The ability to travel independently significantly affects an individual’s feelings of independence and quality of life. This can be challenging, however, for people with physical and cognitive disabilities. To complicate matters, although digital maps are widely available for navigating the outside world, most indoor spaces are not mapped in the same way. Thus, wayfinding in large, complex, unfamiliar buildings can be challenging. This study explores the extent to which GoodMaps Indoor Navigation—an app that provides turn-by-turn navigation assistance indoors—affects users’ feelings of independence and self-efficacy in the workplace. To address this, a study with 14 interns with disabilities included a task-based user acceptance test that was preceded and followed by surveys based on the Technology Acceptance Model. Results suggest that use of GoodMaps may improve feelings of independence and self-determination, GoodMaps’ user experience aligns with baseline perceptions of technology use in general, and opportunities exist for a larger study to expand on these pilot findings.

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Wayfinding and Independence: Usability, User Experience and Perceptions of Independence with GoodMaps Indoor Navigation

  • Jennifer Palilonis

摘要

The ability to travel independently significantly affects an individual’s feelings of independence and quality of life. This can be challenging, however, for people with physical and cognitive disabilities. To complicate matters, although digital maps are widely available for navigating the outside world, most indoor spaces are not mapped in the same way. Thus, wayfinding in large, complex, unfamiliar buildings can be challenging. This study explores the extent to which GoodMaps Indoor Navigation—an app that provides turn-by-turn navigation assistance indoors—affects users’ feelings of independence and self-efficacy in the workplace. To address this, a study with 14 interns with disabilities included a task-based user acceptance test that was preceded and followed by surveys based on the Technology Acceptance Model. Results suggest that use of GoodMaps may improve feelings of independence and self-determination, GoodMaps’ user experience aligns with baseline perceptions of technology use in general, and opportunities exist for a larger study to expand on these pilot findings.