User experience research : C-AID (Campus Accessibility and Inclusive design)
Improvement of accessibility and Inclusion in IIT Roorkee
Project Context
The Right of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016 mandates accessibility for everyone in educational institutions across India. IIT Roorkee, a leading Indian university attracting students from diverse backgrounds including those with disabilities, has initiated the C-AID project.
LID (Laboratory of Inclusive Design) was asked to focus on improving accessibility and inclusion through UX research on various information and infrastructure services.
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Research objectives
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Identify barriers: Uncover accessibility issues in digital platforms (websites, apps) and physical spaces (infrastructure, navigation) at IIT Roorkee.
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Understand user needs: Gain insights from students with disabilities regarding information access and campus navigation challenges.
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Evaluate usability: Assess the effectiveness of digital interfaces and signage for users with disabilities.
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Inform design solutions: Recommend practical improvements to enhance accessibility and inclusivity across all areas.
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My role
I worked for 6 months as a User Researcher, my main tasks consisted of:
UX Research (Primary and Secondary): Conducting interviews of users, along with online surveys and usability assessment using assistive devices to collect invaluable insights about users' needs and preferences, forming the foundation of for design decisions. Additionally, conducted desk research on WCAG guidelines and the RPWD Act 2016 to ensure solutions aligned with accessibility standards and legal requirements.
Data Analysis: Analyzing the data gathered from both primary and secondary research into an affinity map to identify user pain points and determine the key aspects of design to focus on. This analysis guided design decisions and prioritization of features.
Developing the scenario: With the insights of research in mind, created personas based on the different types of students in the campus.
Design Considerations: Based on the data analysis, development of checklists to guide design decisions, ensuring consideration of accessibility at every stage of the design process.
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Engagement plan
Created an engagement plan to find a variety of students to talk to about accessibility at IIT Roorkee. After meeting with important people at the university, figured out what kind of students should talk to in each interview session to make sure we get a good mix of experiences.
Representative sample should include participants:
Students doing Batchelor's degree
Students doing Masters degree
Students doing Phd
Students with physical impairments
Students with hearing impairments
Students with vision impairments
Students with cognitive impairments
Discover
User Interviews
In this project, user group is very diverse and asking questions about their abilities can create awkwardness. so, Instead of asking upfront about limitations, I focused on having a normal conversation. This helped me to build trust among themselves. By keeping it casual, I allowed the students to bring up their experiences with accessibility naturally. They mentioned challenges they face while talking about their day or routine.
Online survey
To reach more users to get insights, online survey were conducted around students of IIT Roorkee.
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Responses
41.2% Female
58.8% Male
1 in every 5 respondents is differently abled
~59% say that their website does not fulfil their needs.
33% say that they have color blindness.
57% say that they have some of the kind of vision impairment.
74% say that they prefer dark mode while using websites and applications.
61% think that campus is not accessible for physically challenged students.
82% say that classroom furniture is not comfortable to seat on.
97% say that finding a administrative office/department is difficult in the campus.
43% say that outdoor seating and connectivity is not comfortable.
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Define
Affinity mapping
After researching accessibility in IIT Roorkee's digital spaces (websites) and physical spaces (campus buildings), I used an "affinity map" to organize all the common challenges I discovered for both the environment separately. This helped me see the main areas where improvements are needed.
Digital spaces (Departmental Websites)
Human factor design UI design and Visuals
Navigation and Layout
Infrastructure (all spaces of the campus and buildings)
Accessibility of facilities
Accessibility of buildings
Navigation and signages
Deliverables : 1st Phase
As agreed by the by the stakeholders, my user research at first stage presentation were consisted of these outcomes:
User interviews (21+ participants)
Online survey (57 participants)
Usability testing with assistive devices
Affinity maps
Research report and presentation to stakeholders
Additionally, we presented the video clip of us, using assistive devices in the campus and our experiences. It allowed stakeholders to see the challenges users face first-hand, making the data more relatable.