Activity Cards

© Microsoft 2016 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-

NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)
Introduction Get Oriented
Equip yourself with the information you need to
The activity cards are designed to support many different get started. This stage introduces empathetic
goals and outcomes. They’re organized according to problem solving and research, and the basics of
five phases of a design process – follow them as a linear, inclusive design.
comprehensive guide or use them more freely to supplement
your existing practices. Working in tandem with the Support Frame
cards, these serve as a great introduction to inclusive design. Learn from different perspectives and apply them to
the bigger picture. This stage informs your design
thinking through the lens of human limitations
Anatomy of the activity card: and possibilities.

Stage of design designated with a name, a pattern, Ideate

process: and a color This is a generative phase that results in first-round
concepts. You’ll explore the mismatches that exist
in various experiences, and formulate human-led,
Purpose: a quick description of the activity, purposeful interactions from your discoveries.
aimed at the desired outcome
Iterate
Here’s where you’ll build and test prototypes of
Instructions: the how-to that can be read
your solution. You’ll stress test your concepts from
out loud verbatim to facilitate
a micro-view and holistically, as you continuously
a group
brainstorm and refine.

Materials: suggestions for the bare-minimum

Optimize
to complete the activity
Take a step back to evolve your assumptions.
Review your solution from every angle, and
Tips: possible considerations when measure its success in terms of inclusive design
planning or using the activities and real-world feasibility.
Get Oriented | Computer Trust
Purpose Computer Trust

To unearth why humans trust and mistrust

interactions with technology.

Instructions Computer Trust

1. Write on paper or a white board “I’d trust Materials Computer Trust

a computer to fill in blank, but I’d only trust

Note taking supplies
a human to fill in blank..”
2. Fill in the blanks as many times as
possible in five minutes. Tips Computer Trust

3. Reflect and discuss. Use this activity as an icebreaker in a

• In the range of responses, what group. Write down responses or share
stands out? What are the forces that them out loud.
impact trust?
• How could technology behave better to
positively impact trust?
Get Oriented | Human-to-Computer Role-Play

Purpose Human-to-Computer Role-Play

To shed light on the potential shortcomings of

human-to-computer interactions.

Instructions Human-to-Computer Role-Play

1. Choose a common human interaction, like Materials Human-to-Computer Role-Play

ordering coffee, making a return, or discussing

Note taking supplies
dinner plans.
2. Choose a partner and role play
the interaction.
Tips Human-to-Computer Role-Play
3. Take note of both verbal and non-verbal cues.
Try a variety of interactions ranging from strictly
Include things like how the information was
transactional to pretty personal.
shared, any obvious emotional responses, etc.
Do this as a quick 5-minute exercise, or pace it for a
4. Repeat the scenario with one partner playing
more thoughtful role-play that could be re-enacted
the role of a computer.
and discussed amongst the group.
5. Reflect and discuss the differences in
the interactions.
• Where did communication breakdown? Why?
• What can we learn from the human
interaction that could improve the
human-to-computer interaction?
Get Oriented | Learn from the Experts
Purpose Learn from the Experts

To learn from the expertise of people who experience

disability or exclusion on a permanent basis.

Instructions Learn from the Experts

1. Before beginning, complete accessibility Materials Learn from the Experts

sensitivity training (see Tips).

Interview questions
2. Interview people who have a variety of abilities
Note taking supplies
and permanent disabilities that exclude them
A recording device
from activities.
3. During your conversations, make note of
the following:
Tips Learn from the Experts
• What strengths and abilities do they
show regularly? Ask your network, peers, local academic community,
• What is their motivation or goal for doing their or nonprofit organizations if they can introduce you
daily tasks? to a few people with different abilities.
• What themes are similar between their If you can’t attend accessibility sensitivity training,
permanent disability and those that are this video has some important basics: https://www.
temporary or situational? youtube.com/watch?v=Gv1aDEFlXq8
• What are the specific challenges of
their interactions?
• How might you get the best sense of their
daily interactions with people or technology?
Get Oriented | Capture Research Insights

Purpose Capture Research Insights

To pore over the research and begin to define the

scope of a design solution.

Instructions Capture Research Insights

1. With your research notes at hand, answer Materials Capture Research Insights

the following questions.

White board or large paper
• With human capabilities and
motivations in mind, what were the
strongest themes you discovered? Tips Capture Research Insights

• What mismatches did you find in the Keep your design challenge focused on the
human-to-technology interaction? research insights that you’ve uncovered.
• What were the top two methods of If you have access to other research
access (touch, sight, hearing, voice)? studies, consider incorporating that into
• What’s the human-to-human your synthesis process.
interaction that informs the behavior
of your solution?
• What’s the design challenge to be
solved and the need it addresses?
• Why does it matter to the audience?
Frame | Create a Persona Spectrum
Purpose Create a Persona Spectrum

To map human abilities on a spectrum to inform

solutions that benefit everyone.

Instructions Create a Persona Spectrum

1. Interview a person(s) with a permanent Materials Create a Persona Spectrum

limit to at least one ability.

The Persona Spectrum support card
2. Ask them about what they like to do and
how they go about it.
3. Note those situations in which they Tips Create a Persona Spectrum

experience friction, or limited accessibility. Bear in mind that an accomplishment

4. Create a spectrum that illustrates how a for this person can be a simple task, or a
similar limitation extends to temporary larger concern.
and situational scenarios. This is a great introductory exercise to
understand inclusive design broadly, and
also acts as a good check-in exercise during
a more granular design process.
Frame | Persona Network
Purpose Persona Network

To consider design challenges in terms of someone’s

personal ecosystem.

Instructions Persona Network

1. With a particular person in mind, make Materials Persona Network

note of who they interact with every day.

The social context support card
Who do they rely on? Trust? Enjoy?
Note taking supplies
2. Draw a map of the person and their key
interactions with 3-5 people. Include
the different types of interactions that Tips Persona Network

typically take place, such as making plans There’s no one “right” way to map the
for dinner or going to work. network. Do what makes sense for your
3. List the mismatches between the person creative process.
and their environment. Do this activity after learning about the
challenges, enablement, successes, and
motivations of a person(s) with a
permanent disability.
Frame | Interaction Diary
Purpose Interaction Diary

To show how detailed observation of people

interacting can stimulate and inspire inclusive design.

Instructions Interaction Diary

1. Select a location where you can observe Materials Interaction Diary

people interacting with each other.

Examples of Mismatch support card
Ideally, a place where you can take notes,
sketch and observe for an extended
amount of time. Tips Interaction Diary

2. Focus your attention on the little things, Pay attention to how people move through
so that your awareness is heightened a space – their emotional cues and body
during your observations. Take notice of language. Were their experiences negative
verbal and nonverbal interactions. or positive?
3. Write or draw the interactions happening
between humans and object. Repeat with
humans and technology.
4. Reflect on your observations to further
explore mismatches of human-to-human
and human-to-technology interactions.
Frame | Human Analogy
Purpose Human Analogy

To draw parallels between the role of human

behavior and technology’s behavior.

Instructions Human Analogy

1. Alone or in a group, brainstorm for 3-5 Materials Human Analogy

minutes to identify the human equivalent

Note taking supplies
of the tech solution you’re designing.
Think of it in terms of jobs - is it an
assistant? A teacher? Tips Human Analogy

2. Set up time to interview people who Contrast two different job analogies
perform those roles. Take note of what to understand the nuances of the
makes them good at their work. tasks involved.
3. Brainstorm ways to incorporate those Consider pre-arranging for a group.
insights into the design of your
solution’s behavior.
Ideate | Mismatch to Solution I
Purpose Mismatch to Solution I

To brainstorm opportunities for an improved product

or experience, based on mismatched interactions.

Instructions Mismatch to Solution I

1. From your research, make a list of Materials Mismatch to Solution I

all the mismatched interactions that

Examples of Mismatch support card
people experience.
Large paper and markers
2. For each mismatched interaction listed,
Note taking supplies
create a focused question about the
opportunity to improve your product or
service experience. Tips Mismatch to Solution I

For example: Writing the opportunities in the format of a

“How might we create…” question will help during the brainstorming
“How might we improve…” process to keep people focused. Going one
“How might we enable…” by one down the list of mismatches can help
3. Go through the list of opportunities and prevent overwhelming participants.
select the three you’re most interested in
exploring further.
Ideate | Mismatch to Solution II
Purpose Mismatch to Solution II

To generate design concepts based on inspiration

from mismatched interactions.

Instructions Mismatch to Solution II

1. From the list you generated in Mismatch Materials Mismatch to Solution II

to Solution I, pick the three you’re most Examples of Mismatch support card
interested in. Sticky notes, pens
2. As individuals, use the first idea and
brainstorm for 3-5 minutes to generate
a list of possible solutions. Write the Tips Mismatch to Solution II

solutions on sticky notes. One idea Place emphasis on generating a volume of

per note. ideas before clustering and filtering.
3. Repeat step #2 with your next Start the activity with a one-minute ice
two choices. breaker that illustrates how much can be
4. If you’re in a group, share your ideas and accomplished in a one-minute brainstorm
group them in clusters of like ideas. Or session. Give participants a word like
filter the ideas according to what you’d “jump” and ask them to write down their
like to work on as a team. associations with the word.
Ideate | Design a Microinteraction
Purpose Design a Microinteraction

To articulate each small detail in a sequence of

interactions in order to find ways to make the
interactions more inclusive.

Instructions Design a Microinteraction

1. From an existing design or prototype, Materials Design a Microinteraction

choose a specific concept you want

White board or large paper
to improve.
Markers
2. Compose a sequence of frames, or
Sticky notes
otherwise outline the following steps:
• Whether the sequence is user or
system initiated. Tips Design a Microinteraction

• How the user interacts with the trigger. Introduce the activity by using the example
• How the feedback begins. of tying a shoe as a microinteraction. Ask
• How the user interacts with people to write out the steps to tie a shoe.
the feedback. Then in pairs, have one person read the
• What happens immediately after the directions while the other person follows the
feedback is complete. steps. It’ll shine a light on how precise you
need to be about step-by-step details.
Ideate | Evaluate Technology’s Role
Purpose Evaluate Technology’s Role

To focus on technology’s role in an interaction to

sharpen, simplify, and prioritize your designs.

Instructions Evaluate Technology’s Role

1. Select your favorite design concepts or Materials Evaluate Technology’s Role

existing prototype.
Existing design concept or prototype
2. Using the Role of Technology support
Examples of Mismatch support card
card as reference, identify and list the role
Role of Technology support card
technology is playing in your design.
Note taking supplies
3. Evaluate each design and determine
if the technology you’ve chosen is the
simplest or most appropriate for the Tips Evaluate Technology’s Role

result you want to achieve. Use this exercise to prioritize concepts

before the Iterate stage.
During the Iterate and Optimize stages,
you can evaluate your solutions with this
role to make sure they accomplish what
you intended.
Iterate | Low-Fidelity Prototype
Purpose Low-Fidelity Prototype

To refine solutions in a quick, iterative, low cost, user-

focused manner

Instructions Low-Fidelity Prototype

1. List the microinteractions in your design. Materials Low-Fidelity Prototype

2. Choose one interaction to prototype.

Use paper, stickers, clay, recycled materials,
3. Using materials at hand, build a low-
recorded sounds, video—whatever materials
fidelity prototype that does the following:
you think will help you create a rough
• Addresses each step of the interaction.
demonstration of how your solution
• Can communicate its own function
will work.
without explanation.
4. Test the prototype with users and observe
for both delight and pain points. Tips Low-Fidelity Prototype

The value is observation of both the positive

and the negative.
People can role-play the technology with a
pre-determined script.
Iterate | Simulations
Purpose Simulations

To reveal opportunities for improving your solution

by simulating temporary and situational limitations.

Instructions Simulations

1. Write the sequence of steps a user will Materials Simulations

take in your solution. Temporary/Situational Limit support card

2. From the Temporary/Situational Limit A prototype (low to high fidelity).
support card, choose one limitation.
3. Recreate this limitation for yourself.
4. Go through the sequence of steps you Tips Simulations

wrote in #1. Build your solution by creating low to

5. Note what could be improved. medium fidelity prototypes. Examine
6. Adjust your design. and define what you want the interactive
7. Repeat with other limitations from experience to be holistically and from a
the Temporary/Situational Limit micro-view.
support card. Iteration takes into consideration the full
Persona Spectrum and what’s appropriate
physically, contextually, environmentally,
and socially for the person(s) involved.
Optimize | Context and Capability Match

Purpose Context and Capability Match

To evaluate whether your concept can adapt to

different contexts. When a person’s environment
changes, their capabilities could change.

Instructions Context and Capability Match

1. From the Physical or Social Context cards Materials Context and Capability Match

choose one context.

Conditions support card
2. From the Temporary/Situational
Social Context support card
Limitation card, choose one.
Physical Context support card
3. How well will your solution adapt to
Temporary/ Situational Limit support card
that combination?
4. List modifications you would make to
adapt your solution. Tips Context and Capability Match

5. Revise your scenario to include how Allow plenty of time as this is an exercise
it responds. that requires reflective thinking.
6. Repeat with other combinations. This exercise is similar to the Situational
Adaptation activity. If you’re short on time,
choose one of the two.
Optimize | Situational Adaptation
Purpose Situational Adaptation

To discover ways to adapt your solution to work for a

variety of situational limitations.

Instructions Situational Adaptation

1. Using the support cards choose: Materials Situational Adaptation

• One example of physical context Conditions support card

• One example of social context Social Context support card
• One example of time of day Physical Context support card
2. Take 3-5 minutes, think of the three Temporary/Situational Limit support card
contexts together and list as many
Note taking supplies
situational limitations of your product
you can think of.
3. Think of how your solution can adapt to Tips Situational Adaptation

these situational limitations. Allow plenty of time as this exercise requires

4. Revise your solution to adapt. reflective thinking.
5. Go back to step #2 and repeat the process Consider using this with existing solutions to
with a different combination of physical, uncover how exclusion is designed.
social, and time-of-day examples.
Support Cards
© Microsoft 2016 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)
Support Card | Physical Context

Different environments enable different capabilities,

present different limitations, and have different rules
and social norms.

Here are a few examples for inspiration:

At home In the wilderness

In a library In a car

In the city center On the bus

Support Card | Social Context

Different social contexts come with different rules,

behaviors, and social norms.

Here are some examples of social contexts

for inspiration:

Alone With coworkers

In a crowd With friends and family

Support Card | Temporary/Situational Limit

Disabilities are often temporary or situational.

Use this card to pick which limitations apply to
your scenario.

Can’t see Can’t speak

Can’t hear Can’t touch

Support Card | Role of Technology

Most digital products have one or two roles that are

at the core of their functionality.

Some examples of common roles are:

Collect & summarize Translate

Transport Listen
Support Card | Examples of Mismatch

Exclusion can be caused by mismatched interactions

between other humans, humans and their
environments, and humans and objects.
A few examples of these are:

Between
humans

Can’t type Can’t hear

Human+
enviroment

Glare from sun Windy Cold

Human+
object

Left-handed user Narrow door Tall shelf

Support Card | Conditions

Different environmental conditions can change our

situational limitations.

Here are some examples of conditions to consider.

Weather

Temperature

0° 100°F

Time of the day

Support Card | The Persona Spectrum

We use a Persona Spectrum to understand related limitations

across a spectrum of permanent, temporary, and situational
disabilities. It’s a quick tool to help foster empathy and to
show how a solution can scale to a broader audience.

Permanent Temporary Situational

Touch

One arm Arm injury New parent

See

Blind Cataract Distracted driver

Hear

Deaf Ear infection Bartender

Speak

Non-verbal Laryngitis Heavy accent