Access symbols for use with
video content and ICT devices
e-Inclusion
The work of STF 286
A project funded by the European Union
This presentation
 Describes access services
 Explains need for symbols
 Describes derivation of symbols
 Describes tests chosen
 Gives test examples
 Details other modalities
 Gives preliminary results
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The Team
Wally Mellors - STF leader
Richard Hodgkinson
Clive Miller
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Access services
To overcome social differences
By rendering content in alternative
formats
To provide access to all
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Which services?
 Subtitling
 Audio description
 Signing
 Speech output
 Spoken command
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Why symbols?
No use without awareness
No awareness without
understanding
No awareness without
promotion
International - Symbols do
not need language
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How to get a good symbol
Check for existing symbols
Check for existing
metaphors
Brainstorm new symbols
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Brainstorming!
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How to get a good symbol (Plan B)
Call in the professionals
Select the best
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Testing
ISO 9186:2001
 Test for Judged Comprehensibility
 What percentage expected to understand
meaning?
 Where result inconclusive
 Perform comprehension test
 What do you think this symbol means?
 Judge results
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Comprehension judging
1 – Correct understanding certain
2 – Correct understanding very probable
3 – Correct understanding probable
4 – Opposite of what intended
5 – Any other response
6 – Response is “Don’t know”
7 – No response given
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ETR 070 – Multiple Index Approach
1 – The hit rate
2 – The false alarm rate
3 – Missing values
4 – Subjective certainty
5 – Subjective suitability
6 – Pictogram preference
7 – Pictogram set preference
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Test used
 Testing to ISO 9186
 Both Comprehensibility and Comprehension
 Estimate MIA from comprehension results
 1,2,3 (correct understanding) give hit rate
 4 & 5 (opposite or other) taken as false alarm
 6 & 7 (no response) taken as missing values
 1,2,3 also give subjective certainty
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Comprehensibility Judgement
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Comprehension test
You may see this symbol in association with a telephone.
What do you think this symbol means?
Make louder
If you cannot guess the meaning, please answer "Don't know".
Do not worry if you give the same answer to more than one
symbol.
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Other modalities
 Tactile symbols
 Designed by National Centre for Tactile Diagrams
(NCTD)
 Symbols for
 Speech output
 Spoken command
 Audio description
 Audible versions
 Symbols for
 Speech output
 Spoken command
 Audio description
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Results so far
 1500 accesses to website
 Nearly 600 tests completed from 30
countries
 Cultural analysis – Scandinavia, Central
Europe, Eastern Europe, Iberia,
Mediterranean, UK & Ireland
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Problems
 Inability to control display
 Inability to control respondents
 Biased age and education
 More results needed from Scandinavia
(Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden)
 and Central Europe (Austria, Belgium,
Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Switzerland)
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Remember the website:
http://www.accesssymbols.org
We look for your support
Thank you for listening