Vision Impairment Exploration Exercise

As I am currently working on a project that involves a client with a visual impairment, I participated in an activity where I could simulate what a person with that condition can and cannot see. Myself and a partner wore sunglasses with petroleum jelly applied to the inside of the lenses, which greatly reduced our vision and made it difficult to decipher shapes, colors, light, and depth. Walking around in public spaces, I had to be guided by my partner to navigate even areas that I was relatively familiar with. Some places were much more easy to view than others, for instance, a library with a lot of natural light was far easier to see than the ground floor of a building with no windows. What I found most interesting was how some spaces seemed to accommodate more towards those with visual impairments, like ATMs that had braille and audio cues to aid with monetary transactions. Some spaces did not, however, and were extremely difficult to maneuver. This included areas with highly reflective surfaces like glass or metal. The biggest help, and something important that I will take away from this design-wise, will definitely be the use of color contrast and how much this aids in deciphering between different areas. Stairs are a good example of this, with colored strips applied as tread for better visibility between each step.