Discussion notes from Accessibility Camp Seattle 2019
We came up with a general list of different use cases that maps address.
- where am I?
- where am I in relation to something?
- how do I get there? (for example Google Maps navigation)
- where is something else in relation to me? (for example Glympse)
- what is around me or along my route?
- there is a set of places (for example Store Locator maps)
- there is a geographic dataset that we need to use or analyze (for example Geographic Information Systems analysis, Tableau maps - adding this one after the conference)
In our discussions it became apparent that having alternate interfaces available may be helpful regardless of accessibility needs. Here are some specific considerations we discussed.
- different levels of vision
- for blind users, non-visual interfaces (voice, haptic)
- for low vision users, being able to use magnification and increase text size. Normally, zooming in does not increase label text size and map remains unusable.
- color contrast (for low vision or colorblindness)
- different levels or states of distractability - may include ADHD, driving, biking, or multitasking, states of emotional crisis
- only including the information or labels that the user needs
- appropriate default zoom that makes it easy to assess the map at a glance
- minimising animation
- vestibular disorders
- minimising animation
- different ways of thinking about and describing space
- distances: blocks vs feet or meters
- direction: north vs forward (if the direction you are facing can be detected)
- using landmarks vs street names
- potentially landmarks using different senses, for example an auto body shop or a fountain may be a good landmark using hearing
- In making a voice interface for a map that describes a constantly changing situation (for example someone driving to your location), what is the balance between being informative and not being disruptive?
- Consider whether the window is currently in focus, if not in focus only interrupt with key information.
- Have auditory cues for significant events or changes (for example, the ETA has increased, they are a mile away, they are 5 minutes away)
- Is it possible to have a less-animated or non-animated version of maps used to show a moving object, without sacrificing needed detail?
- Potentially reducing how often the map needs to move and how fast things need to move on the map by zooming out
- What is an accessible way to present pinpoints? For example for a Store Locator
- list vs map
- how much metadata to include? Potentially let the user customize this?
Light apps
Virtual map apps
Is it possible to have a Braille display for maps?
Haptic feedback
- sometimes used in conjunction with voice interfaces, for example on smart watches
- imagining future tech: what if we could have haptic feedback when touching a map, and it would mirror the texture or sound of that area in the real world. For example representing grass vs pavement vs water.
Lists vs maps
- anecdotally, some user testing shows lists can be a good substitute for maps
We also discussed maps that would be helpful to accessibility outside of technology use.
- mapping where audible crosswalks are
- mapping where curb cuts are
Where might we get data for these maps?
- smart cities initiatives
- crowdsourcing the data (using OpenStreetMap?)
- how to provide mixed directions, such as for driving and walking, or biking and transit
- how to detect changes from one mode to another (potentially detecting a change in speed or reaching a station)
- how to have one continuous flow of voice directions, without having to re-enter a trip or restart the app.
- how to accurately present vertical movement in giving directions (for example going in and out of transit tunnel)
- Interactive Map Accessibility Principles article by Accessibility Oz
- Wiki about accessible maps from W3C
- Article about map accessibility from the Carnegie Museums Web Accessibility Guidelines