How does a visually impaired individual manage to utilize a smartphone? And how do they engage in seamless interactions with others and connect to the broader world through the internet? As one of the leading social networking platforms, Soul App understands the specific needs of visually impaired users and incorporates their feedback into the platform’s development process. The continuous commitment of Soul App to promote accessibility and its proactive steps towards incorporating changes based on user feedback paints a hopeful picture of a more inclusive future in the digital world.
A Visually Impaired User’s Exploration of the Digital World
In 2022, a visually impaired user shared his experiences on the Soul App, providing insight into these challenges. This user, @jinsedeguang, a 25-year-old profoundly visually impaired individual, shared his journey of navigating the digital landscape using his smartphone’s screen reader feature and the Soul App. However, he encountered several obstacles that hindered his smooth interaction with others.
@GoldenLight’s life drastically changed when he lost his sight completely due to congenital cataracts. He described the period after this loss as filled with “despair and fear,” with the ordinary tasks of daily living becoming significant challenges. In the darkness, he encountered physical barriers and difficulties, but these were not as challenging as the unseen psychological challenges.
Despite this, his curiosity and desire to stay connected with the world led him to learn how to use his smartphone, even without sight. With the help of his phone’s built-in assistive features, he began to interact with the digital world. However, the use of these features presented its own set of challenges, particularly when some apps were not optimized for accessibility, resulting in a frustrating user experience.
Accessibility of information is a universal need, ensuring that everyone, regardless of age or ability, can obtain and utilize information equally, conveniently, and without barriers. As the internet continues to evolve, information accessibility has become a crucial area of focus.
Soul Apps Noticed the Digital Barriers Encountered by Visually Impaired Users
Soul App, the platform @GoldenLight was using, was in the process of promoting accessibility when he shared his experiences. This social networking app aims to build an inclusive social playground for young generations. And it is proved to be a supportive community for @GoldenLight. Despite his concerns about fitting in, he found that the users of Soul App were friendly and empathetic. After understanding his situation, they commended his resilience and were eager to learn about his unique experiences.
The warm community sooner drove @GoldenLight to be a loyal user of Soul App. However, he also found some operational difficulties on this platform. He wrote a letter to Soul App’s development team, wishing for help, which led to a larger conversation within Soul App about improving its accessibility. Soul App’s development, user research, and product teams highlighted his feedback and forwarded it to their dedicated accessibility adaptation group.
Challenges related to accessibility were not limited to technological issues. Understanding the specific needs of visually impaired users proved to be a critical aspect of the adaptation process. The team worked tirelessly to understand and solve these user-specific problems, even going as far as simulating the experience of a visually impaired user by closing their eyes and navigating the app using the screen reader.
Towards a More Inclusive Digital Space: Soul App’s Efforts in Accessibility Adaptation
@GoldenLight and other visually impaired users’ feedback proved invaluable in identifying the areas of improvement, leading to Soul App conducting one-on-one interviews with visually impaired users to understand their high-frequency problems and incorporating their suggestions into the development process.
Today, Soul App continues to actively promote accessibility, ensuring that it remains a priority in every product iteration. The platform has established a “Barrier-Free Optimization User Communication Group” to ensure regular feedback from visually impaired users and to swiftly incorporate changes into the platform based on their suggestions.
As shared by an engineer from Soul App, the value of the platform’s drive towards barrier-free adaptation is not measured in terms of commercial gain. Rather, it lies in the respect and value Soul App places on every user, acknowledging the unique needs of diverse groups.
As a social networking platform, the essence of Soul App is to foster an environment where different communities can feel and empathize with one another, providing mutual warmth and support. It’s about propelling everyone forward together, contributing to enriching the quality of each user’s life. In the future, Soul App will continue to build a more inclusive social playground where every user can conduct pressure-free smooth social networking and find like-minded friends.
