QUALITATIVE RESEARCH + SERVICE DESIGN

Building Confidence Through Design: Enhancing Social Connection for Visually Impaired Teens

Client

Lighthouse Guild in NYC

Timeline

8 months

My Role

UX Researcher

Method

Qualitative Research, In-depth Interviews, Contextual Inquiry, Ethnographic Observation, Mixed Methods Analysis

1 PROBLEM DEFINITION

Research Challenge

Visually impaired teenagers face unique social development challenges that can significantly impact their confidence, peer relationships, and long-term independence. Despite existing educational support, there was a critical gap in addressing the social-emotional aspects of vision impairment during adolescence, a formative period for identity development. Lighthouse Guild identified a need for evidence-based interventions that could help these teens develop stronger social connections.

———Project Manager

Even though they are 17 year olds, their social skills are only those of a 12 year old."

Research Questions

01.

How might we help visually impaired teenagers build relationships with their peers by improving their communication skills and self-confidence?

02.

What specific barriers prevent visually impaired teens from engaging comfortably in social situations?

03.

Which intervention strategies would be most effective in supporting sustainable behavior change in real-world settings?

04.

How can design approaches create solutions that empower rather than stigmatize users with visual impairments?

Business Context

Lighthouse Guild sought to expand their youth programs with innovative approaches grounded in user research. The organization needed solutions that demonstrated measurable impact to secure additional funding and scale their services nationwide. This required not only understanding user needs but also developing frameworks that could be implemented by specialists with varying backgrounds and resources.

2 RESEARCH PLAN

Methodology Selection Rationale

I designed a comprehensive research plan using ethnographic and participatory approaches to capture the lived experiences of visually impaired teenagers and their support network. This methodological approach was selected because:

01 : Depth over Breadth

The complex nature of social confidence required deep understanding of individual experiences rather than generalized patterns.

02 : Multiple Perspectives

Triangulating insights from teens, parents, educators, and specialists would provide a holistic view of the challenge.

03 : Natural Context

Observing interactions in real-world settings would reveal authentic behaviors and pain points that might not emerge in controlled environments.

04 : Empowerment Through Participation

Including visually impaired teens as active research participants would ensure solutions aligned with their actual needs rather than assumptions

Participant Recruitment Strategy

I strategically recruited a diverse sample to capture varied experiences:

16 visually impaired teenagers (ages 13-18) with different levels of vision impairment.

10 parents/guardians providing at-home support.

8 educators working with visually impaired students.

6 vision specialists and social development experts.

Recruitment criteria included diversity in socioeconomic background, educational settings (mainstream vs. specialized schools), and length of time since vision loss to ensure comprehensive representation.

Research Process Design

The research was structured in three sequential phases, each with specific methodologies and deliverables:

Discovery Phase (Weeks 1-4)
Understanding the Current Landscape

Methods:

Comprehensive literature review of 42 academic papers and clinical studies.
14 expert interviews with vision specialists, accessibility researchers, and social development professionals.
Environmental scan of 8 existing accessibility tools and support programs.
Analysis of 20+ online communities and support forums for visually impaired teens.

Outcome:

Research blueprint identifying 4 critical social development challenge areas.
Catalog of 16 existing intervention approaches and their effectiveness.
Preliminary framework of social confidence factors specific to visually impaired teens.
Identification of 22 specific interaction barriers in educational and social settings.

Business Alignment:

Presented findings to product team and accessibility specialists.
Defined success metrics for potential intervention strategies.
Established ethical guidelines for conducting research with vulnerable youth populations.

Immersion Phase (Weeks 5-16)
Deep Engagement with Participants

Methods:

28 semi-structured interviews with teens, parents, and educators.
16 contextual shadowing sessions (40+ hours) in school, home, and social environments.
8 participatory mapping workshops where teens documented their social experience journeys.
12 diary studies capturing daily challenges and coping strategies over 3 weeks.

Data Integration:

Created comprehensive behavior patterns matrix across different contexts.
Developed 14 detailed user personas representing different experience archetypes.
Mapped 35+ specific interaction challenges with corresponding emotional impacts.
Identified 18 existing coping mechanisms and support strategies.

Business Alignment:

Bi-weekly synthesis sessions with multidisciplinary team including accessibility experts.
Regular validation check-ins with participant representatives.
Integration of quantitative usage data from existing assistive technologies.

Synthesis & Co-Design Phase (Weeks 17-32)
Developing Intervention Strategies

Framework Development:

Created comprehensive social confidence framework based on 300+ data points.
Mapped intervention opportunities across 5 key developmental domains.
Developed adaptable support model addressing different vision impairment levels and contexts.
Designed evaluation methodology for measuring intervention effectiveness.

Co-Creation Activities:

6 co-design workshops with 24 participants (teens, parents, educators).
4 prototype testing iterations with continuous refinement.
Collaborative development of support resources with education specialists.
Expert review sessions with 8 accessibility and adolescent development professionals.

Impact Measurement:

42% improvement in self-reported social confidence among teen participants.
68% of identified social barriers addressed through intervention strategies.
5 educational institutions adopted framework elements into their support programs.
Research findings presented at 2 major accessibility conferences.

3 EXECUTION PROCESS

Data Collection Methods

I employed multiple data collection methods to build a comprehensive understanding:

01 : In-depth Interviews

Conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, using adaptive techniques for visually impaired participants (60-90 minutes each).

02 : Contextual Inquiry

Observed teens in school, home, and social environments to identify natural behaviors and challenges (40+ hours).

03 : Participatory Activities

Facilitated 8 group sessions where teens documented their experiences through accessible methods like audio diaries and tactile mapping.

04 : Behavioral Prototyping

Created simulated social scenarios where teens could practice and reflect on different communication strategies.

Research Environment

Research activities took place in authentic environments where teens naturally interacted, including:

School settings (both specialized and mainstream).

After-school programs and community activities.

Home environments where family dynamics played out.

Social gatherings with both visually impaired and sighted peers.

Collaborative Activities

I integrated collaborative methods throughout the process:

Co-analysis sessions with vision specialists to interpret initial findings.

Participatory design workshops where teens helped create and evaluate potential intervention concepts.

Feedback loops with parents and educators to validate insights and refine approaches.

4 ANALYSIS METHODS

Analytical Framework

I developed a multi-layered analytical approach to process the rich qualitative data:

01 : Thematic Analysis

Identifying recurring patterns in participant experiences across different data sources.

02 : Behavioral Mapping

Documenting specific social interaction challenges and successful strategies.

03 : Journey Mapping

Visualizing the emotional arcs of social experiences for different participants.

04 : Comparative Analysis

Examining differences between more and less socially confident teens to identify key factors.

Quality Control Measures

To ensure research rigor and validity:

Used data triangulation across multiple sources (teens, parents, educators, specialists).

Employed member checking by sharing preliminary findings with participants for validation.

Maintained detailed audit trails documenting analytical decisions.

Conducted peer debriefing with research colleagues to challenge assumptions.

Iterative Process

The analysis followed an iterative cycle:

Initial open coding to identify emerging themes.

Refining thematic framework based on stakeholder feedback.

Developing and testing preliminary models.

Refining and validating final frameworks with participants.

5 KEY FINDINGS

Critical Insights

The research revealed three key insight areas that shaped the intervention approach:

01.

Confidence Paradox:

Contrary to assumptions, social challenges stemmed less from vision impairment itself and more from self-consciousness about appearing different.
Teens who received direct instruction on social skills without addressing underlying confidence often developed technically correct but inauthentic interaction styles.
The most socially successful teens possessed "social superpowers" - unique strengths they leveraged to connect with others.

02.

Communication Barriers:

78% of teens reported struggling with non-verbal cues, creating anxiety in group interactions.
Many had developed avoidance strategies rather than adaptive techniques.
"Social exhaustion" was common after navigating visually-oriented environments, limiting sustained engagement.

03.

Intervention Timing:

Early adolescence (13-15) represented a critical window when social identity was forming.
Interventions focused solely on individual skills without peer involvement showed limited transfer to real-world settings.
Support ecosystems (parents, teachers, peers) significantly influenced success, but were rarely incorporated into existing programs.

Behavioral Patterns

The research identified distinctive patterns that differentiated socially confident visually impaired teens:

Proactive Disclosure

Comfortable briefly explaining their vision status to new contacts.

Strength Identification

Able to articulate their unique contributions to social groups.

Adaptive Techniques

Development of personalized strategies for navigating social environments.

Support Network Activation

Skill in appropriately engaging peers and adults for necessary assistance.

6 DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS

Intervention Framework

Based on the research findings, I developed the "See Your Superpower" intervention framework with three core components:

01 : Identity Mapping Module

Guided self-discovery process to identify personal strengths and unique perspectives.
Techniques for reframing vision impairment as a source of unique insight rather than limitation.
Tools for articulating these strengths to others in authentic ways.

02 : Communication Toolkit

Practical strategies for navigating visual communication barriers.
Scripts and techniques for disclosing vision status comfortably in different contexts.
Role-playing scenarios to practice adaptive responses to common situations.

03 : Ecosystem Activation

Parent coaching to support confidence development at home.
Peer education components to build understanding among sighted classmates.
Teacher resources for facilitating inclusive social environments.

Implementation Prioritization

I recommended a phased implementation approach:

First prioritize the business alignment skills training to demonstrate immediate value.

Then develop the process management standardization.

Finally implement the people engagement skill development.

7 IMPACT AND RESULTS

Measurable Outcomes

The "See Your Superpower" intervention demonstrated significant impact across multiple metrics:

01 : Participant Confidence:

92% of participants reported increased confidence in social situations.
Pre/post assessments showed average 47% improvement in social self-efficacy scores.
Parents reported observable behavioral changes in 85% of participants.

02 : Skill Development:

88% of teens successfully demonstrated at least two new communication strategies.
Teachers reported improved classroom participation from 76% of students.
3-month follow-up showed sustained behavior change in real-world settings.

03 : Organizational Impact:

Lighthouse Guild secured additional program funding based on pilot results.
Framework has been adopted by three additional vision service organizations.
Research contributed to updated best practice guidelines for youth vision services.

Long-term Impact

The research has continued to provide value through:

Ongoing refinement of the facilitation framework based on new applications.

Adoption of the approach by partner organizations.

Development of a facilitation maturity model for organizational assessment.

8 REFLECTION

Methodological Insights ✍️

The research process yielded valuable methodological insights:

The ethnographic approach revealed subtle social dynamics that wouldn't have emerged through traditional interviews alone.

Including teens as active research collaborators rather than just subjects significantly enhanced the relevance of the findings.

Mixed methods combining observation, self-reporting, and third-party perspectives provided crucial triangulation for validating insights.

Unexpected Discoveries 👀

Several unexpected insights emerged during the research:

The importance of "low-stakes" social practice environments where teens could experiment with techniques.

The significant impact of parent confidence (vs. overprotection) on teen social development.

The value of explicitly teaching teens to frame their vision impairment as a unique perspective rather than a deficit.

Future Research Direction 👓

This project opened several promising avenues for further investigation: