Designing Mobile Interaction Guidelines to Account for Situationally Induced Impairments and Disabilities (SIID) and Severely Constraining Situational Impairments (SCSI)

TL;DR

This paper explores the diverse types of situational impairments affecting mobile users, proposing a classification system and guidelines to improve mobile interaction design for users facing these constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a classification system for situational impairments and proposes design guidelines to accommodate severely constraining scenarios in mobile interactions.

Findings

Developed a classification system for SIE and SCSI.

Identified user workarounds and social barriers in mobile interaction.

Proposed guidelines for designing mobile interfaces considering SIE and SCSI.

Abstract

This research investigates the variety and complexity of situational impairment events (SIE) that are being experienced by users of smartphone technology of all abilities. The authors have created a classification system to help describe the different types of SIE as well as differentiate a certain subgroup of events that were identified as severely constraining. Continuing research examined workarounds that users deploy when attempting to complete a mobile I/O transaction in the presence of an SIE, as well as social/cultural barriers to attempting mobile interaction that users recognize but do not always follow. The ultimate goal of this research arc would be the creation of guidelines to assist mobile designers and researchers in the accounting of SIE and perhaps different design considerations for those events deemed severely constraining.