BALLHERE

For people with visual impairments, enjoying sports games is extremely difficult. Numerous statistics reveal the challenges they face when trying to appreciate sports, which often leads many to give up following the games altogether.

Moreover, soccer poses an even greater challenge, as its commentaries are delivered at a much faster pace than other sports. When unable to fully grasp the information through commentary, individuals with visual impairments often experience frustration and helplessness.

BALLHERE offers an experience that allows visually impaired individuals to imagine the game in greater detail through commentary and to engage more actively in watching sports.

For people with visual impairments, enjoying sports games is extremely difficult. Numerous statistics reveal the challenges they face when trying to appreciate sports, which often leads many to give up following the games altogether.

Moreover, soccer poses an even greater challenge, as its commentaries are delivered at a much faster pace than other sports. When unable to fully grasp the information through commentary, individuals with visual impairments often experience frustration and helplessness.

BALLHERE offers an experience that allows visually impaired individuals to imagine the game in greater detail through commentary and to engage more actively in watching sports.

video link (YouTube)

User Journey at a Glance

User Journey at a Glance

Location

Seoul, Korea

Date

2021.7~2022.11

Focus

Universal Design

In-depth Research

Product Design

Universal Design

In-depth Research

Product Design

Challenge

When we think about user experience, it is often easier to imagine the experience of users who are not so different from ourselves. In those cases, saying “if I were the user” feels relatively natural, and the sense of uncertainty is limited.

However, this was not the case for people with visual impairments. As someone with full vision, I found it difficult to imagine what they feel before, during, and after watching a soccer match, or how they process and make sense of the game through their own emotional and cognitive experiences.

Results

While assumptions and hypotheses are often necessary for designers, they can also lead us away from what truly matters when they become overly subjective or biased. In this project, I was able to understand and empathize with the thought processes of users I initially believed I could not fully comprehend, without prejudice. Through this, I came to feel the beauty of user experience research.

Research / Persona


Idea development


For The key function of this product is haptic interaction provided through a vibrating element in the shape of Braille, which is familiar to the visually impaired. Based on research on usability obtained through mock-ups, I adjusted the functions and size of the product to enable the visually impaired to actively and comfortably watch a soccer game.

I designed the mockup according to the planned size for subsequent usability testing. I considered a size that would be convenient for visually impaired users to place on their laps while watching soccer, and created buttons that are physically easy to touch and have raised shapes to indicate their functions.



Vibration Patterns

Users are already capable of analyzing various vibration patterns. Based on information about the ball's location and height obtained through these patterns, they can visualize multiple situations in a soccer game. Ballhere does not simply convey the ball's position to the user's fingers; it provides a variety of vibration patterns to help users more concretely imagine the dynamic flow of the game, thereby assisting their understanding of match situations and facilitating interactions between users and the soccer game.


App support

Users are already capable of analyzing various vibration patterns. Based on information about the ball's location and height obtained through these patterns, they can visualize multiple situations in a soccer game. Ballhere does not simply convey the ball's position to the user's fingers; it provides a variety of vibration patterns to help users more concretely imagine the dynamic flow of the game, thereby assisting their understanding of match situations and facilitating interactions between users and the soccer game.




Thank you