Demands Continuums

Step 1:

There are 5 different capabilities in which you rate their demand scaling from Low to High. The different demands are the following:

Vision: consider the size, shape, contrast, colour and placement of the graphical and text elements.

Hearing: consider the volume, pitch, clarity and location of sounds produced by the product.

Thinking: consider how much demand the product places on a user’s memory, how much it helps the user to interpret its interface, how much attention it demands, and how much prior experience it assumes.

Reach and Dexterity: consider the forces, movements and types of grip required to use the product. The demands will increase if tasks have to be performed with the hands reached above the head or below the waist.

Mobility: consider whether the product requires the user to move around. If designing an environment or service, consider whether it provides suitable features to assist balance and support mobility aids.

Step 2:

• Create 5 continuums related to your design/product with one icon representing each capability: for example Vision - A set of eyes would be a sensible graphic representation of this demand.

• Go through each continuum and place the icons either left or right (or middle) - left indicating that it doesn’t demand a lot from the capability of the user and right indicating that it places a high demand on the user.
  

• If you’re unsure of understanding what demand is needed from each capability, look through the guiding sentences above.

• When you are finished with each category, go through the entirety of the design/product and assess whether or not its demand is too high on the user, making it exclusive to a certain group of people or whether it does not require too much, making it accessible for a broader group of people.

Step 3:

Who is this tool for?

This tool can be used by anyone creating a product, design, or service and wants to critically assess its demand on users.

Tips for running this activity online

• Pick an online whiteboard tool that allows to use a large, zoomable canvas.
• Set up each topic at a different area of the board, spread them out just like you would do it on a the walls of a room.
• Invite participants to zoom in and visit each section and add their ideas as sticky notes once you reach that section of the exercise.
• If you’re not using an online whiteboard, we’d recommend using a collaboration tool such as Google Docs to collect the information for each step under a separate heading. Invite everyone into the document but be very clear in regards to editing rights.
• Precreate your screen deck and screen share this with your participants through your video conferencing software. We’d also recommend sharing this so participants can go through the deck again during the reflection steps.
• When facilitating group discussion, we’d recommend that participants use non-verbal means to indicate they’d like to speak. You can use tools like Zoom’s nonverbal feedback tools, a reaction emoji, or just have people put their hands up.The facilitator can then invite that person to talk.