Mini Deadline 2

Interviews: Preparation and takeaways 📋

The objective of these interviews is to understand how a lack of reliable, up-to-date accessibility data affects pre-travel planning and mental well-being among mobility aid users in Cape Town. I want to uncover the hidden strategies, tools, and "energy tax" involved in verifying access before leaving home, as well as the emotional toll of encountering unexpected physical barriers on arrival.

Interview Guide/Questions:

1. Introduction & Warm-up

• Can you tell me a little bit about how you typically get around Cape Town on a regular day?

• What are your primary go-to methods or apps when you need to look up a new destination or route?

2. Journey Mapping, Uncovering the Information Gap

• Think back to the most recent time you went somewhere brand new in Cape Town. From the exact moment you decided to go, what was the very first thing you did to look into it?

• Let's map out the "digital trail" for that trip. Which apps did you open first? What specific information were you looking for on those platforms that wasn't there?

• If you couldn't find the access info online, did you look for alternative clues (like zooming in on Google Street View or checking social media photos of the venue)? Walk me through that detective work.

• If you decided to call ahead, how many people did you have to speak to? Did the person on the phone actually understand what accessibility meant (e.g., the difference between a flat entrance and one with a hidden step)?

3. Quantifying the "Energy Tax", The Mental & Physical Cost 

• How much extra time do you have to build into your day just for the planning phase of a trip compared to the actual travel time?

• Can you describe the mental shifts you go through when you're looking for data and just hitting dead ends? At what point does the lack of information make you want to cancel the trip entirely?

• Does this constant need to double-check and guess make going out feel more like a structured logistical project than a spontaneous social activity? How does that affect your energy levels before you even leave the house?

• How do you manage the anxiety of "the unknown" when you are on your way to a place where the data is unreliable?

4. On-Arrival Reality & Systemic Gaps 

• Can you describe a recent time when you arrived at a destination in the city only to find an unexpected barrier (like a broken lift or hidden step)?

• When you arrived at that place, did the venue or the space claim to be "fully accessible" online or legally compliant? How did that mismatch between the data and reality feel?

• Who did you have to interact with to solve the issue on-arrival (e.g., security, managers, bypassers)? How did having to explain your situational needs in public affect your sense of dignity?

• In your experience, do you find that digital navigation tools in Cape Town actively exclude mobility aid users by simply pretending these data gaps don't exist?

5. Co-Design & Ideal Future 

• If you were sitting down with the product team of a major navigation app like Google Maps or Apple Maps, what would you tell them to build first to stop this "energy tax"?

• What would an ideal, stress-free pre-planning experience look like to you? What specific pieces of data would need to be visible on your screen right away to give you total confidence before you close your front door?

Interview Troubleshooting 

• What if the interviewee doesn’t want to respond to a question? I will immediately validate their choice and explicitly state that participation is entirely voluntary. Strategy: "That is completely fine, we can absolutely skip this question and move to the next one."

• What to do with the “I don’t know” response? I will rephrase the question by anchoring it to a specific, recent event rather than an abstract concept. Strategy: "No worries at all. Think back to the very last time you went out for dinner. How did you check if the place was accessible?"

• How to deal with sensitive or personal information? Because navigating urban barriers can cause genuine emotional frustration, I will establish a safe space during the introduction, listen actively without interrupting, and reconfirm that all data will be completely anonymised on this blog.

• How to probe for additional information? To avoid leading questions while digging past surface-level answers, I will use neutral, open-ended probes or echo their phrases. Strategy: "You mentioned a 'mental cost' when planning, could you tell me a bit more about what that feels like?"

Interview Takeaways

1. Logistical Challenges

• Outings require strict pre-planning rather than spontaneity. Users must choose specific entrances based on the location of wheelchair rentals or accessible parking.

• Preparing to leave the house takes hours because users must move slowly to avoid severe pain or fainting.

• Users must practice "tactical dressing" by wearing specific braces and protective gear based on how long they will be out.

• Getting ready can take 2 to 4 hours for a trip that lasts only 30 minutes.

2. Emotional Impact

• Information dead ends and unexpected physical barriers cause devep disappointment and sadness.

• Users experience an emotional grieving process for the active lifestyle, hobbies, and travel options they can no longer participate in.

• There is major frustration toward a society that only designs public spaces for able-bodied people.

• To handle the anxiety of unreliable spaces, users often bring a partner for physical and medical support, and they actively try to reduce sensory stimulation.

3. Infrastructure Failures

• Unpermitted drivers constantly occupy disability parking bays. Because car guards and security do not monitor this, the disabled individual has to take photos of license plates and report them to the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QPASA).

• Restrooms labelled as accessible are often unusable in person. Common problems include sanitary bins blocking wheelchair transitions, mirrors placed too high for seated users, a total lack of emergency pull chains, or doors being locked.

4. Direct Insights for Mapping Tools

• Platforms like Google Maps need a dedicated accessibility section placed right under the main venue description so users do not have to search for it.

• Apps should provide granular details, including the exact number of disability parking bays, the precise dimensions of those spaces to ensure car doors can open fully, and confirmation of working elevators or ramps.

• Tools should allow users to report broken facilities, closed pathways, or parking abuse in real time, helping the community keep data accurate.