MAIDR Project
Project
My role: Collaborator. Lead: JooYoung Seo, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Scope: MAIDR (Multimodal Access and Interactive Data Representation) is an open-source system that makes statistical data visualizations accessible to blind and low-vision users via R and Python packages. I contributed to needs assessment, co-design with BLV participants, usability testing, and translation of research findings into design and product decisions for the packages and documentation.
Objective
Statistical charts (bar plots, heat maps, box plots, scatter plots) are central to data communication but are often inaccessible to blind and low-vision users. The goal was to understand user needs, co-design multimodal representations (sonification, text, braille), and validate that BLV participants could accurately interpret and interact with charts through these modalities so the team could ship accessible R and Python tooling.
Work
MAIDR augments visual charts into touchable, readable, and audible representations: sonification (audio), textual descriptions (screen readers), braille(tactile), and review mode (interactive exploration). Supported chart types include bar plots, heat maps, box plots, and scatter plots.
I contributed to needs assessment and co-design with BLV stakeholders, and to a user study with 11 blind participants that evaluated interpretation and interaction with MAIDR. Findings showed that MAIDR supported accurate interpretation and that participants combined modalities in varied ways, underscoring the importance of user autonomy in accessible design.
Methods: User research and needs assessment; co-design; usability testing with BLV participants; translating insights into design and product (R/Python packages, documentation). Cross-functional collaboration with lead investigator and partners.
End result
Insights & recommendations
Research findings informed the design of multimodal representations and the prioritization of chart types and documentation. Key insight: users combined modalities in varied ways based on experience, so supporting flexibility and user choice (rather than a single prescribed modality) was recommended and reflected in the shipped packages.
Impact
MAIDR is available as open-source R and Python packages and is designed to integrate into data curators' workflows so that charts can be used by people with and without visual impairments. The work contributes to accessible data visualization infrastructure used by the broader research and data community.
Reflection
Collaborating on MAIDR reinforced how usability testing with the right participants (BLV users) is non-negotiable for accessibility work. If I were to revisit this project, I would push for earlier inclusion of real workflows (e.g., analysts using the packages in their own projects) to validate adoption and uncover edge cases in documentation and API design.
Research skills demonstrated
- Needs assessment and user research with BLV participants
- Co-design of multimodal representations
- Usability testing to validate interpretation and interaction
- Translating findings into actionable product decisions
- Cross-functional collaboration with lead investigator and partners
Publications and resources
Methods
User research and needs assessment, co-design, usability testing with BLV participants, translating insights to design and product, cross-functional collaboration.