ACCESS GRANTED
Red Door Escape Room
Increasing Accessibility
I worked in a team of three as a co-author for a guidebook that will improve the visual accessibility of escape rooms for the 50+ demographic.
Studying Interactions
-
Created focus group
-
Observed guests interactions
-
Interviewed guests
-
Research Interior design principles
Utilizing Design Principles
Through our research, we were able to find that visual challenges were not just presented in the 50+ demographic, but across the board. This lead us to make a more generic guide for improving visuals
Setting Accessibility Guidelines
We created a guidebook for the design team for Red Door Escape Room to use for future game designs. It featured proper lighting techniques and legibility.
Overview
Currently, there are no accessibility-friendly puzzles in the Red Door Escape Room. Although those who have a disability are still able to participate in the escape room, they are not encouraged to engage equally with their more able-bodied peers. In an attempt to change this, the Director of Innovation wanted us to find ways for the designers of the escape rooms to make sure that puzzles going forward can be more inclusive of different types of people.
Working in Constraints
Our project aimed to increase accessibility and inclusivity in escape rooms, particularly for those with visual disabilities.
While working on the project, we had some constraints. We could not include more items in the escape room, as it would create more work for the game masters, who would have to keep track and reset all of those items. We also could not significantly disturb the ambiance of the escape room.
This meant we had to focus on improving the current use of the rooms.
Testing Current Usability
We then crafted survey and interview questions. The survey questions would be used as an exit survey during regular working hours, and it would test what the participants thought of their puzzle, how difficult it was to navigate and interact as a team, and the behavior/role they took on inside.
The interview questions were crafted for the controlled observation study we ran. This involved people from our university from two different age groups: students and older teachers. They ran a scenario that would have them compete using the same story and puzzles.
Teachers: The teachers worked in pairs, navigating the room and attempting to work together. However, shortly into the session, one of the teachers realized that not only was it hard to see in the dark, but they were also stuck on holding the flashlight for the other teacher because there was nothing more to do or help with. In the end, they relied on hints because of the strain.
Students: The students worked in the team and were trying to bang out the puzzle and try many new things. They communicated well and were more patient when solving puzzles. As it came time to count down for them, the frustration began to increase, and issues with the room's design became very apparent to them, and they started asking for more hints.
After this observation study, we interviewed them.
“she said you go ahead and put the numbers in the lot…I couldn't even see it because I tried to hold the light and do the walk”
“My brain was so fatigued, and I was in such a hurry.”
In both scenarios, lighting was a common issue for both of them, as it was very dark in the rooms, and there were tripping hazards in them.
Our research discovered that visual challenges were not limited to the 50+ demographic but were present across all age groups. This led us to create a more generic guide for improving the visuals in escape rooms.
Lighting the Way
“As people get older, less light reaches the eye. Accordingly, proper vision requires increased light, research showing that a 60-year-old needs twice as much light to see as a 30-year-old. Also, older adults are more sensitive to glare, to lighting must be shielded as well as abundant.”
We then decided to create a guidebook for the Red Door Escape Room design team to use that would feature proper lighting techniques and legibility to ensure that puzzles would be more accessible to people with visual disabilities. We researched different lightning techniques used in staging and theatre, do help make suggestions for better lighting solutions for Red Door.
Leading Lights
Help guide people from one position to the next
Spotlighting
Help highlight and illuminate essential places in the room without necessarily brightening the entire space up
Puzzle Locks
Allowing more mechanical locks instead of physical- master locks.
Setting the Standard
We presented the solutions in a guidebook dedicated to the Red Door escape room designers. We also suggested them with another book- as a way for them to create more human-centered designs.
This experience taught me how to design to not only be intentional but also be more inclusive and think more about the accessibility of things.