“One thing that’s always striking when carrying out interviews with people on site is just how much diversity there is in the responses provided,” says Kate Mesh, a director from research consultant Open Inclusion, who recently spoke with deaf travellers passing through Glasgow Airport.
Kate accompanied several research participants who were provided the scenario of catching a flight this spring – walking between the entrance of the terminal and the aircraft departure gate – and noted down their responses and behaviours as they passed through the building. They were asked to describe what was on their mind and what they wanted to do next, as they were shown several examples of new technology designed to make their journeys through the airport easier.
Kate would then ask the research participants – accompanied by a British Sign Language (BSL) translator – to think about what information they want from the airport terminal, and to show the next steps they would normally take on their journey.
“Several deaf people came here with very different information needs: we talked with someone who was not very confident in flying, and someone else who is,” Kate adds. “Those two experiences create different airport journeys for Glasgow Airport and Connected Places Catapult to follow up on; and to continue with innovation.