Requirements of a Supportive Environment for People on the Autism Spectrum: A Human-Centered Design Story
Lukas Wohofsky, Arianna Marzi, Federica Bettarello, Luca Zaniboni, Sandra Lisa Lattacher, Paola Limoncin, Anna Dordolin, Simone Dugaria, Marco Caniato, Giuseppina Scavuzzo, Andrea Gasparella, Daniela Krainer
Abstract
People on the autism spectrum have a different perception of the environment than neurotypical people and often require support in various activities of daily living. Assistive technology can support those affected, but very few smart-home-like technologies exist. To support people on the autism spectrum in their autonomy and safety and to help caregivers, a smart home and interior design environment was developed. Requirements were gathered by employing a holistic human-centered design approach through interactive workshops and questionnaires to create a useful and user-friendly solution. From this process, requirements for a comprehensive solution (the SENSHOME environment) emerged. These requirements include a set of functionalities tailored to the needs of people on the autism spectrum, such as a crowd warning that informs when many people are in a certain area (for example, the entrance), an automatic light regulation system, or a daily life planner that supports task completion. Furthermore, inclusive furniture elements such as a refuge seat or a table with dividers can support wellbeing, autonomy, and safety. This paper demonstrates a consequent and considerable participatory research approach and the story from the target group and context of use through design requirements to the initial design solution of the SENSHOME environment.