When I graduated with a master’s degree, I initially worried that I should have pursued a core digital design discipline, to be more employable by big-name companies. But, as time went on, I have realised how fortunate I was to have engaged in a niche discipline like universal design / accessible design—something very few design universities offered back then. I was part of one of the first batches in the Universal Design program at the National Institute of Design , and this was a unique opportunity to understand and shape a new discipline, paving the way towards making the world more accessible. I am truly grateful to Ravishankar V S , who let us experiment and develop innovative ways of universal design thinking. ( Here is a link to Universal design India Principles that were created by his team back in 2011 , an interesting read.)
Service Accessibility Mapping Example
It only came to my attention recently, when looking through some of the projects I had done six or seven years ago at university, that we were actually attempting to marry the ideas of accessibility and user - service journeys.
Accessibility mapping of 3 personas
We mapped out several ways in which three personas would navigate real-world services, the challenges they might meet, and what assistive technologies could help them. This exercise was important in understanding different user needs, recognising barriers that could exist, and potentially designing solutions to surmount those barriers.
Persona A: A 52-year-old homemaking mother, experiencing loss in the central visual field due to macular degeneration.
Persona B: A 35-year-old data entry operator with total blindness from acute glaucoma two years ago.
Persona C: A 24-year-old final-year BA student born blind.
Assistive technologies mapping
Why a Service Accessibility Blueprint is Essential
Traditionally, service blueprints outline the entire customer experience from first contact to final resolution and specify touchpoints, processes, and interactions between the customer and the service provider. By adding an accessibility layer, we ensure that each touchpoint, process, and interaction is designed thoughtfully and inclusively.
It would give you a bigger picture of the processes and is the best way to appraise any organization's service. It also helps to prioritise areas of problem requiring immediate refurbishment in both physical and digital interactions.
An Accessibility Service Blueprint will do so much more than make an organization compliant. Although ROI should not be the primary objective, focusing on accessibility has the following significant advantages:
Expanding Customer Base: Accessible services are very appealing to many other segments of the market—people with disabilities, older adults, and people with temporary impairments.
Improved Customer Satisfaction: Due to the nature of accessible services that make them easy to use and more intuitive by everyone else, there may be better customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
Building Positive Brand Reputation: It makes companies that treat accessibility as a priority look more inclusive and socially responsible, thus building brand reputation and creating customer loyalty. The organisations that genuinely focus on accessibility within the competitive markets of this century will be better positioned to win, retain, and serve their customers, and drive innovation.
Co-create
In the uni studio sessions, we conducted a lot of secondary research and role-playing to test various service journeys. At the same time, we placed great importance on co-designing with target users. Engaging persons with disabilities in the design process helped us realize possible pain points much better, and areas for improvement. Participatory design is important for organisations to receive real-world Insights and authentic feedback for development of User-Centric solutions, validating decisions and testing.
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