The Story of Missed Ubers and Lost Time
When Voice Texting Fails (By Sophia & Ojen)
I have an Apple iPhone and would love to text someone in public without shouting private things at the top of my lungs. Better voice recognition would have the added benefit of helping me write texts faster. I don’t write texts fast enough, which may seem trite, but I freeze when the pressure’s on. This is an issue for many people with disabilities and many people in general. I wish I could text my Uber driver in the desired time frame.
About five years ago, I was at school when I ordered an Uber ride. I had to go to the disability office to speak to a counselor quickly, and I did the really intelligent thing and ordered the Uber before I was out. For once and at the very wrong time, it was only two minutes away- but I hadn’t even seen the counselor yet! I had to let the Uber go and waited until I got to the designated pick-up spot for Uber to order another one.
This time, it was 11 minutes away. So, I waited and waited. I saw that the sun was starting to go down. I checked my phone a couple of times. The last time I checked it, I noticed the Uber had arrived. But it was nowhere in my line of vision.
After looking around for one or two minutes, I spotted it. The car was about 100 feet away. I tried calling the driver twice to tell him to wait for me. He didn’t answer the phone. Then, I tried texting him using voice commands since I cannot physically text fast anyway, especially when the pressure is on. Nothing happened.
While talking to Siri, I knew she was supposed to give me a sound or screen indication that she could hear me, but I didn’t know if anything was happening. I knew she was supposed to give me a sign, but she didn’t. Maybe I missed it, maybe she stopped working, but whatever it might have been,
I felt like Siri left me in the dark…
I tried to use voice commands to text multiple times, knowing my Uber ride was about to leave me. To make this story short, my Uber ride left without me.
Designers can understand and collaborate to design with coders in advanced coding algorithms for optimal speech understanding. This will deliver better user results and drive inclusivity forward to adapt to diverse challenges.
Google, Amazon, Bixby, or whatever the next big assistant that will take the world by storm should think more about voice commands for all challenges or disabilities.
Why not even have individual third-party certified apps adapt to a more inclusive approach?
Regardless of the user, no user should doubt their intelligent devices; they only provide peace of mind while giving productivity more chances.
At Elegantly Accessible, our design agency is rooted in a foundation of inclusive practices. We strive to set new design standards, creating a world where everyone is welcomed and embraced for their diversity. Our mission is to redefine design boundaries, ensuring that each creation radiates timeless allure while remaining accessible to all.
Thank you for believing in the transformative power of inclusive design thinking and celebrating diversity with us. Cheers! If you have any questions, please email us at info@elegantlyaccessible.com