Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Survey for BVI community app (self.Blind)
submitted by ipro497_downey
Good afternoon!
I am a student at Illinois Institute of Technology currently enrolled in a summer course where we come up with problem statements and our goal is to find a solution for our users. Our proposed solution is an app for BVI individuals to give or look for advice. In this app, you would be able to pick from topics such as cooking, working, reading and be connected to other users who are also interested in getting tips or helping others with these topics. There would also be an option to just talk to other BVI individuals. The goal of this app is to create a community for BVI people to talk to others on a platform that is exclusive to them and hopefully help new members of the BVI community to feel more confident and supported in their daily life. Below is a link to a survey where you can share if you think this app would be helpful.
Also, from our research it is to our understanding that Google Forms is a friendlier option for screen readers. If there are any problems please let me know. Thank you for your time!
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Here is the shortened link for the survey :
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I am a student at Illinois Institute of Technology currently enrolled in a summer course where we come up with problem statements and our goal is to find a solution for our users. Our proposed solution is an app for BVI individuals to give or look for advice. In this app, you would be able to pick from topics such as cooking, working, reading and be connected to other users who are also interested in getting tips or helping others with these topics. There would also be an option to just talk to other BVI individuals. The goal of this app is to create a community for BVI people to talk to others on a platform that is exclusive to them and hopefully help new members of the BVI community to feel more confident and supported in their daily life. Below is a link to a survey where you can share if you think this app would be helpful.
Also, from our research it is to our understanding that Google Forms is a friendlier option for screen readers. If there are any problems please let me know. Thank you for your time!
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Here is the shortened link for the survey :
$1
keefklaar 3 points 2y ago
You're literally posting in a place created for blind/VI people, for help in creating a community for blind/VI people where we already talk about all the things you mentioned and more.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
Hello! Yes we understand there are already online communities for BVI people including Reddit which has thousands of different communities. The communities for BVI people are only a handful on here though, we are proposing an app that is designed to be easily accessible and not just a dot in a big picture. I hope this clears up our idea and thank you for your feedback!
TechnicalPragmatist 3 points 2y ago
As u/rethunker suggests I am willing to chat with you. I’ve had many experiences in these communities. And I’ve made my observations in them and understand how they work.n some of them beneficial and some of them. Not so much. He’s correct that it would give you more depth about why such a thing will work or not work. I’ve found the survey now and I’ll reply to you in detail in a separate post. Please reach out. I am not trying to be a negative nancy or a Karen here.truly. I thought I’d just tell you the truth on this matter. I could lie to you and say bravo!!!!! This is an excellent excellent. Idea but what will that do for you. Find another project that is more productive and work on it. Maybe an app that will sell to work point of sale machines? Work on some more stuff for android. Maybe? Maybe like a good reddit blind client for android? Learn from dystopia? Trying to give you some ideas here. But solve a real. Problem and let’s not solve a problem that already exist. I mean……. You’re not going to try to keep solving an IT ticket that’s already closed right, when everyone is saying man, it’s okay we already handled it we already solved this stuff there’s 10 others it tickets please go work on those.
Rethunker 3 points 2y ago
A few points:
1. "The communities for BVI people are only a handful" -- why do you perceive a small number of communities as a problem?
2. "\[W\]e are proposing an app that is designed to be easily accessible" -- how will it be more accessible than Reddit? Facebook? Twitter? u/TechnicalPragmatist named several other communities.
3. "...not just a dot in a big picture." Finding r/Blind on Reddit--a community that is active and growing--is as simple as a google search. **Finding one app among the millions of apps in the App Store or in Google Play** isn't necessarily easier, especially since the app would have to be downloaded, learned, etc., before someone could determine whether it's worthwhile to use. And if you rely on word of mouth, well, sites like Reddit have already built up from word of mouth.
What would make your app **ten times better for BVI people** than Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites? Because if it's not markedly better, it's unlikely to gain traction.
I understand this is a summer project, but your form mentions this is "an app we're thinking about," so there's still time to pivot before you start writing code.
**If two or three people who reply on Reddit say such communities you propose already exist, you've already got valuable feedback.** Listen to your prospective users! You're getting answers in greater depth than your survey will reveal.
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Folks here on r/Blind frequently get requests to take surveys. Please read this post:
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Once in a great while a request to take a survey or answer questions about a product earns a lot of upvotes. Here's one:
$1
John Gray of Netflix didn't really survey people: he started a conversation.
You may be required to create a survey for your course, but if you could engage BVI people in your community in one-on-one discussions, you'd learn a lot more. That can be difficult during the pandemic, in which case starting a conversation here on r/Blind is an alternative. Then after you've quickly checked--and invalidated--a lot of assumptions, you'd be in better position to craft a survey in which you ask not whether people want X, but whatever people want **most** of several features you've already validated as desirable.
Regarding your survey:
Your survey uses a 1 - 5 rating scale (a Likert scale) for which only the lowest and highest values have descriptions. That's common practice, but there are problems both in usability and in the validity of the data from Likert scales. For a more complete review of the problems of Likert scales, read the short (and cheap) but excellent book by Matthew Champagne called The Survey Playbook:
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You don't provide a means for people to give you their address for follow-up. A survey can be just the beginning of a relationship with the survey takers, who may later become app testers. Instead of collecting emails, you might ask for Reddit user names.
Finally, it sounds like your app is trying to do too many things: people can seek advice, give advice, OR connect "just ... to make friends." An app should do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Make sure you're making one thing people want, then put all of your effort into that one thing.
Good luck!
1. "The communities for BVI people are only a handful" -- why do you perceive a small number of communities as a problem?
2. "\[W\]e are proposing an app that is designed to be easily accessible" -- how will it be more accessible than Reddit? Facebook? Twitter? u/TechnicalPragmatist named several other communities.
3. "...not just a dot in a big picture." Finding r/Blind on Reddit--a community that is active and growing--is as simple as a google search. **Finding one app among the millions of apps in the App Store or in Google Play** isn't necessarily easier, especially since the app would have to be downloaded, learned, etc., before someone could determine whether it's worthwhile to use. And if you rely on word of mouth, well, sites like Reddit have already built up from word of mouth.
What would make your app **ten times better for BVI people** than Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites? Because if it's not markedly better, it's unlikely to gain traction.
I understand this is a summer project, but your form mentions this is "an app we're thinking about," so there's still time to pivot before you start writing code.
**If two or three people who reply on Reddit say such communities you propose already exist, you've already got valuable feedback.** Listen to your prospective users! You're getting answers in greater depth than your survey will reveal.
$1
Folks here on r/Blind frequently get requests to take surveys. Please read this post:
$1
Once in a great while a request to take a survey or answer questions about a product earns a lot of upvotes. Here's one:
$1
John Gray of Netflix didn't really survey people: he started a conversation.
You may be required to create a survey for your course, but if you could engage BVI people in your community in one-on-one discussions, you'd learn a lot more. That can be difficult during the pandemic, in which case starting a conversation here on r/Blind is an alternative. Then after you've quickly checked--and invalidated--a lot of assumptions, you'd be in better position to craft a survey in which you ask not whether people want X, but whatever people want **most** of several features you've already validated as desirable.
Regarding your survey:
Your survey uses a 1 - 5 rating scale (a Likert scale) for which only the lowest and highest values have descriptions. That's common practice, but there are problems both in usability and in the validity of the data from Likert scales. For a more complete review of the problems of Likert scales, read the short (and cheap) but excellent book by Matthew Champagne called The Survey Playbook:
$1
You don't provide a means for people to give you their address for follow-up. A survey can be just the beginning of a relationship with the survey takers, who may later become app testers. Instead of collecting emails, you might ask for Reddit user names.
Finally, it sounds like your app is trying to do too many things: people can seek advice, give advice, OR connect "just ... to make friends." An app should do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Make sure you're making one thing people want, then put all of your effort into that one thing.
Good luck!
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 2y ago
Some thoughts however. I think there are a lot of these communities out there voice or chat in general. There are forms and organizations already that has made these sights. I believe that they are only moderately successful. Some networks are more successful then others. I have been on and off some of these places which tend to collect drama if you will. Sometimes it becomes less advice giving then what’s for breakfast. Lunch, dinner? What’s your favorite color? What is your favorite pop star? Etc…. I think there will have to be a tight moderation on it and then at that point a lot of blind people don’t quite want to be on it. We had zonebbs.com then we had vorail which is still around. Dabel which was frankly a mess. Blink nation was a thing, then you had the AFB sites and bulletin boards. Now you have cafe random. You also have a place called out of sight and stuff of that nature. Then klango was a thing too, may still be a thing.
So you’re literally trying to reinvent a wheel. I mean it would be good coding practice I guess. But then throw the project away. Or something because honestly that type of sight needs a lot of moderation. Self moderation. Will cause it to be a free for all I’ve seen a few of these and no category was obeyed haha!
So you’re literally trying to reinvent a wheel. I mean it would be good coding practice I guess. But then throw the project away. Or something because honestly that type of sight needs a lot of moderation. Self moderation. Will cause it to be a free for all I’ve seen a few of these and no category was obeyed haha!
Rethunker 1 points 2y ago
So many great comments in one reply!
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 2y ago
Thanks a lot.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
Thank you for your thoughts! You brought a lot of resources to my attention. Although I was looking around for different forums and online groups I wasn't finding many that were active besides the bigger sites like Reddit or Facebook. Maybe my search words were a little off. We were hoping having the chat to make friends option would direct off topic conversations to there but some light moderation could be something we could add. We have 2 other ideas we are thinking about so we're trying to get a feel for what is wanted instead of what we think is needed. Again, thank you for your feedback, we'll keep it in mind!
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 2y ago
No problem. I am willing to chat about it I am a pretty successful blind person and know quite a few resources and what’s done and not done. I’d like to help you find a project maybe to work on that is critically needed in the blind community. there’s about a million facebook groups on this too let me find some. I am in about 100 of them haha!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204339399718289/?ref=share
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iPhoneiPadAppsfortheBlindVisuallyImpaired/?ref=share
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iPhoneiPadAppsfortheBlindVisuallyImpaired/?ref=share
There are so many more though so yeah.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204339399718289/?ref=share
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iPhoneiPadAppsfortheBlindVisuallyImpaired/?ref=share
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iPhoneiPadAppsfortheBlindVisuallyImpaired/?ref=share
There are so many more though so yeah.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 2y ago
How likely are you to use this app? Either as someone to give or look for advice
Well as I am part of a about 50 million groups I honestly don’t know. Just because you have an app it doesn’t guarantee that people will use it let alone blind folks. A lot of newly blind folks already either come on such groups or are still struggling to get use to their blindness and are frankly not that interested.
Do you think this app will benefit newly visually impaired people?
Well I don’t know. An app is a resource right and only a place where they can ask or read stuff or get information. But will. It help them only they could answer. Only if they are sincerely willing to take that information they read about and use it right? I’ve done a lot of work with others actually. Not to be a Debbie downer here but honestly it depends on the person. You can give them all the resources you want talk to them for hours try to help them understand give them your private number and still nil. You can lead a horse to water but can’t make them drink right? I’ve sat there giving advice and it was literally not beneficial. The people set up the groups had good intentions but somehow the helpfulness is there but not there. Sometimes I discovered what they want was for others to stroke their ego, which I am not willing to do. Sometimes the advice givers are bad. I am not trying to be braggadocious here. But I’ve had several blind people come and really thank me because others had. No idea how to get the right resources or the help in to their hands. So not everyone is qualified to help even if they want to and the advice can be more harmful or neutral then helpful and may drive the person to say there’s no good answers. Not everyone who wants to help is capable.
Do you think this app will help you or others become more independent?
Only the person itself can help themselves be independent not an app. A lot of the same comments as above. But the people can give them tips and tricks but whether they want to vasilate on it and sit on it or use it is their choice. Sometimes when advice is asked for not everyone really wants to try the solution. So asking doesn’t equate to independence.
Do you think this app will help you or others connect to others you can relate to?
Maybe. This one is one I rated most positively. But they can already do so in about the 100 facebook groups search the word blind and you’ll find them all. And many other mainstream or non-mainstream websites. But connection is good but what of that, most of them have methods of connection anyway already. Most of them honestly just use it as another place to chill. I’ve seen this. Blind people can code and have coded many sites and. Teamtalk servers. Now a days they’re all on clubhouse haha! Also there’s an abundant amount of messenger, messages, telegram, and what’s app groups, also skype groups selling groups.
Do you think app can give you or others confidence to overcome a task?
Are you seriously naive enough to believe that? That a piece of computer code or tips on a message board or chat room can do that? Maybe you should think a little harder. It may give them more head knowledge but confidence is within that’s the mindset.
Well as I am part of a about 50 million groups I honestly don’t know. Just because you have an app it doesn’t guarantee that people will use it let alone blind folks. A lot of newly blind folks already either come on such groups or are still struggling to get use to their blindness and are frankly not that interested.
Do you think this app will benefit newly visually impaired people?
Well I don’t know. An app is a resource right and only a place where they can ask or read stuff or get information. But will. It help them only they could answer. Only if they are sincerely willing to take that information they read about and use it right? I’ve done a lot of work with others actually. Not to be a Debbie downer here but honestly it depends on the person. You can give them all the resources you want talk to them for hours try to help them understand give them your private number and still nil. You can lead a horse to water but can’t make them drink right? I’ve sat there giving advice and it was literally not beneficial. The people set up the groups had good intentions but somehow the helpfulness is there but not there. Sometimes I discovered what they want was for others to stroke their ego, which I am not willing to do. Sometimes the advice givers are bad. I am not trying to be braggadocious here. But I’ve had several blind people come and really thank me because others had. No idea how to get the right resources or the help in to their hands. So not everyone is qualified to help even if they want to and the advice can be more harmful or neutral then helpful and may drive the person to say there’s no good answers. Not everyone who wants to help is capable.
Do you think this app will help you or others become more independent?
Only the person itself can help themselves be independent not an app. A lot of the same comments as above. But the people can give them tips and tricks but whether they want to vasilate on it and sit on it or use it is their choice. Sometimes when advice is asked for not everyone really wants to try the solution. So asking doesn’t equate to independence.
Do you think this app will help you or others connect to others you can relate to?
Maybe. This one is one I rated most positively. But they can already do so in about the 100 facebook groups search the word blind and you’ll find them all. And many other mainstream or non-mainstream websites. But connection is good but what of that, most of them have methods of connection anyway already. Most of them honestly just use it as another place to chill. I’ve seen this. Blind people can code and have coded many sites and. Teamtalk servers. Now a days they’re all on clubhouse haha! Also there’s an abundant amount of messenger, messages, telegram, and what’s app groups, also skype groups selling groups.
Do you think app can give you or others confidence to overcome a task?
Are you seriously naive enough to believe that? That a piece of computer code or tips on a message board or chat room can do that? Maybe you should think a little harder. It may give them more head knowledge but confidence is within that’s the mindset.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 2y ago
Yeah, the link doesn’t seem to work.
Berenice101 1 points 2y ago
It tells me i need permission
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
Sorry about that! I think it should be fine now. Thank you!!
impablomations 2 points 2y ago
It now says page not found.
I'm temporarily removing your post .
Please reply to this comment when you have replaced the link with a working one and I'll reapprove it.
Thanks.
I'm temporarily removing your post .
Please reply to this comment when you have replaced the link with a working one and I'll reapprove it.
Thanks.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
impablomations 1 points 2y ago
Please replace the link in the main body of your post so people don't have to come to the comments looking for it.
Thanks
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