Tap&Go Audio Stick

An image showcasing the Tap&Go Audio Stick project
A labelled diagram of the “Tap&Go Audio Stick” concept. The stick has a yellow handle and a gray, square head. The front view shows a speaker grid and five tactile buttons: play, pause, stop, speed (hold), and volume (+/-). The back view has a screen labelled “TAP AREA ON PANEL (NFC).” The bottom view shows a USB-C connector for charging. The top and side views are blank. A lanyard is attached to the handle. Below are usage illustrations showing the stick tapping an NFC-tagged panel and sculpture.

Course & Date IAT 238 - Foundations of Design & User Experience - August 2025 (Summer 2025 Term).

Collaborators John, Riley, Rita.

Tools Used Figma, FigJam, user journey mapping, persona creation, and sketching.

Project Objective We addressed an accessibility issue at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Our challenge was: How might we improve access to exhibition information for older adults facing vision, hearing, or language barriers?

Why This Was a Problem Seniors often find overused QR codes, static wall text, or small labels difficult to engage with. Accessibility barriers can prevent them from fully experiencing cultural spaces.

Reflection If I revisited this project, I would prototype a working model for usability testing and gather direct feedback from older adults to validate assumptions.

Updates

August 23rd, 2025 The prototype is in the works in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Flight at Langley Regional Airport.

January 3rd, 2026 The prototype is being tested. It is currently very barebones. The next stage would be to develop a more fully-featured version with the original design elements in mind.