanos & Redish, 2003).
Mobile Speak is a commercial screen reader designed for mobile phones that run the
Windows Mobile or Symbian OS. It is considered one of the best solutions for mobile phones,
and it supports phones both with physical buttons and with touch screens (Code Factory, n.d.).
TalkBack and Spiel are two open source screen readers designed for the Android OS; both
enable developers to incorporate screen reader functionality into their applications. Although,
not as advanced as commercial versions, they provide developers with an easy and convenient
way making their applications more accessible (C. Chen & Ganov, 2009; Darilek, 2010).
2.7 Reading and input of text
Braille was created to enable blind people to read text. It is not a new language, but a text
system with dots laid out in an organized manner enabling a blind person to read and write
text in the same manner as a sighted person. By moving the finger across the dots, a trained
person is able to understand the letters that the dots represent, and thus able to read the text
just like a sighted person (AFB, n.d.). Reading text from a computer can also be achieved
through Braille, through the use of refreshable Braille displays, Braille printers and Braille
note takers (AFB, n.d.).
Although Braille is a great tool, its reliance on finger sensitivity can exclude the elderly that
may have reduced feeling in the fingertips (AFB, n.d.). For people who have lowered vision,
Braille might not be needed; magnifiers, loupes and special glasses are just some of the
equipment that can assist a person in reading text NABP (n.d.).
However, Braille is not suited for mobile phone use. Instead, users will have to rely on
different means of typing, depending on the phone in use. For a person with vision loss,
mobile phones equipped with physical keyboards are the preferred means of interaction; this
relies on the feedback provided by buttons. In conjunction with a screen reader, operating a
mobile phone is feasible with a keyboard (Babinszki, 2010; Buxton et al. 2008).
Physical keyboards for mobile phones come either with a T9 (text on 9 keys) or a QWERTY
keyboard layout. A T9 layout consists of a phone pad with numbers ranging from 1 to 9 and
three associated letters on each button; while a QWERTY layout represents the same keys as
a keyboard attached to a computer. Just like a computer keyboard, it is possible to memorize
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the layout of these buttons and thus write without looking at the keyboard. In addition,
predictive text is often used together with these layouts, enabling the phone to predict what is
being typed, completing the words faster and correcting spelling mistakes (Wikipedia,
2010d).
Mobile phones equipped with touch screens do not always have a physical keyboard; instead
text is entered on a virtual keyboard presented on the screen. This can render their use a
challenge, as the virtual buttons do not provide any tactile feedback (Yfantidis & Evreinov,
2005; Buxton et al. 2008). Several solutions have been presented to improve the typing of text
on touch screens, ranging from physical equipment that work in cooperation with the mobile
phone to software keyboards installed on the phone.
HumanWare (n.d.) has created an overlay for touch screens that encompass the phone screen
and enables the user to interact with the phone and gain access to the most common functions.
The overlay can also communicate with a separate Braille device, making it possible for the
user to read and write using Braille (HumanWare, n.d.). The advantage with this solution is
that the user can carry only one device and interact directly with it; however, the downside is
that it is only compatible with resistive touch screens (Wikipedia, 2010b); conversely, most
modern phones come with capacitive screens that are only capable of interacting with
conductive materials like a human finger (Wikipedia, 2010a).
As mentioned, mobile phones with touch screens come with virtual keyboards. While they are
handy, experience shows that these keyboards can be troublesome when typing. Hence,
several third party software keyboards have been created. A keyboard named ThickButtons
provides a virtual QWERTY layout on the screen; ThickButtons differentiate itself from a
normal keyboard by anticipating the coming letters and making those letters larger and others
smaller (Wells, 2010b). SlideIT and Swype are two other solutions, where the use of a
dictionary enables users to write words by sliding a finger along the letters without removing
it from the screen (Wells, 2010a; Sorrel, 2010a). Yet another option called SwiftKey
anticipates the following word; developers claim that 1/3 of all words will be correctly
anticipated, resulting in up to 50% faster typing (TouchType, 2010).
However, all of these keyboards require some degree of visual navigation, which may be
suitable for people with low vision but not for blind users. A keyboard called BlindType
(Anon, n.d.) might be suitable for blind users, although this was not its original intention.
BlindType is a QWERTY virtual keyboard, which perceives the users typing style. Through an assumption that the user is familiar with the QWERTY layout, the keyboard is able to
recognize where and or what is being typed on screen without the user having to focus on the
screen. Essentially, a word can be typed at any place on the screen without a keyboard
displayed. In theory, this keyboard could also work for blind users, since it does not require
text to be entered in a defined area and it can automatically correct typing errors. Recently,
the company behind the solution was acquired by Google (Noyes, 2010). Google has also
released a technology called Google Scribe, which predicts what the user is planning to type
(Lofts, 2010).
Furthermore, Yfantidis & Evreinov (2005) have designed a gesture based keyboard specifically
for blind users. It works by tapping the screen to make a square appear, which represents eight
directions; where each direction holds a separate letter. By moving the finger towards one of the
directions, the letter is read out loud and proceeding to remove the finger confirms the selection
for typing.
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2.8 Haptics
Haptics is a technology that provides tactical feedback, resulting in a more intuitive and less
visually reliant interface. However, haptics can never replace hearing or vision; rather, it
provides an additional sense. For touch-based interfaces, haptics can make a user feel and
visualize the shape of an item without looking at the screen, or it can provide feedback when the
finger reaches the border of an element or a button. Haptics is anticipated to become more
advanced in the feature, with an expected ability to provide even more fine-grained details, such
as the fur of an animal (Buxton et al. 2008; Gemperle et al. 2001; Rassmus-Grhn, 2006).
Yu & Brewster (2003) have developed a solution for presenting graphs and tables to users with
vision loss. Users can explore virtual graphs and tables through a force feedback device that
creates haptic feedback, while audio is used to present detailed and abstract information.
In a study on user reactions to haptics, Rassmus-Grhn (2006) found that some rely more on the
audio feedback than the haptics feedback. This suggests that, although haptics can be a valuable
additional modality, some users depend more on the senses they are used to. Hence, solutions
that incorporate haptics will likely be greatly improved if they also implement sound.
2.9 Making a better user interface
Mobile phone manufacturers have noticed the inadequacies in usability of the UIs native to
various OS. Most manufacturers develop their own set of UIs for the mobile phones,
replacing the OSs own UI (HTC, n.d.; Topolsky, 2008). In addition, Nokia, Intel and the University of Oulu have established a dedicated research center, which focuses on improving
the UI on mobile devices (Darling, 2010).
Raman and Chen (2008) argue that the UI is only a means to an end and should blend
seamlessly into the users way of operating the mobile phone. In contradiction to a computer OS, the mobile OS should provide access to what the user needs and remain unattended when
not in use. According to Karampelas and Akoumianakis (2003), the layout for mobile phones
should include the following, consistent presentations, alternative navigation tools,
accessibility to common options and functions and self-explanatory navigation.
Hence, several solutions have been put forward to improve the navigation of touch screens for
users with vision loss, essentially providing eyes-free navigation.
One of this was presented by Amy K Karlson et al. (2005) in a study on a user-interface
designed for one-hand thumb use. The interface created a 3x3 square-grid; with each square
containing a link to an application or a sub-menu. Selection is done by tapping one of the
squares, while gestures were introduced for zooming and to navigate between menus and.
Results showed that the participants liked the way the navigation and selection of applications
worked, although they were hesitant with the gestures.
Kane et al. (2008) have developed Slide Rule; a UI that solely operates through the use of
gestures and auditory feedback. By using several combinations of gestures, Slide Rule allows
the user to open applications and perform commands. Results revealed that the proposed
solution performed significantly faster than button based menus. However, due to the gesture
commands, more errors were produced.
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Amar et al. (2003) built a prototype handheld device that used tactile and auditory feedback to
convey a menu structure that provided easy access to common functions. The menu could be
navigated through one hand access, where each finger would perform a specific task. Rotating
a dial would move through various options and menus, a separate button would return to a
previous menu, and four buttons performed navigation and application functions. Most
participants were satisfied with the solution; however, it was noted that users had problems
forming a conceptual model of the hierarchical menu. This was improved by adding the
feature of pressing a button halfway down, which would state the functionality of the selected
button.
With their application, Strumillo et al. (2009) have abandoned the default phone menu on the
Symbian OS and offer a new, simpler menu that provides audible feedback and access to
common functions and features. While navigating through menus, the user is informed of
what is a displayed and possible action to take. The solution has received good feedback;
however, it was developed for an older version of Symbian, making it incompatible with
todays Symbian phones.
Eyes-free Shell is an open-source project for the Android platform created by Chen and
Raman (2009); it replaces the phones existing UI with a new menu system, providing easy access to applications, as well as information on time and current location. Eyes-free Shell
uses auditory feedback and gestures to navigate between menus. The user can search for
applications by using the same type of technique presented earlier (Yfantidis & Evreinov,
2005). The application is part of a larger open-source initiative, sponsored by Google, which
aims to make touch-based mobile phones more accessible. However, some features require
physical buttons, rendering the proposed solution inaccessible to certain phones. The reliance
on gestures can also be problematic, as indicated from the findings in other projects
mentioned above (Helft, 2009).
2.10 Turning the mobile phone into an assistive aid
Extending on the common functionalities of the mobile phone, several solutions exist today
that turn the phone into an assistive aid. Appendix D presents some of the functions available,
such as object recognition and navigation.
2.11 Framework
The literature review has pointed out several aspects that hinder the effective use of mobile
phones with touch screen for people with vision loss. Although several factors could warrant
further scrutiny, the aspect that stood out as the main obstacle is the operation of the touch
screen itself.
Based on the literature, a framework pointing out the most important factors for the
development of a new UI for touch-based mobile phones are summarized in table 1.
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Table 1 - Framework for the top issues people with vision loss encounter when using mobile phones with touch screen
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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD
Design research was chosen as the research method for the development project in this
Dissertation. This chapter outlines the selected method along with a documentation of the
steps followed throughout the project.
3.1 Design research
Design research aims to provide solutions for human purposes by creating an artifact; the
artifact is tested to provide feedback on improvements (March & Smith, 1995). It is a design
solving process, with several cycles of iterations, where new and improved artifacts are
constantly put forward. Each artifact is evaluated and new artifacts build on the knowledge of
previous ones; thus it is an approach that encourages innovation (Hevner et al. 2006; Grnli &
Bygstad, 2009).
The research field arose as a result of several failed projects; the failures highlighted the
importance of closely studying the design of a product during development (Vaishnavi &
Kuechler, 2008). The same approach is used in engineering, where a product is developed and
tested to further improve the coming versions (Peffers et al. 2006; Vaishnavi & Kuechler,
2007).
Frederick R. Brooks Jr., best known for his book The Mythical Man-Month (Brooks, 1995),
argues that constant incremental iterations should replace the practice of building complete
product versions. Development teams should produce quick and effective prototypes that can
be tested by external users, which provide valuable feedback for further development (Kelly,
2010).
According to Grnli and Bygstad (2009), design research is particularly relevant for
understanding mobile services and innovation. For a project like the current, where the
developers face a previously unfamiliar condition, best guess is not enough (Nielsen, 1993).
In these situations, feedback from the intended target group becomes vital to the projects success. Hence, Design research is the process in which it is uncovered what works and what
does not work (Vaishnavi & Kuechler, 2007).
Several models for successful completion of a Design research project have been presented.
One, presented by Grnli and Bygstad (2009), leverages on two widely accepted approaches
to Design research. The method recommends Vaishnavi and Kuechler's (2007) model for the
overall project framework and the model from Hevner et al. (2006) to evaluate the results.
Vaishnavi and Kuechler's (2007) approach is a five step model, designed to guide a project
from startup to the finished solution, as shown in figure 1. The first step is the Awareness of problem, which focuses on highlighting or improving the results of an existing problem. This is followed by the Suggestions step, where the problem is further analyzed using existing knowledge and theory, culminating in a tentative design. Development is the next step, where the project attempts to implement an artifact according to the suggested solution, which
is then evaluated in the fourth step. The whole project is completed with a conclusion where the project results are evaluated (Grnli & Bygstad, 2009).
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Development, evaluation and further suggestions are often performed iteratively, allowing the
researcher to step back and evaluate and make changes as necessary. Stepping back achieves
an understanding that could only be gathered from the specific act of construction, the model
refers to this process as circumscription (Vaishnavi & Kuechler, 2007).
Figure 1- Design Research process model by Vaishnavi and Kuechler (2007)
Vaishnavi & Kuechler's (2007) model has been criticized for being too dependent on
traditional development methods. The suggestion step is the only stage that allows creative
input and is also the only stage separating the model from the mentioned development
methods. However, it is noted that the steps are only suggestions and not absolute
requirements (Vaishnavi & Kuechler, 2007; Grnli & Bygstad, 2009), thus allowing the
project to make changes as deemed necessary.
Hevner et al. (2006) have developed seven guidelines, presented in table 2, to help provide
better understanding and measurements for effective design research projects. Although quite
general, these guidelines are implemented in the same way as Vaishnavi and Kuechler's
(2007) model, allowing the project freedom to decide on implementation. However, it is
advised to address each of the guidelines during the projects course (Grnli & Bygstad, 2009; Hevner et al. 2006).
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Table 2 - Design Research Guidelines by Hevner et al. (2006)
As mentioned earlier, Vaishnavi and Kuechler's (2007) model were used for the overall
project framework and are described in the following section. Hevner et al.'s (2006) seven
guidelines will be used to evaluate and discuss the results of the project, as described in
chapter 5.
3.2 Awareness of problem
The first stage of Vaishnavi & Kuechler's (2007) model was initiated by a general
assumption, that the majority of todays mobile phones are touch-based and designed for those with no visual impairment. The assumption was based on the authors previous experience from the mobile industry; former projects had demonstrated that the UI is not
always up to standards and hinder effective use of mobile phones.
Once the general assumptions were in place, these needed to be verified by more thorough
research. The initial literature review focused on the mobile market and recent phone releases,
using resources found mainly through Google and later moving on to the major market
analytics companies. With no prior experience related to vision loss, a literature review on
users with vision loss was needed, not only to identify existing solutions for both daily life
and mobile phone use, but to understand more of the experience if vision loss. Through
resources, such as Google and NABP, literature on the most common problem areas was
collected, along with information regarding manufacturers of assistive technology.
3.3 Suggestion
A more thorough literature review was carried out in the suggestion phase, focusing on all
elements and issues regarding the development of assistive technology for people with vision
loss. The literature review was completed in four iterations, each step contributing with more
information regarding issues facing those with vision loss, how people with vision loss use
mobile phones, application compatibility, operating systems to develop for, screen readers
and haptics, and implementation of such technology. The end result was a framework of
guidelines that worked as a source of reference throughout the project.
The work that came out of the literature review supported the earlier assumptions,
highlighting the need for a UI for touch-based phones, designed specifically for those with
visual impairment. The new design would require operation using touch and sound, menu
elements placed in a logical arrangement, and well-defined categories for assistive
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functionalities and standard mobile phone functionality.
It was important for the project to provide new functions and improved access for people with
vision loss. From the literature review, several projects with similar solutions came to the
authors attention. However, the projects relied mainly on gestures and hardware buttons, functionalities that could make the solutions harder to learn, and that are certainly
incompatible with mobile phone that are not equipped with buttons. Based on the feedback
from these projects, it became evident that the use of gestures should be kept to a minimum
and that the dependency on hardware buttons should be removed.
3.4 Development
This stage involved the development of the solution in addition to documentation and
planning of the project. The Rational Unified Process (RUP) was chosen as the framework for
the development process due to its emphasis on multiple iterations and its clear and defined
guidelines for developing applications (Gornik, 2004; Pollice, 2002). However, time
constraints necessitated a lightweight implementation of RUP, including only core activities.
Nevertheless, this approach is still in accordance with the framework (Pollice, 2002).
RUP requires all objects to start with an inception, where the project vision is defined and
presented to the stakeholders (Pollice, 2002). Stakeholders for the current project include
representatives NABP, Statped and SmartPhones Telecom; the latter is the company
responsible for providing developer resources. To present the vision and the idea in an
intuitive manner, a virtual prototype was created to show a possible solution for replacing a
touch-based mobiles GUI. The virtual prototype was created in Microsoft Expression Blend 4 with SketchFlow (Microsoft Corporation, 2009), a tool for creating working prototypes of
applications without writing any code.
Further on, RUP dictates an elaboration on the design and a definition of the baseline,
including functionality requirements and possible applications (Pollice, 2002). The virtual
prototype served as a foundation for the outcome of the project and was used to communicate
the idea and the vision to the developers. During several project meetings, discussions
centered on what would be realistic outcomes from the allocated time. The decision was to
create a working UI prototype for people with vision loss, while ignoring the server side
functionality. Hence, the UI would work and behave as the final product, but all data
presented would be static, not dynamic. An early prototype of the application was developed
at this stage, to test core functionality. Complete logs of the project meetings are available in
Appendix G.
Construction is the third step in RUP; this is where the main development takes place (Pollice,
2002). The application was developed in Java for Android, to support Android version 1.6
onwards. Functionalities for the screen reader and haptics were not developed during this
project. Instead, existing modules were implemented with API integration. During the
construction phase, a total of five iterations of development were completed, with a working
prototype coming from each one. Three iterations were for internal use, while two were tested
externally. With each iteration new virtual prototypes, associated documentation, and added
functionalities evolved. Guidelines and best practices for Android development, defined by
Google, were followed through (Google Inc, 2010b; Google Inc, 2010a). Documentation on
the UIs is available in Appendix H in addition to complete development logs in Appendix I.
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3.5 Evaluation
The final phase of RUP is the transition phase, where the developed product is tested on real
users (Pollice, 2002). Each version of the UI was tested in three different scenarios, in a
virtual environment, by the developer on a real device, and by the author, who made sure that
all functionalities were implemented according to specifications. In addition, evaluations of
the prototype were performed through two iterations of user experiments, where external
participants tested and provided feedback on the prototypes.
The participants were recruited with assistance from Statped, a Norwegian agency, which
provides guidance to municipalities for supporting people with learning disabilities and vision
loss (Statped, n.d.). All participants had previous experience from volunteering to other
projects aimed at people with vision loss; moreover, before commencing, they were informed
of their rights and of relevant ethical regulations.
Participants all performed the same steps, starting with a general introduction to the project
with its goals and aims, followed by ten minutes of training and some time to become familiar
with the UI, finally performing a couple of exercises and providing feedback and completing
a survey. Each test was performed on a HTC Hero (HTC, n.d.) device, with an average
duration of one hour. Participants were monitored throughout the test. The introduction to the
project emphasized to the participants that the UI was only a prototype and that the aim was to
improve the navigation on touch-based mobile phones, they could therefor expect limitations
and fewer available options.
During the first iteration, participants were trained in operating the UI. They then had to
choose a language for operating the system, either English or Norwegian. They were informed
that the English version would be more advanced and sound more natural than the Norwegian
version. All menus and feedback would reflect the chosen language.
Table 3summarizes the exercise that the participants were asked to perform. The exercise was
designed to evaluate whether the participants were able to understand and navigate the UI on
their own. Instructions were to perform one task at the time and sufficient time was allowed
for each task.
Table 3 - Tasks the participants were asked to perform
During the exercise, the participants behavior, responses, reactions and verbal feedback were documented. The participants were also providing verbal feedback on functions. Feedback
provided included both comments on current functions and suggestions for improvements.
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After the exercise, participants were asked to complete a survey. This collected background
information and presented a set of statements for participants to mark their level of agreement
with. From 1, strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree. Statements were grouped in categories according to the assessed function of the UI. Table 4 presents a summary of the
most important questions from the survey. The complete survey is available in Appendix L.
Table 4 - Survey completed by participants
Data gathered and analyzed in the first user experiment resulted in a new version where the
major issues and concerns uncovered in the first iteration were improved upon. In the first
iteration, a single tap of the finger would state the function of the selected function, while a
second tap would select the function. Although, this served the purpose, the solution caused
frustration among the participants; they pointed to difficulties with tapping the correct area
and mistakenly opening elements. To overcome these issues, the navigation of the UI was
changed so that a single tap would still state the function of an element, but dragging the
finger to the right would open it.
The second iteration also introduced numbering and made changes to the naming of elements.
One set of numbers reflected the elements; current position in a list, while another set
presented the total number of elements in a list. A new list view, for lists with several
elements, was also introduced. The new list introduced a second row of letters, ranging from
A to Z, on the right side of the screen.
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With the introduction of the new functions, the participants were asked to perform the same
exercises and survey once more. Additionally, they were asked to test the new list view and
answer a couple of new questions related to the added functionality, as seen in table 5 and 6.
Table 5 - Additional tasks presented to participants
Table 6 - Additional survey questions
3.6 Conclusion
To conclude the research, the data gathered from the two user iterations were categorized and
further reviewed. Important findings from the surveys and the evaluations were analyzed and
documented for further development of the prototype. The results are also presented in this
report; providing new knowledge to the research field of assistive technology and mobile
phone user access for people with vision loss.
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CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS
The previous chapter presented the selected research method and the steps taken to produce
the results. This chapter presents and evaluates the research results.
4.1 Results in regards to development
Following the Design research model of Vaishnavi and Kuechler (2007), the current project
has gone through the recommended stages in developing an alternative mobile phone UI. The
new UI provides users with a different way of interacting with the phone, compared to the
mobile phone manufacturers original indentation. Through the UI, any function or application can be utilized in an easier and more efficient way, making the phone more
accessible for people with vision loss. However, it is important to note that the applications
need to be compatible with a screen reader to be useful for people with vision loss.
Interaction with the new UI is made possible through two sensory systems, using sound and
tactile feedback. An organized and intuitive menu system provides the user with access to
relevant information and functionalities. The UI is designed in accordance with Nielsen's
(1993) usability principles, and adapted based on the findings from the framework in the
literature review. It also follows Brook's (1995) recommendation in keeping the number of
available functions to a minimum, avoiding potential confusion.
Figure 2 portrays screenshots from the UI running on a mobile phone; the key words represent
the different menus and functions available. The intended audience is people who are either
blind or that have strongly reduced vision; the text is for the benefit of the latter group. The
key words can also serve as reference points for external users, for instance if customer
support is needed. The font size is formatted according to guidelines from (NABP, n.d.).
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Figure 2 - Some of the menus available in the UI
As mentioned, the UI is operated through sound and haptics. A single tap on the screen
initiates the UIs screen reader, which states the function of the selected element, while the gesture tap and drag finger executes the element. The gesture was implemented to simplify the execution of elements, and to reduce the number of incorrect selections. Moreover,
dragging a finger across the screen commands the UI to read out functions and at the same
time makes the phone vibrate when a new item is available. A back element is placed at the
bottom of every screen, with the exception of the main menu, allowing the user to easily
navigate to the previous menu.
To help the user create a mental map of the different menus and elements, the UI will also
state the level it is currently displaying and give feedback when successfully executing an
element. Furthermore, the UI can be customized to read out the selected elements position on a list, for example, number three of five.
Longer lists are displayed in the same way as regular lists, only with an added ribbon on the
screens right side, where an alphabetical list of letters is displayed. Figure 3 shows an
illustration of such a list. The letters refer to the initial letter of available elements, which
could be anything from applications to contacts. Dragging a finger across the ribbon causes
the screen reader to name the letters as the finger crosses them.
Figure 3 - List navigation in the UI
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In addition to improved accessibility on touch phones, the UI is intended to work as an
assistive aid that can provide useful information, such as time, date and the weather forecast.
The UI is also designed, to provide navigation and to analyze objects or text using the phones camera; however, the features were not implemented in the current version.
The UI was tailored specifically for people with vision loss and it does not depend on existing
functionality or layout. This approach differs greatly from other solutions that typically rely
on a screen reader and the manufacturers UI implementation. By creating a new set of menu elements, the project did not have to focus so much on compatibility issues and could instead
focus on creating new functionality. At the same time, this allowed freedom to customize the
UI and optimize solutions for the visually impaired.
Design features that were of particular importance in the development of the new UI included,
the reduction of required gestures, a minimal learning curve and no reliance on hardware
buttons. The use of gestures was decided to be reduced since they can be hard to master (Amy
K. Karlson et al. 2005; Shaun K. Kane et al. 2008). In addition, by organizing menu elements
in a vertical layout, the UI operation would be similar to that of the Nokia phones, common
among people with vision loss. Finally, the dependency on hardware buttons was
circumvented, as this could result in compatibility issues with certain phone models.
Figure 4 shows one of several virtual prototypes created. Developing a virtual prototype
turned out to be of great advantage, working as an aid in communicating the vision and as a
tool for developers in finalizing and trying out the product. The virtual prototype resided in a
web browser and was operated with a computer mouse. It behaved like the UI developed for
the mobile phone, with fully operating menus and sound. In addition to the virtual prototype,
figure 5 shows a flow map that was created to visualize the different elements and the
relations between menus.
Figure 4 - Conceptual UI prototype for people with vision loss
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Figure 5 - Flow map for navigation in the UI
The Android OS was chosen as the developmental platform for the UI, a decision based on
several factors. The Android platform is adopted by several phone manufacturers and is
currently the fastest growing mobile OS in the market (The Nielsen Company, 2010; Gartner,
2010a; Comscore, 2010). Hence, products developed for the Android OS have the potential of
reaching out to a large customer base. The Android OS was also a natural choice for the
developers, since it allows anyone to create a new UI for the phone. Furthermore, it is
considered a very open and flexible OS for application development (Ableson, 2009; Google
Inc, 2010a; Google Inc, 2010b).
Figure 6 presents a conceptual overview of the application, developed in Java for Android,
with support for Android version 1.6 and onwards.
Code Behind
Base Activity
Modules TTS Extended
Haptics
Activity 1 Activity XActivity 2 Activity 3
OnTouchListener 1 OnTouchListener 2 OnTouchListener 3 OnTouchListener X
UI - ViewLanguage packs English Norwegian Etc.
Application
Figure 6 - Conceptual model of application
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Base Activity contains standard functionality and provides communication with the external
modules TTS Extended (Eyes-Free Project, n.d.) and Kickback (Ganov, n.d.); both are
modules used for creating voice feedback (screen reader) and vibration (haptics). All feedback
to the user, menus, voice and haptics are provided through functions called Activities. Each
Activity has an OnTouchlistener, which measures where and how the user is tapping on the
screen. All menu elements reside in XML format, which can easily be translated to different
languages. The current version supports English and Norwegian, but other languages can be
added as appropriate.
4.2 Results in regards to testing
Two iterations of user testing were carried out. A total of four people participated in the first
iteration, three women and one man with an average age of 50 years; a total of five people
took part in the second iteration, the same four with an extra man, making the average age
49.4. As mentioned, statistics from World Health Organization (2009), show that women over
50 make up the largest share of the worlds blind population; thus the projects sample is representative of this population. Of the participants, three were blind, one was diagnosed
with very low vision, although her interaction could indicate complete vision loss, the final
participant had low vision and could see objects in very close proximity.
According to Nielsen and Landauer (1993), only a small number of people are required for
usability testing; in fact five people should be sufficient to obtain adequate results (Richtel,
1998). Nielsen (2000) states that such a small number of users will provide better results than
a larger number; largely due to limited project budgets, the advantage of running several
smaller compared to one large test. This notion is in accordance with Design research, which
recommends several iterations of user testing.
The user tests were planned according to usability guidelines from Nielsen (1993), with
usability measured relative to certain users and certain tasks, and where every test should
define a representative and measurable set of tasks relevant to the users. For consistent
measurements, a survey should be completed subsequently. The mean value of the measured
attributes should exceed a specific minimum; on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, the mean
value should be at least 4 (Nielsen & Levy, 1994) and 50% of participants should provide the
score of 5 (Nielsen, 1993). With two iterations of user testing, the ratings from the two
surveys can be compared to evaluate whether the improvements affected usability ratings and
if further improvements are still required (Nielsen, 1993).
Survey questions were categorized to the features they were set to evaluate, these are listed in
Table 7. Menu system and The solution are considered the two most important categories, as they measure how well the UI works and the success of the solution. The participants
received the same set of questions in both rounds.
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Dissertation Task 2 0834060 Page 30 of 132
Table 7 Summary of survey categories
Figure 7 presents the results from round one and two, with an overview of the mean scores for
each functionality category. Several questions make up a category, thus the mean scores are
averaged across questions as well as participants.
Figure 7 - Graph displaying mean scores from the first and second round of testing
The difference between mean scores from round one and two clearly shows responses were
more positive in round two, where mean were higher than four for all categories. The two
categories of particular interest, Menu system and The solution both presented fairly poor feedback in the first round, with initial mean scores as low as 2.3 for The solution and 3.9 for Menu system. According to Nielsen and Levy's (1994) criteria, these low scores would constitute a project failure. However, round two of testing provided a substantial increase in
positive feedback; thus, it can be concluded that the solution tested in round two is more
efficient and better received among the participants.
Menusystem
Phone Navigation Applications Information The solution
Round 1 3,9 4,4 4,1 4,0 4,3 2,3
Round 2 4,5 4,7 4,7 4,7 4,8 4,3
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
Ave
rag
e s
co
re
Comparing components in the UI
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Dissertation Task 2 0834060 Page 31 of 132
Figure 8 shows the results from the individual questions for the Menu system category. The mean scores illustrate the changes in the participants reaction between the first and second
iteration.
Figure 8 - Graph displaying a comparison between results from first and second round of testing on the menu system
The results show an increase in scores for all but one question, indicating that the second
menu system received a better acceptance than the first version. The reduction in scores for
the questions relating to the vibration function was clarified through verbal feedback from
participants. In the first round of testing, a greater reliance on haptic feedback was required to
navigation; however, in the second round of testing, the improvements facilitated the auditory
feedback and participants chose to rely more on sound than touch. These results are consistent
with findings from Rassmus-Grhn (2006), who found that people tend to rely more on the
sense they are accustomed to.
The menusystem waseasy to use
The systemmade the
touch phoneeasier to use
The spokenoptions were
easy tounderstand
It was easy tonavigatebetween
menus andsub-menus
The vibrationmade it
easier tochange
betweenmenus
Thecategorizatio
n of sub-menus were
logical
Round 1 4,0 3,7 4,3 2,5 4,3 4,5
Round 2 4,6 4,6 4,6 4,6 3,6 4,8
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
Ave
rag
e s
co
re
Menu system
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Figure 9 presents results from the individual questions for the solution category. The mean
scores portray participants acceptance of the solution for rounds one and two.
*1 Three participants did not respond due to no prior experience with solutions for touch screens *2 One participant did not respond due to no prior experience with touch screens to compare against
Figure 9 - Graph displaying a comparison between results from first and second round of testing on the complete solution
The results show an increase in mean scores for all questions, indicating that the whole
solution received a better acceptance in the second round of testing. It should be noted that
some participants decided not to answer the second and third question, feeling that they
lacked the experience to give an informed response. However, all participants responded to
the most important question, I personally felt that the menu system enabled and improved my use of the mobile phone, with a great increase in positive feedback.
While the Design Research method does not require statistical analyses, these were
nevertheless carried out to shed more light on the changes in scoring that were evident
between the two versions of the UI. Effect sizes and differences between means were
evaluated across the categories previously outlined. Due to the small sample size, a certain
measure of leniency with respect to level of significance was judged necessary; this was
therefore set to 0.1. Thus mean scores, available in figure 7, were found to be significantly
higher for the second round of testing, compared to the first round, for the navigation
functions (t(3) = 2.45, p>0.1), for the information functions (t(3) = 2.45, p>0.1), and for the
solution functions (t(3) = 5.44, p>0.05). Effect sizes were judged to be high for all three
functions (r = 0.41; r = 0.40; r = 0.89; respectively). Effect sizes were similarly high for the
menu functions (r = 0.37) and the application functions (r = 0.41), but the differences between
means were non-significant (t(3) = 1.47, ns; t(3) = 1.48, ns; respectively). The remainder of
the analyses is included in Appendix M.M.
I personally felt that themenu system enabled and
improved my use of themobile phone
I prefer this solution aboveothers*1
I would use this solution inmy daily life*2
Round 1 2,3 2,5 2,3
Round 2 4,6 4,0 4,3
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
Ave
rag
e s
co
re
Acceptance of the solution
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Dissertation Task 2 0834060 Page 33 of 132
Nielsen (1993) suggests that participants should be asked for their subjective opinions, to
better provide an understanding of their satisfaction. Participants were asked to state their
thoughts and suggestions to improvements, following each round this feedback was used to
improve the application further. Feedback from round one is available in Appendix M.A,
while a complete list of feedback from round two is available in Appendix M.F. The most
informative comments from round two are summarized in Table 8.
Table 8 - Table showing subjective feedback from round two
The positive feedback from participants shows how much they appreciated the second
iteration of the solution; this is consistent with the survey results. The negative feedback
mainly focuses on the new functionality introduced in the second iteration, indicating that the
issues encountered in the first iteration had been solved and that a third iteration should aim at
solving the new problems. Comments pointing to the inadequacy of the vibration result from
the over-all improvements to the solution causing participants to shift their attention to the
voice, where the participants paid more attention. Participants suggestions for improvements are reasonable and well thought through and should certainly be considered in a third
iteration.
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MAKING TO