Street works and vision impairment: improving signing and guarding

A design research project was conducted in London to investigate the issues experienced by people with vision impairment around street works and to generate and evaluate improvements to the manner in which street works are signed and guarded. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was taken to achieve a multifaceted understanding of street works equipment and its operation. A small sample of pedestrians with a range of vision impairment was observed interacting with a range of street works. Participants were interviewed, using a series of prompts. Insights were gathered that informed new design requirements and decisions. A set of modifications were prototyped and tested against the existing signing and guarding system. Participants comprised 13 people with vision impairment. Extensive qualitative evidence was gathered, which supported the usefulness of the modified system, as well as a modest quantitative indication of reduced discomfort associated with the modifications.