Collaborating with industrial design for the creation of educational tools
Tactile UX Design
Key overview
In the world of speech and language education, we tackled the complexity of speech mechanisms and language processes by creating tactile teaching aids. Collaborating with industrial design, we designed physical brain models that simplified anatomical locations for students and clients. After user feedback, we crafted two models, and "B" was the favorite. Our efforts resulted in successful educational aids that empowered learners of all backgrounds. We plan to further refine and expand these aids, aiming to make speech and language education accessible to all while embracing the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and intentional design.
Background
In the realm of speech and language education, the intricate anatomical locations of speech mechanisms and language processes often present a complex challenge for learners. Recognizing this gap in education, the Communicative Department at SJSU embarked on a mission to provide valuable resources that would demystify these complexities.
A bit of a pickle
The conflict lies in the complexity of speech mechanisms and language processes, which often poses a barrier to effective education. The challenge then became to develop interactive and user-friendly resources that would simplify these intricacies and make them accessible to students and clients of the speech and language department.
We took the scenic route
To address this conflict, the project aimed to develop multiple physical teaching aids which were to be designed to illuminate the locations of speech areas in the brain. These aids were envisioned as durable displays that would facilitate learning for both students and clients of the department through color and tactile input.
My journey in contributing to this educational endeavor was marked by essential interdisciplinary collaboration. Among a team of two speech and language students and one industrial design student, we collaborated on the design of multiple brain components, which included the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. We first had to consider the following questions:
”Should the brain have a stand?”
”Can the whole brain be colored and labeled?”
”How can we generalize the visual aid for multiple audiences?
”Can the brain be detachable?”
”Where will it be seen?”
”What’s the best size for it?"
Design iterations... take two
Through consistent sessions and feedback from stakeholders across the span of two months, the team finalized the design with two potential models. As much as we’d like to choose the final design, we knew it was best practice to let users decide what the final product was going to look like.
Key features of Model A
Detachable lobes of the brain
A stand
No grain or color
Larger than actual brain
Model B
Fixed, but labeled lobes of the brain
No stand
Grain and color
True-to-size size of actual brain
Our findings
Because the brain was 3D-printed, a careful balance between inclusion of features and practicality of limited resources had to be carefully considered for the development of each model. After the implementation of more data collection methods, a little above 80% of our target population of users voted that they’d rather handle the “B” model comparatively to “A.” We discovered that grain, size, and color were all essential factors that helped our users learn and distinguish parts of the brain from one another.
Beyond designing the physical models, I delved into the realm of written content, simplifying the associated copy to ensure that the physiological features and neurological processes were explained in an accessible and digestible manner. The copy provided definitions and direct insight into each section of the manipulable prototype.
The big showdown
When we returned from summer, the culmination of our efforts, which included teams from the departments of Speech-Language Pathology and Industrial Design, led to a successful reception of the educational aides. Parents, students, and department members appreciated the level of meticulous thought we had employed in designing the brain components for a variety of audiences. Not only did the tangible material and copy assist first-year graduate students in their neurological understanding of speech processes, but even parents and clients were able to access a deeper comprehension of the complex mechanics behind speech and language.
The calm after the storm
The fruits of our labor included the creation of an essential educational aide, the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, which shed light on intricate anatomical structures and processes. Incorporating color and tactile components engaged learners through sensory input, simplifying the learning experience. While developing the product, working within a multidisciplinary project allowed for nuanced discussions about learning and user expectations, ensuring that the educational aids catered to diverse needs and learning styles.
The closing chapter... for now
Looking ahead, the next steps involve continuous improvement and expansion. Further refinement of these educational aids, potentially incorporating technology for interactive learning, is on the horizon. The goal remains clear: to enlighten minds and empower learners, ensuring that the complexities of speech and language education are accessible to all who seek knowledge. This project stands not only as a testament to the power of collaboration across multiple disciplines in the realms of education and design, but as my first interaction with intentional design. Simply put, I was hooked and began looking for other places where accessibility in design could be applied.
