Blind chess, photo by author

Must-knows before you read this:

1. There are several ways to define blindness. Here, the term “blind users/people” is used interchangeably with “visually impaired,” “legally blind,” “low-vision users,” or “screen reader users,” as I’m interviewing a person who is 100% blind. Medical terms are not the subject of this story and fall within the realm of health professionals.
2. Note that the story is not about color-blind users. If you want to know how to design for the color-blind, I’d suggest this article.

Beginning to know your blind user

We don’t design with blind people in mind. Not because we’re monsters or because we intentionally don’t want to make the product accessible. It’s just that blindness is a concept that’s hard to keep in mind.

One designer chose to go “blind” for a day to explore a train station (and if it’s accessible)—this was one tough experience. However, I think understanding how blind people use electronic devices is even harder than traveling and navigating the streets.

When you’re moving around in a place like a train station, even without sight, you can use sounds, touch, and maybe some help from others to find your way.

But using a phone? That’s all about visual cues — icons, buttons, text. If you can’t see them, figuring out what to tap or swipe just from audio feedback takes a lot of learning and patience.

Try using your phone like you’re blind

Turn on VoiceOver and quickly tap the screen 3 times with 3 fingers. The screen will go black. It’s called a Screen Curtain. Now, try using the phone.

The first time, it will be torture. To turn the curtain off, tap 3 times again.

How many blind users are there?

• According to the National Federation of the Blind, 2.4% of the total population in the US reported having a visual…