Content from August 18 presentation by Jutta Treviranus to the AODA Transportation Review Committee:
Inclusive Design Research Centre
- Established in 1993
- inclusive design of emerging technologies
- all things open source, open access, open standards, open data
3 dimensions of Inclusive Design
- recognize that we are all unique, enable people to understand their uniqueness, design for one-size-fits-one in an integrated way
- accessible design process, co-design with people you design for – consider: who is at the table, where is the table, what are the tools?
- consider the context and the system – impact of design decisions – ever more entangled world – encourage virtuous cycles
Experience and insights:
Amazon – people and goods – drone delivery systems
Google – wayfinding, maps and autonomous vehicle interfaces
UBER and City of Toronto – engaged community in developing UBERAssist, UBERWav and driver training in accessiblity, also consider employment of people with disabilities in transportation industry – drivers not just riders – Beethoven for drivers who are deaf
Metrolinx – Presto roll out and kiosks
Tata consulting – affordable accessible cars
Ministry of Transportation -- 100 years and inclusive culture – Happy anniversary! – very siloed by function and region – promoting "ISH" – integrated, strategic and horizontal – transformation is also supportive of inclusive design
Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative
8 research topics:
- Smart wayfinding and navigation systems
- Pre-trip Concierge and Virtualization
- Shared-Use, Automation and Robotics
- Safe Intersection Crossing
- Standard Accessible Data Platform
- Universal/Inclusive Design Standards and ICT
- Integrated Payment Systems
- Leverage Existing Technologies and Ongoing Research
Coleman Institute –Cognitive Access
- Mobility-For-All Community Access through Intelligent Mass Transportation Systems – Jim Sullivan
Qualifications
My most relevant qualification, is that I have an appreciation for what I don’t know and can’t predict.
Especially in times of change your greatest risk is hubris. You want to be very wary of anyone that claims they have the answer or a fool-proof plan – at best their focus is far too narrow.
Risk Aversion in Times of Change
In times of change --People with disabilities are your most valuable intelligence – they are the canaries in the coalmine -- the first but definitely not the last to feel an area of risk and design fail. People with disabilities can act as your early warning signal.
Complex Adaptive Systems
- Highly relevant to designing policy.
- The transportation system is a system under stress that is about to be impacted by some very disruptive technologies and practices.
- It is a system that is frayed at the edges and beyond capacity.
- People with disabilities the first to feel a design mismatch.
One important message is: avoid Cobra Effects
I played a role in a very costly Cobra effect in the development of regulations– the federal case of the Common Look and Feel and Donna Jodhan
Big Data and Research
- This committee is venturing into uncharted territory – which has dangerous blind spots – our systems of evidence and inquiry are designed to ignore this domain – research and especially big data is eliminating the noise and outliers – people with disabilities are the noise in a data set and the outliers – people with disabilities are not even the weak signals - but the data that has no pattern
- Artificial intelligence, smart systems and intelligent systems are based on data that ignores people with disabilities.
- We need to look at small, thick data, rather than big data, we need to make use of n=me research.
How to successfully intervene in a complex adaptive system?
- Leverage connection and dynamic data
- Work toward the “edge” scenario/case/requirement - the people that can't use, have difficulty using, or hate the current design or product
- Focus on transitions - between systems that view themselves as self contained but should be integrated (one municipal transit system and another, carshare programs and subways, etc.) – greatest risk factors are at the boundaries (e.g., jurisdictional boundaries)
- Focus on the interaction between dynamic and static parts – things that change and things that are resistant to change (new disruptive technologies and established services)
Broad Collaboration is Critical
Reach out across jurisdictions and areas of responsibility - do not assume that someone will build the bridges – do not abdicate responsibilities at your boundaries
Committee task and structure
- Awesome task and responsibility
- Most critical - working together – we are all in this together – whether an obligated organization or a consumer – an adversarial or fragmented stance will botch a design – we need diverse perspectives that are treated with respect and open consideration
- Want to achieve balance and what is called "dynamic equilibrium" – not just between consumers and obligated organizations but between all stakeholders
- We are not just dealing with one pivot point, but multiple pivot points – this is a multi-faceted challenge
Need agility, transparency, responsiveness, resourcefulness
- Legislation is anything but agile
- Most challenging task: How do you design regulations that provide testable criteria and clear guidance -- while at the same time, provide support for diversity, responsiveness and agility?
- Regulate process not product
- Remain technology neutral
- Support modularity and interoperability (e.g., enable alternative interfaces to car controls)
Focus on systemic interventions
- research funding and procurement should be conditional on proactive participation of people with disabilities in the research
- integration of inclusive design and accessibility curriculum in training and education
Use emerging technology for compliance monitoring
- Data gathered by services such as UBER, internet of things monitors, and open data can be used to monitor accessibility compliance for continuous improvement
One technology to be aware of:
- Blockchains and vehicle sharing without intermediaries
- What will we regulate?
Gary: “Beam me up Scotty”
One last thought:
Re-think roads, not just vehicles
Links to Microsoft Article on Inclusive Design and Inclusive Design Resources
The links above discuss the transformation of Microsoft in a Fast Company article, as well as a link to the Microsoft Inclusive Design page.
Below are a collection of transportation-related links that show emerging technologies as well as accessibility or inclusive design considerations:
Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (US)
This is an ongoing research initiative supported by the US government that provides a rich set of continuously updated resources and research reports:
http://www.its.dot.gov/research_archives/attri/attri_progress.htm
Additional links regarding connected vehicle innovations
QNX makes much of the software used in vehicles today (they are located in Ottawa and are owned by Blackberry) http://www.qnx.com/content/qnx/en.html
Taxis
Black cabs in London https://www.gov.uk/transport-disabled/taxis-and-minicabs
Accessible Kiosks
The following links are of relevance to accessible kiosks. (unfortunately the CSA standards are behind a paywall):
CAN/CSA-B651.2-07 (R2012) - Accessible Design for Self-Service Interactive Devices - http://shop.csa.ca/en/canada/accessibility/cancsa-b6512-07-r2012/invt/27026262007
CSA B651.1-09 - Accessible design for automated banking machines - http://shop.csa.ca/en/canada/accessibility/b6511-09-r2014/invt/27013202009
CSA B651-12 - Accessible design for the built environment
This provides guidance on tactile signage and accessible approach spaces.
This was in addition to the usual suspects: