WheelBeats

What it does

Having an impairment disability makes event attendance stressful due to the lack of clear accessibility accommodations from venues. WheelBeats eases this stress by consolidating and clarifying mobility access details, removing this significant barrier.

Your inspiration

Our client Tiffany, a concert lover with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, shared her frustration with the extensive planning required for concerts. The process is made difficult due to the limited, often hidden and poorly presented accessible information available for venues. Inadequate seating options have even forced Tiffany to use her phone camera to see the stage, hindering her experience. Music is universal, but enjoying it is not always accessible. We aim to simplify this process by providing a single platform where crucial accessibility information is easily accessible, allowing users to enjoy live events without barriers.

How it works

WheelBeats integrates accessibility into the event-planning process, empowering users to feel more in control of their experiences. We provide detailed, user-friendly accessibility information about event venues in Ontario, sourced from venue websites and direct communication with venues to ensure comprehensive coverage. This data is structured into a database and presented using accessible web standards, a crucial feature given that only 3% of the internet is fully accessible. Users can search for specific venues, browse all available venues, or view real-time updates on upcoming events extracted from Ticketmaster. By incorporating accessibility data from the outset, we reduce the stress of accessibility concerns and enhance user enjoyment. Our platform also supports form-based user feedback, fostering a continuously improving database. This approach ensures that accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental part of the event experience.

Design process

We began by identifying information our client needed for event spaces through client consultations and research on concert experience disparities. Accuracy was our primary objective, leading us to spend significant time collecting data from venues and official websites. We then focused on creating a user-friendly interface by storyboarding concepts and refining the design through morph charts, decision matrices, and reviews with professors, engineering peers, and medical students. This resulted in a low-fidelity app foundation, featuring a home, events, and venue page. Before further development, we executed a detailed testing plan based on our objectives: accuracy, compatibility, accessibility, efficiency, and user-friendliness. This included verifying data accuracy, testing the app on 40 devices/browsers, and surveying over 30 new users, both with and without disabilities. Testing insights led to iterations such as adding a browse page and UI refinements to meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards, including an icon-based menu bar and colour ratio/font adjustments. The code was also refined for responsiveness, addressing compatibility issues. User feedback was invaluable in the design process, creating a functional, inclusive, and accessible prototype.

How it is different

Individuals can currently use accessibility information available on venue websites; however, these are often hard to navigate, outdated, and unclear, making event attendance discouraging. There are a few external platforms that provide general information or ratings such as RateYourSeats and iAccess Life, but lack specific, reliable information due to crowd-sourcing. WheelBeats stands out by consolidating and verifying accessibility information from direct sources, including communication with venue managers and conversations with members of the disability community. This ensures our platform is a trusted resource for event-goers with disabilities, maximizing value and relevance. By offering accurate summaries of essential details like photos, seating, parking, washrooms, entrances, elevators, and contact information, WheelBeats becomes an invaluable resource for making informed decisions, both during the planning process and at the event itself.

Future plans

Through conversations with the disability community, we realized that accessibility challenges extend far beyond venues. Our goal is to move beyond our minimum viable product, expanding globally and diversifying our coverage to include various types of public spaces. By establishing official partnerships and integrating data scraping, we aim to create a commercially viable tool that transforms how individuals with mobility impairments plan and enjoy activities, ensuring they have reliable accessibility information. WheelBeats also hopes to influence public spaces to prioritize accessibility in event design, promoting equitable access for all.

Awards

WheelBeats was awarded 1st place and the James Dyson Foundation “Most Innovative Solution” Award at the 2024 McMaster Engineering 1P13 Design showcase