Concept design
Category
Concept design
UX design
App prototype
Agency
Programs
Adobe XD
Adobe Illustrator
Year
Signoo is a (conceptional) multiplayer game that helps Deaf designer Marie to forge a deeper connection with her colleagues, while simultaneously motivating her colleagues to learn sign language.The content was handpicked to Marie’s personal wishes and desires, so that we could create a solution that truly fit her circumstances.
During the minor Exclusive Design, I immersed myself in the world of accessibility design in order to create a custom-made product for Marie. She is a Deaf designer who recently got a new job at a design agency. She had trouble connecting with her new colleagues. She could work professionally by bringing an interpreter, but no one actually struck up a conversation with her in order to get to know her better. Through various interviews, user tests and feedback sessions, we finally thought up a solution for her: Signoo.
The game works as follows: a player gets a prompt (like, “what is your favourite video game?”) and has to sign their answer to the others. The other players have to write down what they think the answer is and whoever gets it right in the end gets a point. If the player signed their answer correctly in Dutch sign language (as judged by Marie), then they get a bonus point. This way, players learn to use sign language to express themselves and all players get to know each other better at the same time.
Making a Game Inclusive
Gamification is an amazing way to help people learn new skills, including sign language, but to be effective, the game’s mechanics and rules need to be well thought-out and accessible. For instance, the game relies on a 30 second countdown during which players can sign their answer to the prompt, but if you’re concentrating on one player, it can be difficult to see how much time you have left. That’s why we created a phone holder that uses LED lights to better visualise the count down, without having to rely on audio cues, like alarms.
Translating Sign Language
Sign language uses a completely different sentence structure than normal languages. That’s why it’s very difficult to teach sign language without being fluent yourself. The game teaches you how to sign specific words and phrases instead of complete sentences. This makes it a bit easier to learn the language. It wouldn’t make you fluent, but it would put players in a different mindset – to use your body instead of your words to express yourself. And that’s already a huge improvement.
The team
| Annelien de Graaff | UX Designer |
| Alishaan Jahangier | Technical Support Specialist |
| Redouane | UX Designer |
Signoo is a game that’s specifically created for one person, but Marie isn’t the only one that could benefit from it. Social isolation is a common problem among Deaf people, and the leading cause is that so few people know sign language. WIth Signoo, people can learn sign language and get to know their peers better at the same time, making it a fun and educational game for everyone.