AN EMPATHIC DESIGN APPROACH ON THE HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY (SCOTTISH BORDERS) MAIN HALL
Introduction
This presentation is aimed at practicalizing real life empathic designs.
Empathic design is a process where designers take the feelings of the users or potential users into consideration while building a product. To achieve a successful empathic design, designers have to deeply probe users on their expectations or experiences regarding the product.
A practical example of an empathic design is designing a public space for people with disabilities or impairments.
Case Design: Heriot-Watt University Main Hall (includes toilet, corridors and access to it from the car park)
Background
The Heriot-Watt University main hall is located at the school main building and is accessed by lecturers, students, non-teaching staff and visitors from different places. Although this facility is already in existence, the essence of redesigning is to identify and solve the problem of accessibility into the building, down to the main hall which is used for lectures and other activities.
Problem Statement
There are identified challenges in accessing the Heriot-Watt University (Scottish Borders) Main Hall. These challenges in accessing the facility are experienced mainly by people with disabilities and impairments who are required to attend meetings, lectures and other activities in this space.
Personas
Solutions
1. Enhancing navigation to the main hall with technology
2. Visual and Textual Information
-accessible colors, Illustrations and signs should be used to communicate in the building
3. Walkways:
All barriers need to be taken off the walkways
4. Car park access-
-Priority car park for the disabled.
-Drive-through drop off in front of the reception door
5. Door entrance-
-Automatic doors with hydraulic closers to control the speed
6. Toilets
Accessible door handles that are lower for wheelchair users, toilet will have two sinks, one lower than the other.
Bigger room to accommodate wheelchair and crutches
Accessible buzzer buttons in case of emergency.
7. Reception :
Creating them separate queue or line for the inquiry or information center.
Providing a sign-to-voice translation device.
(Which looks like simple gloves connected to an audio device like a smartphone.
While she speaks through her signs wearing these gloves, the stretchable sensors attached to the gloves will transmit the electrical signals into the voice using AI.)
OTHER PECULIAR SOLUTIONS
Lift/elevator- should always be functional or with alternatives
Ramps -
for all short and long stairs
In the event that the elevators are not functional, there should be ramps
Other doors in the building
(Hydraulic door closers to avoid slamming) Doors that close very slowly
Sitting arrangement- in main hall
Space for wheelchair will be considered
Sitting arrangement with the need to climb the stairs is difficult to access, therefore, the first row should be reserved for people with disabilities.
The first row of chairs should have a different color or tagged “RESERVED”
Style of furniture: chairs should have padded grips to avoid screeching sounds, uncontrolled movement and falls.
Sound:
There will be microphones with appropriate or considerable sound to enable students and lecturer hear each other. Bendable table mics on each table for students.
Padded walls in the hall to reduce echo and reverberations
Sketch/Diagram
Other Design Features
Difficulties faced during ideation
- Difficulty in identifying the separate needs of each disability
- Back and forth with whether to make provisions for wheelchair users
- Difficulty in understanding other people’s disability
- The challenge of trying not to create more inconveniences for the other disabilities while proffering solutions for each of them.
- Difficulty in finally agreeing on a design that is beneficial to all of the needs of our personas
REFERENCES
CONTRIBUTORS
Merlin Anna Rajan
Omotayo Adenekan
Pradeesh Rajendran Sreekala
