Blind Timepeices
In quickly brainstorming an idea for a timepiece for a blind person, I oddly found myself immediately considering the material and look of the thing. I also pictured and used only myself as a model for the use and feel of the design. Those two processes tell me a lot about my design process… I am definitely self-centered inthat I am banking on my personal judgment to make design decisions–even when the user is foreign to me and I have no real empathy (like being blind). BUT, alas, that is my process… and I am (probably foolishly) confident in it.
As for the proposals:
The first, completed in class, in ten minutes, was all about the first flash I had… a black rubberized band of metal links with protruding nubs for describing the time. The user would wear this item and it would be beautiful and subtle. It also must feel good and work well. Think Dieter Rams and Braun.
The second design was executed quicker than the first and is in response to it: a flexible card that you can carry in your pocket etc. with the same time-telling strategy… the goals are the same as the first… but not as demanding or utopian (not everyone wants to wear a black minimal watch).
For the third run I made myself go in a different direction for sensing the time. Now, vibrations count you the time in the same hours-the-minutes format. I kept the hiding-in-pocket idea of the flexible card, but made it more ergonomic and hopefully playful/cute. (oh, and its very similar to those little vibrators… so that could be tricky).