Project Category
Partnership
Mobile App Design
Accessibility Design
My role
UX Designer
Design System
Product
Onboarding app for a mobility aid device
Timeline
4 months
Team
3 UX Designers, 2 graphic designers
Sierra Biddulph, Annabelle Neher, Osasere Ojo, Gracie Wade, Quan Le
Onboarding for Blind and Low Vision Users
A digital experience that empowers Blind and Low-Vision users to navigate with ease and independence.
Glidance is a company found in 2023. They developed Glide, an AI-powered mobility aid designed to assist blind and low vision (BLV) users in navigating independently.
In January 2024, I had an opportunity to collaborate with Glidance and designed their first companion app to streamline the onboarding experience for BLV users.
The Glide device was featured on NBC's Today Show and having been selected as one of NBC’s The Today Show’s Most Favorite Products from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025.
Check out the video below for detail.
Video of the NBC's Today Show, featuring Glidance
Problem
Glidance is launching a mobility aid device for people with vision impairments. They need an app to onboard their users and help them learn more about the product. Given Glidance's unique user group, our goal is to create an intuitive onboarding experience that empowers blind and low-vision users to unlock the full potential of their device.
Key Results
400+
initial concepts and original ideas
42
UI screens delivered to Glidance
10
Empathy and Discovery Workshops
04
usability testings with BLV users
A colleague wearing visual simulation goggles to simulate the blind experience
Stepping into the world of Blind and Low Vision
We started the project without any knowledge about blindness and low vision conditions.
We faced 3 main challenges
1
None of us had prior knowledge about blindness and other vision losses.
2
The BLV user group is almost inaccessible, especially blind individuals.
3
Limited online resources on developing and testing an app for BLV users.
We initially assumed that blindness is a complete darkness. However, it's more complicated than that. The definition of blindness can range from not seeing anything at all to having some degree of vision loss.
To better understand and build empathy with our user, we conducted many workshops and user interviews to put ourselves in the shoes of BLV individuals. These workshops not only shred the light on their day to day life but also revealed the obstacles they encounter everyday.
How we build empathy with users
Learning from the Life Experience of a Blind User
Putting insights together
Journey Map Draft from a Whiteboarding Session
Based on feedback from over 400 survey participants, Glidance provided us with 5 personas representing their target users, each with unique needs and pain points.
User Journey Maps (Glidance Confidential)
Aligning User Goal and Business Goal
A successful business is built on user success. By listening to both users and stakeholders, we design solutions that not only address user needs but also drive business growth
Process update call with Glidance team
Low-fidelity wireframe sketches
Learning through audio with accessible navigation
Design with Screen-reader-friendly practices, Allowing blind users to navigate with ease and confidence.
Visual preferences accommodate a wide range of vision conditions
Large text is the default setting for users with low vision, ensuring better readability and accessibility.
Design with Screen Reader and Accessibility Best Practices
Video transcript provides more clarity in accessing the content
Accessible buttons for audio navigation
Easy-to-navigate instruction with a clear header and button
Progress indicator tells users how far they are in the process
Large text for users with low vision
Balanced contrast to minimize eye strain
Clear heading for screen reader navigation, succinctly describing the content
High-Fidelity Prototype of the Learning Page
High-Fidelity Wireframes with Dev Notes to Keep Designers and Developers in Sync
High-fidelity Wireframes with Dev notes
Validating the design by testing Prototype using the Wizard of Oz Method
The Wizard of Oz testing with a BLV user
To validate the design, we conducted usability testing at each checkpoint using the Wizard of Oz method. Since we had a unique user group and the prototype specifically designed for screen readers, this approach allowed us to quickly test the design without coding and programming constraints, enhancing efficiency and expediting the process.
The Wizard of Oz method is a moderated research method in which a user interacts with an interface that appears to be autonomous but is (fully or partially) controlled by a human.
(Nielsen Norman Group)
Brainstorming through rapid ideation
Innovation comes with creativity, we created 800+ initial concept using crazy 8's method covering entire in-app experience from Before Device Arrive to Learning the Device
By using Crazy 8s, my team and I generated over 800 creative ideas to design a comprehensive in-app experience. The ideation process covered 5 key phases: Logging In, Before Device Arrives, Device Arrives, Learning Device, and Community, reflecting a comprehensive in-app experience.
Crazy 8s Brainstorming Panel
Identifying the Quick Wins
To ensure our concepts were achievable and innovative, we evaluated them using the Impact & Feasibility Matrix, choosing 12 impactful features
Feasibility Matrix
Competitive Analysis
We learned industry standard and best practices by conducting Competitive Analysis of the WeWalk App
Our Competitive Analysis focused on identifying patterns and best practices in accessible design for blind and low-vision users.
We conducted a detailed assessment of WeWalk App, a competitor offering a similar product, to analyze their platform's accessibility and user experience
Since there was no industry standard, we navigated the app with the screen reader, especially the Onboarding Process to simulate an experience of a BLV user.
We found 5 valuable practices that the WeWalk App had done well and translated them into the following applicable insights:
1
Simple Design
Clean and simple interface for easy navigation
2
Content-Based Layout
A clear and structured format for screen readers to easily interpret
3
Visual Preferences
A visual setting that allows users to select different screen modes according to their visual condition
4
Large Buttons
Easy-to-tap controls and enhanced visibility for seamless interactions
5
Audio Integration
Voice guidance for better accessibility
Wireframe Design
Materializing intangible concepts by turning them into Wireframe Sketches and Mobile Screens
We transformed abstract ideas into tangible designs by creating detailed wireframe sketches and mobile screens. This process brought clarity to the user journey, enabling us to visualize and iterate on key interactions.
Low-fidelity Wireframes
Mid-fidelity Wireframes with Dev notes
Design Handoff
We delivered the final concept to Glidance by creating a clear and comprehensive Design Handoff, ensuring a smooth transitioning to Glidance team and developers
8 key items included in the Design Handoff
1
A start-to-end user flow
2
Complete VoiceOver annotations
4
Component breakdowns and specifications
5
Module copywriting instructions
6
A guide to conduct the Wizard of Oz testing
7
Design best practices for BLV users
8
Future app recommendation
What I've learned
Working with BLV users has inspired me to become an accessibility advocate
This project brought me a first and unique opportunity to work with blind and low vision individuals. My perspective about UX Design has changed from an in-app experience to a more holistic interaction, in which I have to account for not only user vision, but also their cognitive differences. I realized that UX Design entails more than just mobile features and UI components, it was empathy, understanding, and research methods are an essential toolkit that helps designers bridge the gap between assumption and reality.
Key takeaways
1
Ambiguity can open the door to creativity and innovation
2
When there was no industry standard, we had to create our own, and the best way to validate it was by testing with real users
3
Being blind doesn’t mean a user can’t see; they observe the world in different ways. A UX Designer should consider a wide range of user needs and create an accessible digital environment that allows all users to navigate with ease
4
Design Handoff is a critical bridge between designers and developers. By creating a clear and accessible documentation, we can reduce the fiction in the product development, making it easier for developers to bring designs to life
Digital Experience Team. From the left: Quan Le (UX Designer), Annabelle Neher (Graphic Designer), Sierra Biddulph (UX Designer)