I am currently working on a research project to explore the use of empathic and user-led research
design methods to develop an initial concept for the creation of a mobile
application to enable the deaf dancers I work with in Cambodia to independently record
workshops plans, which will therefore give them more voice and more choice in their work.
The Epic Encounters Company at Epic Arts in Cambodia create dance and theatre based
on issues facing Cambodia and then perform them for the community and
international audiences. The Epic Encounters Company also deliver inclusive movement
based lessons throughout Cambodia and abroad to both children and adults.
The
Epic Encounters Company work together to develop movement based lessons that they
then deliver independently. Most of the team members are illiterate and cannot
record their lessons plans in writing. Currently they record their lessons
plans in note form using stick-figure drawings and sketches or their lessons plans are recorded for them by support staff and then collated
on a computer before being printed out and give to them.
Epic
Arts believes in supporting all its staff and students to be independent and
creative and continuously explores methods to enable people with disabilities
to be independent within their roles. The ‘Epic Arts Communication Policy’
states, “We believed in clear, accessible, high quality and inclusive
communication for everyone. We celebrate the languages in use within our
organisation and embrace inclusive communication in written, spoken or signed
form.” (Epic Arts Inclusion Policy. 2014). ‘The Epic Arts Manifesto’ also
emphasizes the importance placed on inclusive and accessible communication
methods by stating that, “Every person should be enabled to understand information
and instructions through communication in all its different forms.” (The Epic
Arts Manifesto. 2015). Currently the methods available to Epic Encounters to
plan and record movement based lessons are time consuming, at times ineffective
and do not enable the performers to communicate and record independently.
I was recently commissioned to undertake a study into the way that people
with disabilities access the media in Cambodia and the study revealed that 97%
of all staff and students surveyed at Epic Arts use a smart phone or tablet and
are very familiar with the use of mobile applications. Epic
Encounters have access to an iPad and use this sometimes to video and
photograph sign language to use when recording lessons plans. The performers
use the iPad to photograph sign words or other images that represent activities
and then a staff support member will add these images to a lesson plan document
to help the performers to remember activities planned. This mobile application development project aims to
explore the possibilities of incorporating photography and/or video in to a
simple mobile application that could enable the performers to create their own
plans independent of any assistance.
As
the mobile application will be used by the performers and other arts teachers who
are training within Epic Arts, it is essential that the users themselves are involved in the design process. So, this week I conducted the first focus group with the dancers to hear their voices and choices around their personal needs and requirements regarding a planning app. Here is a video of the session;
Working with a graphic designer, I hope to create some initial designs for an app that can be made in to a reality in the future. An app like this will bring great benefit to the dancers and
arts teachers at Epic Arts and it also has the potential to be used by other
artists worldwide who have limited reading and writing skills, but who wish to
use a simple image based method to independently record lesson plans or
activity plans. The mobile application could be used in a number of ways
including enabling users to create daily plans and timetables of activities or
lesson plans in a simple format.
