Kindness for reducing accessibility gaps
Mobile app for wheelchair users and volunteers in the urban space
Wheelchair users need to plan their day down to the last detail because the urban space does not take their needs fully into account, and what happens when they come into an accessibility gap on the spot?
First, I researched the Accessibility Law which states the rules and regulations for proper accessibility, conduct with the authorities when necessary, and optional APIs that we can use. There are few apps for wheelchair users and I can sum up their lack of use in three pain points:
Ignoring the parameters that make it up besides comparison and ranking undermines the information reliability.
When the user encounters an accessibility gap, no solution is offered.
Existing apps offer partial solutions, so the user prefers to stick to the old and long but safe and familiar way.
I focused on ranking apps (businesses, trips, hotels, etc.) to understand how to organize and manage information, and how to enable quick comparison. In addition I tested location-based emergency apps for volunteers that provide an immediate solution to a problem on the spot, explored how to return a user to the system, their method of alerts, simplicity, and speed of operation.
I interviewed 10 wheelchair users in total, five of each gender. Some have been disabled since childhood and others following an accident or surgical complication.
I asked them about their lifestyle; how they prepare for a day out of home, how they make sure a business is as accessible, how they overcome accessibility hazards in real time, whether people on the street come and offer help, what apps they use today, and more.
"I always call to make sure the business is accessible like it says on the website. It happened more than once that I arrived and it was not completely accessible. It's frustrating."
"If I want to go out for errands, I have to wait for a day my husband can accompany me so he can bridge all the accessibility gaps along the way."
"A year ago, I contacted the municipality about an inaccessible sidewalk in my neighborhood. I spent a lot of time and effort on bureaucracy. Only after 8 months, the hazard was fixed."
"I don't like to ask for help on the street. I prefer to take the long route but stay independent. I admit that sometimes it does more harm than good."
134 people responded to an anonymous survey I distributed in several Facebook groups In order to reach the general population in the urban space and not those who volunteer regularly. For example:
1st- Wheelchair users
2nd- People who want to help others
Saving time and effort, independent daily life
A sense of satisfaction
Primary - Establish the assistance system.
Request assistance at least once during the first three months of use \
Respond to at least one call during the first week of use.
Secondary - Increase reliable accessibility data.
Rank at least 3 businesses during the first three month of use.
There are two sides to the app, and they have a different and independent structure -one for each type of user. They do converge at a single point – establishing contact after the volunteer has responded to the wheelchair user's request.
The onboarding process on this end is extremely short. It presents the benefits of the app and allows the user to experiment with it without registering at all. (Registration will be required later when the user tries to send a request for assistance and find suitable volunteers).
Volunteers, on the other hand, will go through a structured registration process.
They will be asked to enter their ID and phone numbers to confirm their identity and motivation to help. They will also need to fill in several parameters,including range of operation and available hours.
When I designed the interface, I wanted the user to use it without unnecessary effort. I chose a clean design with a strong color palette for easy use on the go.
The first screen right after entering the app is the search screen, the main purpose of the app.
For optimal adaptation, the user has accessibility filters such as navigate by wheelchair or vehicle (taking into account the nearest disabled parking lot), different accessibility clauses depending on the business type, and more.
Every result has all information the user needs - comments, photos and ranking compared with similar businesses in the area.
A floating button appears on all screens, which the user can click to call for assistance, report a hazard on the way or check a license plate in a disabled parking lot.
When the user needs to bridge an accessibility gap, he or she can make an assistance call and fill in the type and time of assistance required.
Right after the user sent his request, all volunteers in the relevant range get notified on their dashboard with help of push notification.
Volunteers define the hours and distance for which they are available. The first to accept a call, his panel becomes green and disappears for the rest.
We hope that the app will raise awareness of business accessibility and encourage business owners to improve it. To bridge the gap until that, they will be able to connect as a business owner through the volunteer login and offer a permanent assistance service on behalf of the business.
