6-Month Degree Project at The National College of Art & Design, Dublin.
•Winner, Products and Services category of the Universal Design Grand Challenge 2020.
•Winner, Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation award 2020.
•Shortlisted for the IDI Graduate Design Awards 2020.
•Highly Commended for the Global Undergraduate Awards.
•Winner, Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation award 2020.
•Shortlisted for the IDI Graduate Design Awards 2020.
•Highly Commended for the Global Undergraduate Awards.
The Overview
When we think of design for disability, we often only think of wheelchairs and accessibility ramps. However, the majority of people with diversities have invisible conditions. My final year project, Flo, focuses on designing for neurodiversity and considers how we can support people in navigating the public environment.
The Topic
Roughly 1 in 8 individuals have some kind of neurodiversity, including a broad range of conditions such as Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia. Our built environment often does not accommodate invisible disabilities, resulting in the exclusion of 93% of the neurodiverse population (Visability93).
The Idea
Flo is a wayfinding service that assists visitors in navigating exhibition spaces, such as galleries and museums. The curation of exhibition spaces is rarely considerate enough of the different sensory needs of neurodiverse individuals. Flo provides guests with the ability to curate their visits to their personal needs.
The Flo Service
The service begins with a welcome kiosk located in the lobby, where you will curate your visit to your needs.
Reassurance points are located at hot points in the gallery. These allow you to call for staff assistance, change the route you’re currently following or simply reassure yourself that you're on the right route.
The navigation tool was designed to guide a person through the space by following the simple arrow on the front of the device. The low visual impact of the device is simple and easy to understand, particularly when compared to the abundance of signs and overcomplicated maps that are often present in exhibition spaces. Having a physical, tactile object can also be of comfort to people who feel overwhelmed in public spaces.
The Flo Device
The device was built with manufacturing in mind. The main body is composed of two moulded pieces with interior supports for components to be mounted and fixed. The body is then attached to a removable lanyard which the user can wear around their wrist or neck.
Information Architecture
The device communicates user navigation using a simple traffic light system. By incorporating a visual system that people are already familiar with, the amount of time needed to onboard people is reduced.
The Packaging & Branding
The visual identity is inspired by the journeys and pathways people follow while using Flo.
Sketch Visualisation
