Stories from the GReAT project

Participatory Design

Abi Roper Division of Language and Communication Science

Department of Human Computer Interaction Design City University London

Talk Outline

� What is Aphasia?

� Participatory Design

� The GReAT Project � Overview � Overcoming challenges to the typical design

process � Lessons learnt – aphasia accessibility � Outcomes and implications

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What is Aphasia?

� Language difficulty affecting around one third of people who have had a stroke

� Difficulty finding words and constructing sentences

� Difficulty understanding words and sentences

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What is Aphasia?

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Video example

Aphasia - prevalence �  About 250,000 people living with aphasia in the

UK (Speakability, www.speakability.org.uk)

�  Approximately 45,000 new cases each year (Office of National Statistics, 2001)

�  “Aphasia affects about one million Americans [..] and is more common than Parkinson's Disease, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. More than 100,000 Americans acquire the disorder each year. However, most people have never heard of it.”(National Aphasia Association, USA)

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Participatory Design

“… the direct involvement of people in the co-design of things and technologies they use.”

(http://pdc2012.org/about.html)

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Methods include

• Participant talk describing what a person is doing as they are doing it • Role-play • Work involving detailed written material • Work involving abstracted ideas

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The GReAT Project (Gesture Recognition in Aphasia Therapy)

Aim: to develop a computer-based gesture therapy tool using participatory design methods

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Naturalistic “Camera” Gesture

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Tanya

Stroke: 9 years ago Technology: Skype, Facebook Language: Short sentences spoken. Reading difficult

Tom

Stroke: 3 years ago

Technology: some email

Language: Single words and phrases

Ann

Stroke: 24 years ago Technology: no computer or mobile phone use Language: Single words spoken. Good spoken understanding

Martin

Stroke: 3 years ago Technology: no computer or mobile phone use Language: One or two words spoken. Difficulties understanding

Sarah

Stroke: 3 years ago Technology: iPhone, Wii Language: Short sentences spoken. Reads single words

Participants

Participants

Sam

Technical Researcher and Software Developer Experience: Gesture recognition, computer vision, machine learning

Julia

Human Computer Interaction Researcher Experience: Innovations in healthcare technology, augmented communication for people with cerebral palsy

Abi

Speech and Language Researcher Experience: Speech and language therapy, computer therapy applications in aphasia

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Methods

Participatory workshop series including 2/3 people with aphasia and 2/3 researchers Absent • Participant talk describing what a person is doing as they are doing it • Role-play • Work involving detailed written material • Work involving abstracted ideas

Present • Strong focus on hands-on methods • Multiple concrete examples

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Challenges to the typical design process

and possible resolutions

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Session Structure

1.  Introduction  to  scheduled  activities

2.  Round table gesture activity  

3.  Demonstration of technology

4.  Trial use of technology by one consultant followed

by interview at computer  

5.  Tea break

6.  Trial use of technology by remaining consultant(s)

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Language Difficulties and the Design Process

Challenge • Eliciting detailed responses to materials

Resolutions • Careful material choice • Adjustments to activity structure • Additional time provision

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Abstraction of Information and the Design Process

Challenge • Comprehending and making projections about imagined / abstract scenarios

Resolutions • Provide multiple concrete examples • Carry out discussions in situ • Avoid use of highly abstracted ideas

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Information Retention & Retrieval and the Design Process

Challenge • Reflecting and commenting on activities from the recent or not-so-recent past

Resolutions • Provision of structured interview • Recall carried out directly after activity • Recall/commentary facilitated by demonstration

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�  Video of participatory design

Distractions and the Design Process

Challenge  • Maintaining  the  necessary  focus  to  access  and  feed  back  upon  ac5vi5es    

Resolu-ons  • Ac5vi5es  carried  out  one  par5cipant  at  a  5me  • Background  distrac5ons  kept  to  a  minimum  • Filler/rest  ac5vi5es  provided  (tea  breaks!)  

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How to overcome design process challenges

� Time � Demonstration / Interaction � Concrete examples � Simplicity

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Outcomes for Participants with Aphasia

Tanya

Improved confidence

Liked working with a speech and language therapist who understood her aphasia

Tom

Having people with aphasia involved in design “was good.”

Ann

Enjoyed the sessions – specifically the gesturing and games

Martin Improved confidence: “…there, and there, and there”

Sarah

Improved gesturing Sometimes frustrating working with those less able to communicate

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Outcomes for Participants with Aphasia

All reported that they had been listened to and their opinions taken into account All reported that they would take part in something similar again

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Lessons Learnt

Aphasia Accessibility

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The Prototype - GeST

OK

 

 ←  →

1.  Consistency #HCID2013

2.  Simplicity

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Lessons from the GReAT project

1.  Consistency  2.  Simplicity  3.  Rewards  

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4.  Individual  Differences  

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5.  Poten5al  of  Gaming  

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Lessons from the GReAT project

1.  Consistency 2.  Simplicity 3. Rewards 4.  Individual Differences 5.  Potential of ‘Gaming’

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Outcomes from the GReAT project

Therapy tool has since been used with 10 people in their homes Establishment of further projects involving people with aphasia in the review and development of technological applications

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Implications

Possible to include people with aphasia in a participatory design model

The choice to do so informs both choice of methods and ultimate design

Critically, the process empowers the user group

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Thank You

Website:  www.soi.city.ac.uk/great    

Vimeo:  www.vimeo.com/aphasiatech      

Email:  Abi.Roper.1@city.ac.uk  

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