2022 · Student work

Honours Project: Walkthrough

My final-year honours project at the University of Dundee.

'Walkthrough' is an interactive audio guide for museums, designed for people who have a sensory processing disorder (SPD), with the aim of reducing the risk of sensory overload.

'Walkthrough' works by registering for a card, which is brought every time while visiting a museum. Users tap their card on the readers next to the exhibits and it will give audio information to the user's personal Bluetooth headphones. The content and amount of information given to the user will vary based on age, disabilities, and language preferences.

A hand tapping a Walkthrough card on a white reader mounted beside a museum display case

A video of how 'Walkthrough' works

Images from ProductXInteraction Degree Show 2022

Project book acknowledgements page thanking family, tutors and the experts who advised on the project

Project book contents page, covering research, sensory disabilities, early prototypes and the redesign

Second contents page, covering the Walkthrough rebrand, service design, website, prototype and reflection

About the Designer spread with Rachel's photo and a statement about user-centred, accessible design

Project statement spread: a card being tapped on a reader beside text explaining how Walkthrough helps people with SPD

Initial Inspiration spread explaining how an earlier project on the sense of smell led to designing for the senses

Postcard brief spread with a bold illustration of an eye, ear and mouth beside notes on sensory impairments

Spread with sensory impairment icons and a recruitment leaflet asking people with sensory impairments to take part in research

Research Findings spread summarising interviews with an inclusion consultant and V&A Dundee's accessibility team

Types of Sensory Disabilities spread explaining sensory impairments, with a colourful line drawing of a face

Spread explaining sensory differences, such as autism, and sensory processing disorder, each with an illustration

Spread explaining the shift in target market to people with hidden SPDs such as dyslexia, in a museum setting

Sensory Overload spread with an illustration of a distressed woman covering her ears

Comic strip of Rachel explaining how noise triggers her sensory overload, with common causes like crowds and loud music

Mark Zero spread showing paper sketch prototypes of a tablet app and an interactive wristband

Paper wristband prototype with 'Your Story' and Bluetooth icons, beside a storyboard of its calm and story settings

Autoethnography spread listing findings from a visit to V&A Dundee: own noise comforted, crowds avoided, guides preferred

Four diary pages with photos documenting Rachel's autoethnography visit to V&A Dundee

Subconscious app prototype screens: main menu and connecting a wristband over Bluetooth

App screens showing saved museums and a traffic-light visitor scale indicating how busy each museum is by hour

The Re-Design spread explaining problems with Mark(I): no user control, costly wristbands and bland branding

Mark(II) spread explaining the rename from Subconscious to Walkthrough

Spread on choosing RFID cards like a library card, with a mood board of accessible museum and charity brands

Spread showing the licensed museum illustration, edited to add headphones and turn tour guides into green 'ghosts'

Service blueprint showing the journey from deciding to visit a museum to registering, tapping the card and hearing tailored audio

Screenshots of the Walkthrough website homepage and card registration form

Screenshots of the Walkthrough website's participating museums page and About page

Prototype wall with an RFID reader fitted in it, and the Raspberry Pi and RFID reader that power it

Five user persona cards with name, date of birth and audio language, beside an illustration of a woman tapping her card

Benefit for Museums spread on accessibility, visitor route data and insight into what visitors listen to

Critical Analysis spread reflecting on narrowing the focus, dropping the wristband and giving users control via RFID

Reflection spread: Walkthrough is a sound first step that could expand to more conditions

Back cover reading 'Honours Project, Rachel Reid' with the illustrated museum visitors