Playbook for universal design

Universal design methods for more inclusive solutions

Sequence model Add/remove

Purpose:

The purpose of the sequence model is to get an understanding of the overall problem by mapping out each step of the situation you want to change with your final design. The goal is twofold as you will get an understanding of each step in a situation as well as identifying where breakdowns occur.

Step by step Facilitating tips Materials needed Goes well with Download template (pdf)

Tips to include participants who are not able to:

See

If you or your participants can not see, the method could be performed orally as long as you either record it or make someone else write it down ensuring that the data will not get lost. It should be saved in a way that is easy to access from time to time.

Focus

If you or your participants have a hard time focusing make sure not to perform the method alone but in groups of e.g. 3 or 4. Then there are more people within each group which could help to keep the focus.

Speak

If you or your participants are not able to speak the method could be performed so that all communication is done through sign language or everything is communicated through text.

Hear

If you or your participants are not able to hear the method could be performed so that all communication is done through sign language or everything is communicated through text.

Think

If you or your participants have a hard time reflecting upon when breakdowns happen, talk through the steps with the user as discussing the steps with the user could benefit both you and the users understanding of what it is that might not work smoothly/intuitively.

Hold

If you or your participants can not fill in the template because you or your participants can not hold onto a pen then perform the method orally while a co-facilitator or helper writes down the steps and breakdowns.

Move

If you or your participants can not control your/their movements a documenter or other participants could lead the pen.

Overview

Input

Research based on the user/situation you want to design for

Output

Breakdowns

Complexity

Moderate

Time

N/A

Participants

You and our design team or groups of 2-3

Activity

Break down a situation to single steps
Be observant
Be reflective

Step by step:

  1. Based on either desktop research, interview with users or other research, fill out what the intent with the situation is on the template.

  2. Write what triggers the situation. The trigger causes a sequence of actions.

  3. The sequence of actions should be written down step by step on the template. The first action is written at the top followed by an arrow pointing downwards to the next action.

  4. Step 3 is repeated until all steps are noted down.

  5. If your research shows you that a breakdown/problem occurs, place the symbol of a lightning across the arrow between the steps where you have identified a breakdown/problem.

When doing this method you should consider:

If you decide to use this method during your workshop rather than performing the method together with your design team prior to the workshop, it is important that your participants have enough background information about the given situation. Else it can be difficult to identify the breakdowns.

If possible, combine this method with the method ‘fly on the wall’ as you follow the user in the given situation and can therefore observe the breakdowns instead of mapping out breakdowns based on assumptions from your research.

Materials needed:

  • Template
  • Pens